Merchant Of Venice

Chapter 11

[2 months ago, the day before Portia's and Gratiano's marriage]

[At Antonio's living room]

"Shylock? I did not believe my servant when he told me that you had come to visit me." asked Antonio, out of surprise.

"I've come to bargain," Shylock replied.

"For?"

"If I know any better, you dislike Bassanio as much as I do"

"Pish-posh! Of course not! He's my best-friend"

"He made you borrow money from your enemy to impress a girl whom he wasn't even vaguely interested in, and then ended up marrying your enemy's daughter and you love him?"

"Yeah, your right, I hate him to the moon and to saturn"

"That's what I thought,"

"But why are you here and what is this got to do with me?"

"I came here to agree on a deal." Shylock said, slowly walking around the room, observing the room and its elements. "I'm well aware that Bassanio was the one who signed my contract, and not you. Now if you don't pay me back, he'd be the one who has to give me the pound of flesh, and you don't have to give me a single penny and I'll even stop taking any interest."

"And what do you gain from this?"

"I get my daughter back"

"I'll have to think about it"

"If you do agree, then my servant's father is coming to port in a few days, tell him that Jessica wants to meet with him there, and send him there, Launcelot would definitely talk to him."