Chapter XI: Act IV

As for the Fourth Act,--it is very tender and terrible.

I need not say that the tenderness arises through the necklace,--and indeed, for that matter, so also does the terror. Touching the first, of course it is the discovery by Ginevra of the return of those maternal diamonds,--which are handed to her by a _femme-de-chambre_, who has had them from Andronic's _valet-de-chambre_, who is in love with the _femme-de-chambre_, who reciprocates, etc., etc., etc.

But touching the terrible,--"that woman" hears of the necklace, and sends Honorius for it to Shylock. Bad job!--gone! Well, then, Honorius falls out with his old friend Andronic because latter will not yield up the necklace. Honorius demands to know who has it. Andronic will not name Ginevra's name before "that woman" and all the lofty lords, and then there's a grand scene.

In the first place, it seems that in Shylock's Venetian time, the Venetian lords, when obliging Venice with a riot, called upon Venetians to put out their lights, and this the lords now do, (we are on the piazza,) and out go all the lights as though turned off at one main.

Then there is such a scrimmage! Honorius lunges at Andronic; this latter disarms former; then latter comes to his senses, flies over to his old friend, and all the Venetian brawlers are put to flight.

Then Honorius says,--and pray, pray, mark what Honorius says, or you will _never_ comprehend Act V.,--then Honorius says, taking Andronic's previous advice about flying, "I will go away, _and fight the Adriatic pirates_." Now, pray, don't forget that. I quite distress myself in praying you not to forget that,--to wit,--"_Honorius goes away to fight the Adriatic pirates._"

Oh, if you only knew the big secret!