The Merchant of Venice.[10]
The story of this play is as follows. In the opening scene, the words of Antonio to Bassanio—
“Well, tell me now, what lady is the same
To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage,
That you to-day promised to tell me of?”
And Lorenzo’s apology for withdrawing—
“My lord Bassanio, since you have found Antonio
We two will leave you:”
and that of Salarino—
“We’ll make our leisures to attend on yours”—
lead us to suppose that Bassanio has come by appointment to meet Antonio, and that Antonio should be represented on his entrance as somewhat anxiously expecting his friend, and we may further presume from Solanio’s words to Salarino in Act II., Scene 8—
“I think he only loves the world for him”—