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ACT II。
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Scene I。 A hall in ANGELO'S house
Enter ANGELO； ESCALUS； a JUSTICE； PROVOST； OFFICERS；
and other ATTENDANTS
ANGELO。 We must not make a scarecrow of the law； Setting it up to
fear the birds of prey； And let it keep one shape till custom make it Their
perch； and not their terror。 ESCALUS。 Ay； but yet Let us be keen； and
rather cut a little Than fall and bruise to death。 Alas！ this gentleman；
Whom I would save； had a most noble father。 Let but your honour know；
Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue； That； in the working of your
own affections； Had time coher'd with place； or place with wishing； Or
that the resolute acting of our blood Could have attain'd th' effect of your
own purpose Whether you had not sometime in your life Err'd in this point
which now you censure him； And pull'd the law upon you。 ANGELO。 'Tis
one thing to be tempted； Escalus； Another thing to fall。 I not deny The jury；
passing on the prisoner's life； May in the sworn twelve have a thief or two
Guiltier than him they try。 What's open made to justice； That justice seizes。
What knows the laws That thieves do pass on thieves？ 'Tis very pregnant；
The jewel that we find； we stoop and take't； Because we see it； but what
we do not see We tread upon； and never think of it。 You may not so
extenuate his offence For I have had such faults； but rather tell me； When I；
that censure him； do so offend； Let mine own judgment pattern out my
death； And nothing come in partial。 Sir； he must die。 ESCALUS。 Be it as
your wisdom will。 ANGELO。 Where is the Provost？ PROVOST。 Here； if it
like your honour。 ANGELO。 See that Claudio Be executed by nine to…
morrow morning； Bring him his confessor； let him be prepar'd； For that's
the utmost of his pilgrimage。 Exit PROVOST ESCALUS。 ＇Aside＇ Well；
heaven forgive him！ and forgive us all！ Some rise by sin； and some by
virtue fall； Some run from breaks of ice； and answer none； And some
condemned for a fault alone。
Enter ELBOW and OFFICERS with FROTH and POMPEY
ELBOW。 Come； bring them away； if these be good people in a
commonweal that do nothing but use their abuses in common houses； I
know no law； bring them away。 ANGELO。 How now； sir！ What's your
name； and what's the matter？ ELBOW。 If it please your honour； I am the
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poor Duke's constable； and my name is Elbow； I do lean upon justice； sir；
and do bring in here before your good honour two notorious benefactors。
ANGELO。 Benefactors！ Well… what benefactors are they？ Are they not
malefactors？ ELBOW。 If it please your honour； I know not well what they
are； but precise villains they are； that I am sure of； and void of all
profanation in the world that good Christians ought to have。 ESCALUS。
This comes off well； here's a wise officer。 ANGELO。 Go to； what quality
are they of？ Elbow is your name？ Why dost thou not speak； Elbow？
POMPEY。 He cannot； sir； he's out at elbow。 ANGELO。 What are you； sir？
ELBOW。 He； sir？ A tapster； sir； parcel…bawd； one that serves a bad woman；
whose house； sir； was； as they say； pluck'd down in the suburbs； and now
she professes a hot…house； which； I think； is a very ill house too。
ESCALUS。 How know you that？ ELBOW。 My wife； sir； whom I detest
before heaven and your honour… ESCALUS。 How！ thy wife！ ELBOW。 Ay；
sir； whom I thank heaven； is an honest woman… ESCALUS。 Dost thou
detest her therefore？ ELBOW。 I say； sir； I will detest myself also； as well
as she； that this house； if it be not a bawd's house； it is pity of her life； for
it is a naughty house。 ESCALUS。 How dost thou know that； constable？
ELBOW。 Marry； sir； by my wife； who； if she had been a woman cardinally
given； might have been accus'd in fornication； adultery； and all
uncleanliness there。 ESCALUS。 By the woman's means？ ELBOW。 Ay； sir；
by Mistress Overdone's means； but as she spit in his face； so she defied
him。 POMPEY。 Sir； if it please your honour； this is not so。 ELBOW。 Prove
it before these varlets here； thou honourable man； prove it。 ESCALUS。 Do
you hear how he misplaces？ POMPEY。 Sir； she came in great with child；
and longing； saving your honour's reverence； for stew'd prunes。 Sir； we
had but two in the house； which at that very distant time stood； as it were；
in a fruit dish； a dish of some three pence； your honours have seen such
dishes； they are not China dishes； but very good dishes。 ESCALUS。 Go to；
go to； no matter for the dish； sir。 POMPEY。 No； indeed； sir； not of a pin；
you are therein in the right； but to the point。 As I say； this Mistress Elbow；
being； as I say； with child； and being great…bellied； and longing； as I said；
for prunes； and having but two in the dish； as I said； Master Froth here；
this very man； having eaten the rest； as I said； and； as I say； paying for
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them very honestly； for； as you know； Master Froth； I could not give you
three pence again… FROTH。 No； indeed。 POMPEY。 Very well； you being
then； if you be rememb'red； cracking the stones of the foresaid prunes…
FROTH。 Ay； so I did indeed。 POMPEY。 Why； very well； I telling you then；
if you be rememb'red； that such a one and such a one were past cure of the
thing you wot of； unless they kept very good diet； as I told you… FROTH。
All this is true。 POMPEY。 Why； very well then… ESCALUS。 Come； you
are a tedious fool。 To the purpose： what was done to Elbow's wife that he
hath cause to complain of？ Come me to what was done to her。 POMPEY。
Sir； your honour cannot come to that yet。 ESCALUS。 No； sir； nor I mean it
not。 POMPEY。 Sir； but you shall come to it； by your honour's leave。 And； I
beseech you； look into Master Froth here； sir； a man of fourscore pound a
year； whose father died at Hallowmas… was't not at Hallowmas； Master
Froth？ FROTH。 All…hallond eve。 POMPEY。 Why； very well； I hope here
be truths。 He； sir； sitting； as I say； in a lower chair； sir； 'twas in the Bunch
of Grapes； where； indeed； you have a delight to sit； have you not？ FROTH。
I have so； because it is an open room； and good for winter。 POMPEY。 Why；
very well then； I hope here be truths。 ANGELO。 This will last out a night
in Russia； When nights are longest there； I'll take my leave； And leave you
to the hearing of the cause； Hoping you'll find good cause to whip them all。
ESCALUS。 I think no less。 Good morrow to your lordship。 ＇Exit
ANGE