The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 334

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 d.a.m.nable.

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. 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 d.a.m.ned 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 covent, 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. 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

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 pet.i.tions 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 body that enforc'd The law against it! But that her tender shame Will not proclaim against her maiden loss, How might she tongue me! Yet reason dares her no; For my authority bears a so credent bulk That no particular scandal once can touch But it confounds the breather. He should have liv'd, Save that his riotous youth, with dangerous sense, Might in the times to come have ta'en revenge, By so receiving a dishonour'd life With ransom of such shame. Would yet he had liv'd!

Alack, when once our grace we have forgot, Nothing goes right; we would, and we would not. Exit

SCENE V.

Fields without the town

Enter DUKE in his own habit, and Friar PETER

DUKE. These letters at fit time deliver me. [Giving letters]

The Provost knows our purpose and our plot.

The matter being afoot, keep your instruction And hold you ever to our special drift; Though sometimes you do blench from this to that As cause doth minister. Go, call at Flavius' house, And tell him where I stay; give the like notice To Valentinus, Rowland, and to Cra.s.sus, And bid them bring the trumpets to the gate; But send me Flavius first.

PETER. It shall be speeded well. Exit FRIAR

Enter VARRIUS

DUKE. I thank thee, Varrius; thou hast made good haste.

Come, we will walk. There's other of our friends Will greet us here anon. My gentle Varrius! Exeunt