The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 337

We'll borrow place of him. [To ANGELO] Sir, by your leave.

Hast thou or word, or wit, or impudence, That yet can do thee office? If thou hast, Rely upon it till my tale be heard, And hold no longer out.

ANGELO. O my dread lord, I should be guiltier than my guiltiness, To think I can be undiscernible, When I perceive your Grace, like pow'r divine, Hath look'd upon my pa.s.ses. Then, good Prince, No longer session hold upon my shame, But let my trial be mine own confession; Immediate sentence then, and sequent death, Is all the grace I beg.

DUKE. Come hither, Mariana.

Say, wast thou e'er contracted to this woman?

ANGELO. I was, my lord.

DUKE. Go, take her hence and marry her instantly.

Do you the office, friar; which consummate, Return him here again. Go with him, Provost.

Exeunt ANGELO, MARIANA, FRIAR PETER, and PROVOST ESCALUS. My lord, I am more amaz'd at his dishonour Than at the strangeness of it.

DUKE. Come hither, Isabel.

Your friar is now your prince. As I was then Advertising and holy to your business, Not changing heart with habit, I am still Attorney'd at your service.

ISABELLA. O, give me pardon, That I, your va.s.sal have employ'd and pain'd Your unknown sovereignty.

DUKE. You are pardon'd, Isabel.

And now, dear maid, be you as free to us.

Your brother's death, I know, sits at your heart; And you may marvel why I obscur'd myself, Labouring to save his life, and would not rather Make rash remonstrance of my hidden pow'r Than let him so be lost. O most kind maid, It was the swift celerity of his death, Which I did think with slower foot came on, That brain'd my purpose. But peace be with him!

That life is better life, past fearing death, Than that which lives to fear. Make it your comfort, So happy is your brother.

ISABELLA. I do, my lord.

Re-enter ANGELO, MARIANA, FRIAR PETER, and PROVOST

DUKE. For this new-married man approaching here, Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd Your well-defended honour, you must pardon For Mariana's sake; but as he adjudg'd your brother- Being criminal in double violation Of sacred chast.i.ty and of promise-breach, Thereon dependent, for your brother's life- The very mercy of the law cries out Most audible, even from his proper tongue, 'An Angelo for Claudio, death for death!'

Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure; Like doth quit like, and Measure still for Measure.

Then, Angelo, thy fault's thus manifested, Which, though thou wouldst deny, denies thee vantage.

We do condemn thee to the very block Where Claudio stoop'd to death, and with like haste.

Away with him!

MARIANA. O my most gracious lord, I hope you will not mock me with a husband.

DUKE. It is your husband mock'd you with a husband.

Consenting to the safeguard of your honour, I thought your marriage fit; else imputation, For that he knew you, might reproach your life, And choke your good to come. For his possessions, Although by confiscation they are ours, We do instate and widow you withal To buy you a better husband.

MARIANA. O my dear lord, I crave no other, nor no better man.

DUKE. Never crave him; we are definitive.

MARIANA. Gentle my liege- [Kneeling]

DUKE. You do but lose your labour.

Away with him to death! [To LUCIO] Now, sir, to you.

MARIANA. O my good lord! Sweet Isabel, take my part; Lend me your knees, and all my life to come I'll lend you all my life to do you service.

DUKE. Against all sense you do importune her.

Should she kneel down in mercy of this fact, Her brother's ghost his paved bed would break, And take her hence in horror.

MARIANA. Isabel, Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by me; Hold up your hands, say nothing; I'll speak all.

They say best men moulded out of faults; And, for the most, become much more the better For being a little bad; so may my husband.

O Isabel, will you not lend a knee?

DUKE. He dies for Claudio's death.

ISABELLA. [Kneeling] Most bounteous sir, Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd, As if my brother liv'd. I partly think A due sincerity govern'd his deeds Till he did look on me; since it is so, Let him not die. My brother had but justice, In that he did the thing for which he died; For Angelo, His act did not o'ertake his bad intent, And must be buried but as an intent That perish'd by the way. Thoughts are no subjects; Intents but merely thoughts.

