Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]

SCENE I.-AN APARTMENT IN THE DUKE'S PALACE.
Enter Duke, Escalus, and Lords.

Duke. Escalus,—

Esc. My lord.

Duke. Of government the properties to unfold,
Would seem in me t'affect speech and discourse,
Since I am put to know, that your own science
Exceeds in that the lists of all advice

My strength can give you: Then no more remains
But that to your sufficiency, as your worth is able,
And let them work. The nature of our people,

Our city's institutions, and the terms

For common justice, you are as pregnant in

As art and practice hath enriched any

That we remember: There is our commission,

From which we would not have you warp. Call hither,

I say, bid come before us, Angelo.

What figure of us think you he will bear?

For you must know, we have with special soul

Elected him our absence to supply;

Lent him our terror, drest him with our love,
And given his deputations all the organs
Of our own power: What think you of it?

1 Bounds.

Esc. If any in Vienna be of worth

To undergo such ample grace and honour,
It is lord Angelo.

Duke

Enter Angelo.

Look, where he comes.

Ang. Always obedient to your grace's will, I come to know your pleasure.

Angelo,

Duke.
There is a kind of character in thy life,
That to th' observer, doth thy history
Fully unfold:-Thyself, and thy belongings,
Are not thine own so proper, as to waste
Thyself upon thy virtues, them on thee.
Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do,

Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues

Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike

As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd But to fine issues: nor nature never lends

The smallest scruple of her excellence,

But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines

Herself the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks and use; but I do bend my speech

To one that can my part in him advértise;

Hold, therefore, Angelo :

In our remove, be thou at full ourself;

Mortality and mercy in Vienna

Live in thy tongue and heart: Old Escalus,
Though first in question, is thy secondary.
Take thy commission.

Ang.

Now, good my lord,

Let there be some more test made of my mettle,
Before so noble and so great a figure

Be stamp'd upon it.

Duke.

No more evasion:

We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice
Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.
Our haste from hence is of so quick condition,
That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings shall impórtune,
How it goes with us, and do look to know
What doth befall you here. So, fare you well:
To th' hopeful execution do I leave you
Of your commissions.

Ang.

Yet, give leave, my lord,

That we may bring you something on the way.
Duke. My haste may not admit it;

Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do

With any scruple: your scope is as mine own,

So to enforce or qualify the laws

As to your soul seems good:-Give me your hand;

I'll privily away: I love the people,

But do not like to stage me to their eyes:

Though it do well, I do not relish well

Their loud applause, and aves vehement :
Nor do I think the man of safe discretion
That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.
Ang. The heavens give safety to your purposes!
Esc. Lead forth, and bring you back in happiness!
Duke. I thank you.-Fare you well.

Esc. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave
To have free speech with you; and it concerns me
To look into the bottom of my place:

A power I have, but of what strength and nature,
I am not yet instructed.

Ang. "Tis so with me: Let us withdraw together, And we may soon our satisfaction have

Touching that point.

Esc.

I'll wait upon your honour.

SCENE II.-A STREET.

Enter Lucio, and two Gentlemen.

[Exit.

[Exeunt.

Lucio. If the duke, with the other dukes, come not to composition with the king of Hungary, why then all the dukes fall upon the king.

1st Gent. Heaven grant us its peace; but not the king of Hungary's!

2d Gent. Amen.

L. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the ten commandments, but scraped one out of the table. 2d Gent. Thou shalt not steal?

Lucio. Ay, that he razed.

1st Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the rest from their functions; they put forth to steal: there's not a soldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace.

2d Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it.

Lucio. I believe thee; for, I think, thou never wast where grace was said. Thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace. But see, where madam Mitigation comes.

Enter Mrs Overdone.

1st Gent. How now?

Overd. There's one yonder, arrested and carried to prison, was worth five thousand of you all.

1st Gent. Who's that, I pray thee?

Overd. Marry, sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio.

1st Gent. Claudio to prison! 'tis not so.

Overd. Nay, but I know 'tis so: I saw him arrested; saw him carried away; and, which is more, within these three days his head's to be chopped off.

Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so: art thou sure of this?

Ov. I am too sure of it; and it is because of Madam Julietta. Lucio. Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours since; and he was ever precise in promise-keeping.

2d Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose.

1st Gent. But most of all, agreeing with the proclamation. Lucio. Away; let's go learn the truth of it.

[Exeunt Lucio and Gentlemen.

Enter Clown.

Overd. How now, what's the news with you?

Clown. You have not heard of the proclamation, have you? Overd. What proclamation, man?

C. All our houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down. Overd. And what shall become of those in the city?

Clown. They had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them.

Overd. But, shall all our houses in the suburbs be pulled down? Clown. To the ground, mistress.

Overd. Why, here's a change, indeed, in the commonwealth : what shall become of me?

Clown. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison and there's Madam Juliet.

SCENE III.-THE SAME.

Enter Provost, Claudio, Juliet, and Officers.

[Exeunt.

Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world? Bear me to prison, where I am committed.

Prov. I do it not in evil disposition,

But from lord Angelo by special charge.

Claud. 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.

Enter Lucio.

Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes this restraint? Claud. 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?

Claud. What, but to speak of would offend again.

Lucio. What is it? murder?

Claud. No.

Prov. Away, sir; you must go.

Claud. One word, good friend:-Lucio, a word with you.

[Takes him aside.

Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good.

Claud. 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

▲ Devour.

2 Poison.

3 Willingly.

4 Proclamation.

Of outward order; this we came not to,
Only for propagation of a dower

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 chances,
The stealth of our most mutual intercourse,
With character too gross, is writ on Juliet.
Lucio. With child, perhaps?

Claud. 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 the 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.

Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found.

I pr'ythee, 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 moves 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. I'll to her.

Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio.

Lucio. Within two hours,

Claud. Come, officer, away.

SCENE IV.-A MONASTERY.

Enter Duke and Friar Thomas.

Duke. No, holy father; throw away that thought; Believe not that the dribbling dart of love

Can pierce a complete bosom: why I desire thee

[Exeunt.

« EdellinenJatka »