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！
thou hast； whether thou art tainted or free。
Enter MISTRESS OVERDONE
LUCIO。 Behold； behold； where Madam Mitigation comes！ I have
purchas'd as many diseases under her roof as come to… SECOND
GENTLEMAN。 To what； I pray？ FIRST GENTLEMAN。 Judge。
6
… Page 7…
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
SECOND GENTLEMAN。 To three thousand dolours a year。 FIRST
GENTLEMAN。 Ay； and more。 LUCIO。 A French crown more。 FIRST
GENTLEMAN。 Thou art always figuring diseases in me； but thou art full
of error； I am sound。 LUCIO。 Nay； not； as one would say； healthy； but so
sound as things that are hollow： thy bones are hollow； impiety has made a
feast of thee。 FIRST GENTLEMAN。 How now！ which of your hips has
the most profound sciatica？ MRS。 OVERDONE。 Well； well！ there's one
yonder arrested and carried to prison was worth five thousand of you all。
FIRST GENTLEMAN。 Who's that； I pray thee？ MRS。 OVERDONE。
Marry； sir； that's Claudio； Signior Claudio。 FIRST GENTLEMAN。
Claudio to prison？ 'Tis not so。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 Nay； but I know 'tis so：
I saw him arrested； saw him carried away； and； which is more； within
these three days his head to be chopp'd off。 LUCIO。 But； after all this
fooling； I would not have it so。 Art thou sure of this？ MRS。 OVERDONE。
I am too sure of it； and it is for getting Madam Julietta with child。 LUCIO。
Believe me； this may be； he promis'd to meet me two hours since； and he
was ever precise in promise…keeping。 SECOND GENTLEMAN。 Besides；
you know； it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose。
FIRST GENTLEMAN。 But most of all agreeing with the proclamation。
LUCIO。 Away； let's go learn the truth of it。 Exeunt Lucio and
GENTLEMEN MRS。 OVERDONE。 Thus； what with the war； what with
the sweat； what with the gallows； and what with poverty； I am custom…
shrunk。
Enter POMPEY
How now！ what's the news with you？ POMPEY。 Yonder man is
carried to prison。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 Well； what has he done？ POMPEY。
A woman。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 But what's his offence？ POMPEY。
Groping for trouts in a peculiar river。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 What！ is there
a maid with child by him？ POMPEY。 No； but there's a woman with maid
by him。 You have not heard of the proclamation； have you？ MRS。
OVERDONE。 What proclamation； man？ POMPEY。 All houses in the
suburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 And what
shall become of those in the city？ POMPEY。 They shall stand for seed；
they had gone down too； but that a wise burgher put in for them。 MRS。
7
… Page 8…
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
OVERDONE。 But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pull'd
down？ POMPEY。 To the ground； mistress。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 Why；
here's a change indeed in the commonwealth！ What shall become of me？
POMPEY。 Come； fear not you： good counsellors lack no clients。 Though
you change your place you need not change your trade； I'll be your tapster
still。 Courage； there will be pity taken on you； you that have worn your
eyes almost out in the service； you will be considered。 MRS。 OVERDONE。
What's to do here； Thomas Tapster？ Let's withdraw。 POMPEY。 Here
comes Signior Claudio； led by the provost to prison； and there's Madam
Juliet。 Exeunt
Enter PROVOST； CLAUDIO； JULIET； and OFFICERS； LUCIO
following
CLAUDIO。 Fellow； why dost thou show me thus to th' world？ Bear
me to prison； where I am committed。 PROVOST。 I do it not in evil
disposition； But from Lord Angelo by special charge。 CLAUDIO。 Thus
can the demigod Authority Make us pay down for our offence by weight
The words of heaven： on whom it will； it will； On whom it will not； so； yet
still 'tis just。 LUCIO。 Why； how now； Claudio； whence comes this restraint？
CLAUDIO。 From too much liberty； my Lucio； liberty； As surfeit is the
father of much fast； So every scope by the immoderate use Turns to
restraint。 Our natures do pursue； Like rats that ravin down their proper
bane； A thirsty evil； and when we drink we die。 LUCIO。 If I could speak
so wisely under an arrest； I would send for certain of my creditors； and yet；
to say the truth； I had as lief have the foppery of freedom as the morality
of imprisonment。 What's thy offence； Claudio？ CLAUDIO。 What but to
speak of would offend again。 LUCIO。 What； is't murder？ CLAUDIO。 No。
LUCIO。 Lechery？ CLAUDIO。 Call it so。 PROVOST。 Away； sir； you must
go。 CLAUDIO。 One word； good friend。 Lucio； a word with you。 LUCIO。
A hundred； if they'll do you any good。 Is lechery so look'd after？
CLAUDIO。 Thus stands it with me： upon a true contract I got possession
of Julietta's bed。 You know the lady； she is fast my wife； Save that we do
the denunciation lack Of outward order； this we came not to； Only for
propagation of a dow'r Remaining in the coffer of her friends。 From whom
we thought it meet to hide our love Till time had made them for us。 But it
8
… Page 9…
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
chances The stealth of our most mutual entertainment； With character too
gross； is writ on Juliet。 LUCIO。 With child； perhaps？ CLAUDIO。
Unhappily； even so。 And the new deputy now for the Duke… Whether it be
the fault and glimpse of newness； Or whether that the body public be A
horse whereon the governor doth ride； Who； newly in the seat； that it may
know He can command； lets it straight feel the spur； Whether the tyranny
be in his place； Or in his eminence that fills it up； I stagger in。 But this new
governor Awakes me all the enrolled penalties Which have； like unscour'd
armour； hung by th' wall So long that nineteen zodiacs have gone round
And none of them been worn； and； for a name； Now puts the drowsy and
neglected act Freshly on me。 'Tis surely for a name。 LUCIO。 I warrant it is；
and thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders that a milkmaid； if she be in
love； may sigh it off。 Send after the Duke； and appeal to him。 CLAUDIO。
I have done so； but he's not to be found。 I prithee； Lucio； do me this kind
service： This day my sister should the cloister enter； And there receive her
approbation； Acquaint her with the danger of my state； Implore her； in my
voice； that she make friends To the strict deputy； bid herself assay him。 I
have great hope in that； for in her youth There is a prone and speechless
dialect Such as move men； beside； she hath prosperous art When she will
play with reason and discourse； And well she can persuade。 LUCIO。 I pray
she may； as well for the encouragement of the like； which else would
stand under grievous imposition； as for the enjoying of thy life； who I
would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a game of tick…tack。 I'll to
her。 CLAUDIO。 I thank you； good friend Lucio。 LUCIO。 Within two hours。
CLAUDIO。 Come； officer； away。 Exeunt
9
… Page 10…
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
SCENE III。 A monastery
Enter DUKE and FRIAR THOMAS
DUKE。 No； holy father； throw away that thoug