The author had forgotten that
Falcone submitted to the wedding, after the Dukes interposition,
only upon Isabella's assurance that she really loved the usurer. In
the third Scene, too, of the first Act, the imagination of the
spectator is no doubt a little taxed when he finds Angelo, in the
first moment of his introduction to the palace of Isabella, commencing
her portrait by laying on colour after colour, before he has made
any attempt at an outline. In the last Act, moreover, Tortesa gives to
Isabella a deed
"Of the Falcone palaces and lands,
And all the money forfeit by Falcone."
This is a terrible blunder, and the more important as upon this act of
the usurer depends the development of his newborn sentiments of honour
and virtue- depends, in fact, the most salient point of the play.
Tortesa, we say, gives to Isabella the lands forfeited by Falcone; but
Tortesa was surely not very generous in giving what, clearly, was
not his own to give. Falcone had not forfeited the deed, which had
been restored to him by the usurer, and which was then in his
(Falcone's) possession. Here Tortesa:-
He put it in the bond,
That if, by any humour of my own,
Or accident that came not from himself,
Or from his daughter's will, the match were marred,
His tenure stood intact.
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