. Shakespeare on the stage. to borrow money: thatfact was singular, was astonishing; there might beno consequence in it, or there might proceed from itthe opportunity, for which he had long hungered andthirsted, to strike that enemy dead. Bassanio must bemade to repeat his request, and the matter must becarefully considered. One skirt of the Jews gabar-dine,—a garment of rich material but of sober hueand well-worn,—was caught up at the side and heldin the right hand, which also held a black crutch-stick, grasping it near the middle and more as thoughit were a weapon than a prop. Throughout the
. Shakespeare on the stage. to borrow money: thatfact was singular, was astonishing; there might beno consequence in it, or there might proceed from itthe opportunity, for which he had long hungered andthirsted, to strike that enemy dead. Bassanio must bemade to repeat his request, and the matter must becarefully considered. One skirt of the Jews gabar-dine,—a garment of rich material but of sober hueand well-worn,—was caught up at the side and heldin the right hand, which also held a black crutch-stick, grasping it near the middle and more as thoughit were a weapon than a prop. Throughout the open-ing scene the mention by Shylock of the ducats desiredby Antonio was made in a lingering, caressing tone,involuntarily expressive of his love of money, and thethumb and first two fingers of whichever hand hap-pened to be free,—for he shifted his staff occa-sionally from one hand to the other,—were, from timeto time, moved slowly, as though in the act of countingcoins. The first speech, Three thousand ducats—. From a photograph by Lock and HENRY IRVING AS THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 181 Well? only noted the sum, with an accent of inquiry;the second speech, For three months:—^Well? indi-cated watchful expectation of sometliing to follow;but the third speech, Antonio shall become bound/was uttered with a strong emphasis on the merchantsname and on the word bound, accompanied by amomentary flash of lurid fire in the dark, piercing,baleful eyes, a quick contraction of the muscles ofarms and hands, instantly succeeded by a perfectresumption of self-control, as the calm, cold voice,reiterated the recurring question, Well? The utter-ance of the declaration I will be assured I may wassharp, incisive, almost fierce, but the tone quicldysoftened in delivery of the words that immediatelyfollow. The rebuff beginning Yes, to smell pork,was ejaculated in a bitter tone of contemptuous pro-test, till the close, when the words nor pray with youwere spoken in accen
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectshakespearewilliam15
