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all the skyey influences； That dost this habitation where thou keep'st
Hourly afflict。 Merely； thou art Death's fool； For him thou labour'st by thy
flight to shun And yet run'st toward him still。 Thou art not noble； For all
th' accommodations that thou bear'st Are nurs'd by baseness。 Thou 'rt by
no means valiant； For thou dost fear the soft and tender fork Of a poor
worm。 Thy best of rest is sleep； And that thou oft provok'st； yet grossly
fear'st Thy death； which is no more。 Thou art not thyself； For thou exists
on many a thousand grains That issue out of dust。 Happy thou art not； For
what thou hast not； still thou striv'st to get； And what thou hast； forget'st。
Thou art not certain； For thy complexion shifts to strange effects； After the
moon。 If thou art rich； thou'rt poor； For； like an ass whose back with ingots
bows； Thou bear'st thy heavy riches but a journey； And Death unloads thee。
Friend hast thou none； For thine own bowels which do call thee sire； The
mere effusion of thy proper loins； Do curse the gout； serpigo； and the
rheum； For ending thee no sooner。 Thou hast nor youth nor age； But； as it
were； an after…dinner's sleep； Dreaming on both； for all thy blessed youth
Becomes as aged； and doth beg the alms Of palsied eld； and when thou art
old and rich； Thou hast neither heat； affection； limb； nor beauty； To make
thy riches pleasant。 What's yet in this That bears the name of life？ Yet in
this life Lie hid moe thousand deaths； yet death we fear； That makes these
odds all even。 CLAUDIO。 I humbly thank you。 To sue to live； I find I seek
to die； And； seeking death； find life。 Let it come on。 ISABELLA。 ＇Within＇
What； ho！ Peace here； grace and good company！ PROVOST。 Who's there？
Come in； the wish deserves a welcome。 DUKE。 Dear sir； ere long I'll visit
you again。 CLAUDIO。 Most holy sir； I thank you。
Enter ISABELLA
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ISABELLA。 My business is a word or two with Claudio。 PROVOST。
And very welcome。 Look； signior； here's your sister。 DUKE。 Provost； a
word with you。 PROVOST。 As many as you please。 DUKE。 Bring me to
hear them speak； where I may be conceal'd。 Exeunt DUKE and
PROVOST CLAUDIO。 Now； sister； what's the comfort？ ISABELLA。
Why； As all comforts are； most good； most good； indeed。 Lord Angelo；
having affairs to heaven； Intends you for his swift ambassador； Where you
shall be an everlasting leiger。 Therefore； your best appointment make with
speed； To…morrow you set on。 CLAUDIO。 Is there no remedy？
ISABELLA。 None； but such remedy as； to save a head； To cleave a heart
in twain。 CLAUDIO。 But is there any？ ISABELLA。 Yes； brother； you may
live： There is a devilish mercy in the judge； If you'll implore it； that will
free your life； But fetter you till death。 CLAUDIO。 Perpetual durance？
ISABELLA。 Ay； just； perpetual durance； a restraint； Though all the world's
vastidity you had； To a determin'd scope。 CLAUDIO。 But in what nature？
ISABELLA。 In such a one as； you consenting to't； Would bark your
honour from that trunk you bear； And leave you naked。 CLAUDIO。 Let
me know the point。 ISABELLA。 O； I do fear thee； Claudio； and I quake；
Lest thou a feverous life shouldst entertain； And six or seven winters more
respect Than a perpetual honour。 Dar'st thou die？ The sense of death is
most in apprehension； And the poor beetle that we tread upon In corporal
sufferance finds a pang as great As when a giant dies。 CLAUDIO。 Why
give you me this shame？ Think you I can a resolution fetch From flow'ry
tenderness？ If I must die； I will encounter darkness as a bride And hug it in
mine arms。 ISABELLA。 There spake my brother； there my father's grave
Did utter forth a voice。 Yes； thou must die： Thou art too noble to conserve
a life In base appliances。 This outward…sainted deputy； Whose settled
visage and deliberate word Nips youth i' th' head； and follies doth enew As
falcon doth the fowl； is yet a devil； His filth within being cast； he would
appear A pond as deep as hell。 CLAUDIO。 The precise Angelo！
ISABELLA。 O； 'tis the cunning livery of hell The damned'st body to
invest and cover In precise guards！ Dost thou think； Claudio； If I would
yield him my virginity Thou mightst be freed？ CLAUDIO。 O heavens！ it
cannot be。 ISABELLA。 Yes； he would give't thee； from this rank offence；
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So to offend him still。 This night's the time That I should do what I abhor
to name； Or else thou diest to…morrow。 CLAUDIO。 Thou shalt not do't。
ISABELLA。 O； were it but my life！ I'd throw it down for your deliverance
As frankly as a pin。 CLAUDIO。 Thanks； dear Isabel。 ISABELLA。 Be
ready； Claudio； for your death to…morrow。 CLAUDIO。 Yes。 Has he
affections in him That thus can make him bite the law by th' nose When he
would force it？ Sure it is no sin； Or of the deadly seven it is the least。
ISABELLA。 Which is the least？ CLAUDIO。 If it were damnable； he being
so wise； Why would he for the momentary trick Be perdurably fin'd？… O
Isabel！ ISABELLA。 What says my brother？ CLAUDIO。 Death is a fearful
thing。 ISABELLA。 And shamed life a hateful。 CLAUDIO。 Ay； but to die；
and go we know not where； To lie in cold obstruction； and to rot； This
sensible warm motion to become A kneaded clod； and the delighted spirit
To bathe in fiery floods or to reside In thrilling region of thick…ribbed ice；
To be imprison'd in the viewless winds； And blown with restless violence
round about The pendent world； or to be worse than worst Of those that
lawless and incertain thought Imagine howling… 'tis too horrible。 The
weariest and most loathed worldly life That age； ache； penury； and
imprisonment； Can lay on nature is a paradise To what we fear of death。
ISABELLA。 Alas； alas！ CLAUDIO。 Sweet sister； let me live。 What sin
you do to save a brother's life； Nature dispenses with the deed so far That
it becomes a virtue。 ISABELLA。 O you beast！ O faithless coward！ O
dishonest wretch！ Wilt thou be made a man out of my vice？ Is't not a kind
of incest to take life From thine own sister's shame？ What should I think？
Heaven shield my mother play'd my father fair！ For such a warped slip of
wilderness Ne'er issu'd from his blood。 Take my defiance； Die； perish。
Might but my bending down Reprieve thee from thy fate； it should
proceed。 I'll pray a thousand prayers for thy death； No word to save thee。
CLAUDIO。 Nay； hear me； Isabel。 ISABELLA。 O fie； fie； fie！ Thy sin's not
accidental； but a trade。 Mercy to thee would prove itself a bawd； 'Tis best
that thou diest quickly。 CLAUDIO。 O； hear me； Isabella。
Re…enter DUKE
DUKE。 Vouchsafe a word； young sister； but one word。 ISABELLA。
What is your will？ DUKE。 Might you dispense with your leisure； I would
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by and by have some speech with you； the satisfaction I would require is
likewise your own benefit。 ISABELLA。 I have no superfluous leisure； my
stay must be stolen out of other affairs； but I will attend you awhile。
＇Walks apart＇ DUKE。 Son； I have overheard what hath pass'd betwe