DUKE But she I mean is promised by her friends
Unto a youthful gentleman of worth,
And kept severely from resort of men,
That no man hath access by day to her.
VALENTINE Why then I would resort to her by night.
DUKE Ay, but the doors be locked and keys kept safe
That no man hath recourse to her by night.
VALENTINE What lets but one may enter at her window?
DUKE Her chamber is aloft, far from the ground,
And built so shelving, that one cannot climb it
Without apparent hazard of his life. (3.1.106-116)
From this point on the Duke is slowly reeling Valentine in. But she I mean is promised by her friends unto a youthful gentleman of worth: her family has already got a husband lined up for her, and a good one, younger than me (an authenticating touch of self-deprecation). So she is kept severely from resort of men, that no man hath access by day to her. They don’t let her meet other men, therefore, let alone mix with them; it’s impossible to get anywhere near her during the day. Valentine’s got the obvious answer: why then I would resort to her by night. Obvious! Simples! Another obstacle from the Duke: it’s not just that it’s dark, but the doors be locked and keys kept safe that no man hath recourse to her by night. Even worse at night-time, she’s properly locked up, no chance of getting at the keys even. Impossible for a man to visit her at night, impossible. Valentine’s got an answer for that too: what lets but one may enter at her window? Well, if you can’t get in by the door, what about by the window? What’s stopping you? Show a bit of imagination and initiative. Yeah but, says the Duke. Her chamber is aloft, far from the ground—it’s a long way up, her bedroom window, on one of the upper floors and built so shelving—with an overhang, utterly familiar to a London audience, houses sloping inwards almost to meet in the middle of the street at their highest point, that one cannot climb it without apparent hazard of his life. Impossible, and far too dangerous to climb, even if it were possible. Too risky!
The Duke holds his breath. What will Valentine have to say to that? He has, after all, just described exactly his daughter Silvia’s situation.