MARIANA. Merely, my lord.

DUKE. Your suit's unprofitable; stand up, I say.

I have bethought me of another fault.

Provost, how came it Claudio was beheaded At an unusual hour?

PROVOST. It was commanded so.

DUKE. Had you a special warrant for the deed?

PROVOST. No, my good lord; it was by private message.

DUKE. For which I do discharge you of your office; Give up your keys.

PROVOST. Pardon me, n.o.ble lord; I thought it was a fault, but knew it not; Yet did repent me, after more advice; For testimony whereof, one in the prison, That should by private order else have died, I have reserv'd alive.

DUKE. What's he?

PROVOST. His name is Barnardine.

DUKE. I would thou hadst done so by Claudio.

Go fetch him hither; let me look upon him. Exit PROVOST ESCALUS. I am sorry one so learned and so wise As you, Lord Angelo, have still appear'd, Should slip so grossly, both in the heat of blood And lack of temper'd judgment afterward.

ANGELO. I am sorry that such sorrow I procure; And so deep sticks it in my penitent heart That I crave death more willingly than mercy; 'Tis my deserving, and I do entreat it.

Re-enter PROVOST, with BARNARDINE, CLAUDIO (m.u.f.fled) and JULIET

DUKE. Which is that Barnardine?

PROVOST. This, my lord.

DUKE. There was a friar told me of this man.

Sirrah, thou art said to have a stubborn soul, That apprehends no further than this world, And squar'st thy life according. Thou'rt condemn'd; But, for those earthly faults, I quit them all, And pray thee take this mercy to provide For better times to come. Friar, advise him; I leave him to your hand. What m.u.f.fl'd fellow's that?

PROVOST. This is another prisoner that I sav'd, Who should have died when Claudio lost his head; As like almost to Claudio as himself. [Unm.u.f.fles CLAUDIO]

DUKE. [To ISABELLA] If he be like your brother, for his sake Is he pardon'd; and for your lovely sake, Give me your hand and say you will be mine, He is my brother too. But fitter time for that.

By this Lord Angelo perceives he's safe; Methinks I see a quick'ning in his eye.

Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well.

Look that you love your wife; her worth worth yours.

I find an apt remission in myself; And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon.

To Lucio] You, sirrah, that knew me for a fool, a coward, One all of luxury, an a.s.s, a madman!

Wherein have I so deserv'd of you That you extol me thus?

LUCIO. Faith, my lord, I spoke it but according to the trick.

If you will hang me for it, you may; but I had rather it would please you I might be whipt.

DUKE. Whipt first, sir, and hang'd after.

Proclaim it, Provost, round about the city, If any woman wrong'd by this lewd fellow- As I have heard him swear himself there's one Whom he begot with child, let her appear, And he shall marry her. The nuptial finish'd, Let him be whipt and hang'd.

LUCIO. I beseech your Highness, do not marry me to a wh.o.r.e. Your Highness said even now I made you a duke; good my lord, do not recompense me in making me a cuckold.

DUKE. Upon mine honour, thou shalt marry her.

Thy slanders I forgive; and therewithal Remit thy other forfeits. Take him to prison; And see our pleasure herein executed.

LUCIO. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, whipping, and hanging.

DUKE. Slandering a prince deserves it.

Exeunt OFFICERS with LUCIO She, Claudio, that you wrong'd, look you restore.

Joy to you, Mariana! Love her, Angelo; I have confess'd her, and I know her virtue.

Thanks, good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness; There's more behind that is more gratulate.

Thanks, Provost, for thy care and secrecy; We shall employ thee in a worthier place.

Forgive him, Angelo, that brought you home The head of Ragozine for Claudio's: Th' offence pardons itself. Dear Isabel, I have a motion much imports your good; Whereto if you'll a willing ear incline, What's mine is yours, and what is yours is mine.

So, bring us to our palace, where we'll show What's yet behind that's meet you all should know.

Exeunt

THE END

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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE