No More Learning

_Ber_. Nay, question me no further:
I must be gone. ----

_Lioni_. And I be murdered! --say,
Was it not thus thou said'st, my gentle Bertram?

_Ber_. Who talks of murder? what said I of murder?
Tis false! I did not utter such a word. 260

_Lioni_. Thou didst not; but from out thy wolfish eye,
So changed from what I knew it, there glares forth
The gladiator. If _my_ life's thine object,
Take it--I am unarmed,--and then away!
I would not hold my breath on such a tenure[ep]
As the capricious mercy of such things
As thou and those who have set thee to thy task-work.

_Ber_.
Sooner than spill thy blood, I peril mine;
Sooner than harm a hair of thine, I place
In jeopardy a thousand heads, and some 270
As noble, nay, even nobler than thine own.

_Lioni_. Aye, is it even so? Excuse me, Bertram;
I am not worthy to be singled out
From such exalted hecatombs--who are they
That _are_ in danger, and that _make_ the danger?

_Ber_. Venice, and all that she inherits, are
Divided like a house against itself,
And so will perish ere to-morrow's twilight!

_Lioni_. More mysteries, and awful ones! But now,
Or thou, or I, or both, it may be, are 280
Upon the verge of ruin; speak once out,
And thou art safe and glorious: for 'tis more
Glorious to save than slay, and slay i' the dark too--
Fie, Bertram! that was not a craft for thee!
How would it look to see upon a spear
The head of him whose heart was open to thee!
Borne by thy hand before the shuddering people?
And such may be my doom; for here I swear,
Whate'er the peril or the penalty
Of thy denunciation, I go forth, 290
Unless thou dost detail the cause, and show
The consequence of all which led thee here!

_Ber_. Is there no way to save thee? minutes fly,
And thou art lost!