按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
jest now； think you？ DUKE。 Sir； induced by my charity； and hearing how
hastily you are to depart； I am come to advise you； comfort you； and pray
with you。 BARNARDINE。 Friar； not I； I have been drinking hard all night；
and I will have more time to prepare me； or they shall beat out my brains
with billets。 I will not consent to die this day； that's certain。 DUKE。 O； Sir；
you must； and therefore I beseech you Look forward on the journey you
shall go。 BARNARDINE。 I swear I will not die to…day for any man's
persuasion。 DUKE。 But hear you… BARNARDINE。 Not a word； if you
have anything to say to me； come to my ward； for thence will not I to…day。
Exit DUKE。 Unfit to live or die。 O gravel heart！ After him； fellows； bring
him to the block。 Exeunt ABHORSON and POMPEY
Enter PROVOST
PROVOST。 Now； sir； how do you find the prisoner？ DUKE。 A
creature unprepar'd； unmeet for death； And to transport him in the mind he
is Were damnable。 PROVOST。 Here in the prison； father； There died this
morning of a cruel fever One Ragozine； a most notorious pirate； A man of
Claudio's years； his beard and head Just of his colour。 What if we do omit
This reprobate till he were well inclin'd； And satisfy the deputy with the
visage Of Ragozine； more like to Claudio？ DUKE。 O； 'tis an accident that
heaven provides！ Dispatch it presently； the hour draws on Prefix'd by
Angelo。 See this be done； And sent according to command； whiles I
Persuade this rude wretch willingly to die。 PROVOST。 This shall be done；
good father； presently。 But Barnardine must die this afternoon； And how
shall we continue Claudio； To save me from the danger that might come If
he were known alive？ DUKE。 Let this be done： Put them in secret holds；
both Barnardine and Claudio。 Ere twice the sun hath made his journal
greeting To the under generation； you shall find Your safety manifested。
PROVOST。 I am your free dependant。 DUKE。 Quick； dispatch； and send
the head to Angelo。 Exit PROVOST Now will I write letters to Angelo…
The Provost； he shall bear them… whose contents Shall witness to him I am
near at home； And that； by great injunctions； I am bound To enter publicly。
52
… Page 53…
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Him I'll desire To meet me at the consecrated fount； A league below the
city； and from thence； By cold gradation and well…balanc'd form。 We shall
proceed with Angelo。
Re…enter PROVOST
PROVOST。 Here is the head； I'll carry it myself。 DUKE。 Convenient
is it。 Make a swift return； For I would commune with you of such things
That want no ear but yours。 PROVOST。 I'll make all speed。 Exit
ISABELLA。 ＇ Within ＇ Peace； ho； be here！ DUKE。 The tongue of Isabel。
She's come to know If yet her brother's pardon be come hither； But I will
keep her ignorant of her good； To make her heavenly comforts of despair
When it is least expected。
Enter ISABELLA
ISABELLA。 Ho； by your leave！ DUKE。 Good morning to you； fair
and gracious daughter。 ISABELLA。 The better； given me by so holy a man。
Hath yet the deputy sent my brother's pardon？ DUKE。 He hath releas'd
him； Isabel； from the world。 His head is off and sent to Angelo。
ISABELLA。 Nay； but it is not so。 DUKE。 It is no other。 Show your
wisdom； daughter； in your close patience。 ISABELLA。 O； I will to him
and pluck out his eyes！ DUKE。 You shall not be admitted to his sight。
ISABELLA。 Unhappy Claudio！ Wretched Isabel！ Injurious world！ Most
damned Angelo！ DUKE。 This nor hurts him nor profits you a jot； Forbear
it； therefore； give your cause to heaven。 Mark what I say； which you shall
find By every syllable a faithful verity。 The Duke comes home to…morrow。
Nay； dry your eyes。 One of our convent； and his confessor； Gives me this
instance。 Already he hath carried Notice to Escalus and Angelo； Who do
prepare to meet him at the gates； There to give up their pow'r。 If you can；
pace your wisdom In that good path that I would wish it go； And you shall
have your bosom on this wretch； Grace of the Duke； revenges to your
heart； And general honour。 ISABELLA。 I am directed by you。 DUKE。
This letter； then； to Friar Peter give； 'Tis that he sent me of the Duke's
return。 Say； by this token； I desire his company At Mariana's house to…
night。 Her cause and yours I'll perfect him withal； and he shall bring you
Before the Duke； and to the head of Angelo Accuse him home and home。
For my poor self； I am combined by a sacred vow； And shall be absent。
53
… Page 54…
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Wend you with this letter。 Command these fretting waters from your eyes
With a light heart； trust not my holy order； If I pervert your course。 Who's
here？
Enter LUCIO
LUCIO。 Good even。 Friar； where's the Provost？ DUKE。 Not within；
sir。 LUCIO。 O pretty Isabella； I am pale at mine heart to see thine eyes so
red。 Thou must be patient。 I am fain to dine and sup with water and bran； I
dare not for my head fill my belly； one fruitful meal would set me to't。 But
they say the Duke will be here to…morrow。 By my troth； Isabel； I lov'd thy
brother。 If the old fantastical Duke of dark corners had been at home； he
had
lived。 Exit ISABELLA DUKE。 Sir； the Duke is marvellous little
beholding to your reports； but the best is； he lives not in them。 LUCIO。
Friar； thou knowest not the Duke so well as I do； he's a better woodman
than thou tak'st him for。 DUKE。 Well； you'll answer this one day。 Fare ye
well。 LUCIO。 Nay； tarry； I'll go along with thee； I can tell thee pretty tales
of the Duke。 DUKE。 You have told me too many of him already； sir； if
they be true； if not true； none were enough。 LUCIO。 I was once before him
for getting a wench with child。 DUKE。 Did you such a thing？ LUCIO。 Yes；
marry； did I； but I was fain to forswear it： they would else have married
me to the rotten medlar。 DUKE。 Sir； your company is fairer than honest。
Rest you well。 LUCIO。 By my troth； I'll go with thee to the lane's end。 If
bawdy talk offend you； we'll have very little of it。 Nay； friar； I am a kind of
burr； I shall stick。 Exeunt
54
… Page 55…
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
SCENE IV。 ANGELO'S house
Enter ANGELO and ESCALUS
ESCALUS。 Every letter he hath writ hath disvouch'd other。 ANGELO。
In most uneven and distracted manner。 His actions show much like to
madness； pray heaven his wisdom be not tainted！ And why meet him at
the gates； and redeliver our authorities there？ ESCALUS。 I guess not。
ANGELO。 And why should we proclaim it in an hour before his ent'ring
that； if any crave redress of injustice； they should exhibit their petitions in
the street？ ESCALUS。 He shows his reason for that： to have a dispatch of
complaints； and to deliver us from devices hereafter； which shall then have
no power to stand against us。 ANGELO。 Well； I beseech you； let it be
proclaim'd； Betimes i' th' morn I'll call you at your house； Give notice to
such men of sort and suit As are to meet him。 ESCALUS。 I shall； sir； fare
you well。 ANGELO。 Good night。 Exit ESCALUS This deed unshapes me
quite； makes me unpregnant And dull to all proceedings。 A deflow'red
maid！ And by an eminent bod