Scene Two
[Venice. A Street]
Enter the Clown alone.
Laun. Certainly my conscience will serve me
to run from this Jew my master. The fiend is
at mine elbow, and tempts me, saying to me,
'Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot,' or 4
'good Gobbo,' or 'good Launcelot Gobbo, use
your legs, take the start, run away.' My con-
science says, 'No; take heed, honest Launcelot;
take heed, honest Gobbo;' or, as aforesaid, 'honest 8
Launcelot Gobbo; do not run; scorn running
with thy heels.' Well, the most courageous fiend
bids me pack: 'Via!' says the fiend; 'away!'
says the fiend; 'for the heavens, rouse up a brave 12
mind,' says the fiend, 'and run.' Well, my con-
science, hanging about the neck of my heart, says
very wisely to me, 'My honest friend Launcelot,
being an honest man's son,'—or rather an honest 16
woman's son;—for, indeed, my father did some-
thing smack, something grow to, he had a kind
of taste;—well, my conscience says, 'Launcelot,
budge not.' 'Budge,' says the fiend. 'Budge 20
not,' says my conscience. 'Conscience,' say I,
'you counsel well;' 'fiend,' say I, 'you counsel well:'
to be ruled by my conscience, I should stay with
the Jew my master, who, God bless the mark! 24
is a kind of devil; and, to run away from the Jew,
I should be ruled by the fiend, who, saving your
reverence, is the devil himself. Certainly, the
10 with thy heels: indignantly
11 'Via!': Italian, meaning "get-ap"
12 for . . . heavens: for heaven's sake!
18 smack, etc.; cf. n.
20 budge: flinch, give ground
24 God bless the mark; cf. n.
26, 27 saving your reverence: (no offence intended!)
