denial, which he is most glad to receive: I am confessor to Angelo, and I know this to be true; therefore prepare yourself to death. Do not satisfy your resolution with hopes that are fallible: to-morrow you must die; go to your knees, and make ready. Claud. Let me ask my sister pardon. I am so out of love with life, that I will sue to be rid of it. [Exit CLAUD. Re-enter Provost. Farewel. Provost, a Duke. Hold you there; word with you. Prov. What's your will, father? 191 Duke. "That now you are come, you will be gone :” Leave me a while with the maid; my mind promises with my habit, no loss shall touch her by my com pany. Prov. In good time. [Exit Prov Duke. The hand, that hath made you fair, hath made you good: the goodness, that is cheap in beauty, makes beauty brief in goodness; but grace, being the soul of your complexion, should keep the body of it ever fair, The assault, that Angelo hath made to you, fortune hath convey'd to my understanding and, but that frailty hath examples for his falling, I should wonder at Angelo; How would you do to content this substitute, and to save your brother? Isab. I am now going to resolve him : I had rather my brother die by the law, than my son should be unlawfully born. But oh, how much is the good duke deceiv'd in Angelo! if ever he returns, and I can speak to him, I will open my lips in vain, or discover his government, 212 Duke Duke. That shall not be much amiss: yet, as the matter now stands, he will avoid your accusation; he made trial of you only.-Therefore fasten your ear on my advisings; to the love I have in doing good, a remedy presents itself. I do make myself believe, that you may most uprighteously do a poor wronged lady a merited benefit; redeem your brother from the angry law; do no stain to your own gra'cious person; and much please the absent duke, if peradventure, he shall ever return to have hearing of this business. Isab. Let me hear you speak further: I have spirit to do any thing, that appears not foul in the truth of my spirit. Duke. Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful. Have you not heard speak of Mariana, the sister of Frederick, the great soldier, who miscarried at sea? Isab. I have heard of the lady, and good words went with her name. 231 Duke. Her should this Angelo have marry'd; was alanc'd to her by oath, and the nuptial appointed: between which time of the contract, and limit of the solemnity, her brother Frederick was wreck'd at sea, having in that perish'd vessel the dowry of his sister. But mark, how. heavily this befel to the poor gentlewoman: there she lost a noble and renowned brother, in his love toward her ever most kind and natural; with him the portion and sinew of her fortune, her marriage-dowry; with both, her "combinate" husband, this well seeming Angelo. 242 Isab. Can this be so? Did Angelo so leave her? Duke. Left her in her tears, and dry'd not one of them with his comfort; swallow'd his vows whole, pretending, in her, discoveries of dishonour: in few, bestow'd her on her own lamentation, which yet she wears for his sake; and he, a marble to her tears, is washed with them, but relents not. Isab. What a merit were it in death, to take this poor maid from the world! What corruption in this life, that it will let this man live!-But how out of this can she avail ? Duke. It is a rupture that you may easily heal: and the cure of it not only saves your brother, but keeps you from dishonour in doing it. Isab. Shew me how, good father. 257 Duke. This fore-named maid hath yet in her the continuance of her first affection; his unjust unkindness, that in all reason should have quenched her love, hath, like an impediment in the current, made it more violent and unruly. Go you to Angelo; answer his requiring with a plausible obedience; agree with his demands "to the point;" only refer yourself to this advantage,-first, that your stay with him may not be long; that the time may have all shadow and silence in it; and the place answer to convenience : this being granted in course, now follows all. We shall advise this wronged maid to stead up your appointment, go in your place; if the encounter acknowledge itself hereafter, it may compel him to her recompence: and here, by this, is your brother saved, your your honour untainted, the poor Mariana advantaged, and the corrupt deputy scaled. The maid will I frame, and make fit for his attempt. If you think well to carry this as you may, the doubleness of the benefit defends the deceit from reproof. What think you of it? Isab. The image of it gives me content already; and, I trust, it will grow to a most prosperous perfection. 281 Duke. "It lies much in your holding up :" Haste you speedily to Angelo; if for this night he intreat you to his bed, give him promise of satisfaction. I will presently to St. Luke's; there, at the inoated grange resides this dejected Mariana: "at that place "call upon me; and dispatch with Angelo, that it may be quickly.". Isab. I thank you for this comfort: Fare you well, good father. [Exeunt severally. 290 SCENE II. The street. Re-enter Duke as a Friar, Elbow, Clown, and Officers. Elbow. Nay, if there be no remedy for it, but that you will needs buy and sell men and women like beasts, we shall have all the world drink brown and white bastard. Duke. Oh, heavens! what stuff is here? "Clown. "Clown. "Twas never merry world, since, of two ❝usuries, the merriest was put down, and the worser "allow'd by order of law a furr'd gown to keep himi "warm; and furr'd with fox and lamb-skins too, to "signify, that craft, being richer than innocency, "stands for the facing." 301 Elb. Come your way, sir:-Bless you, good father friar. Duke. And you, good brother father : What offence hath this man made you, sir? Elb. Marry, sir, he hath offended the law;" and, "sir, we take him to be a thief too, sir; for we have "found upon him, sir, a strange pick-lock, which we "have sent to the deputy.” Duke. Fie, sirrah; a bawd, a wicked bawd! 310 The evil that thou causest to be done, That is thy means to live: "Do thou but think "What 'tis to cram a maw, or cloath a back, "From such a filthy vice: say, to thyself,→ "From their abominable and beastly touches "I drink, I eat, array myself, and live." Canst thou believe thy living is a life, So stinkingly depending? Go, mend, go, mend. Clown. Indeed, it does stink in some sort, sir; but yet, sir, I would prove 320 Duke. Nay, if the devil hath given thee proofs for sin, Thou wilt prove his. Take him to prison, officer; Correction and instruction must both work, Ere this rude beast will profit. Elb. |