leave to question; you shall see how I'll handle her. Lucio. Not better than he, by her own report. Escal. Say you? Lucio. Marry, sir, I think, if you handled her privately, she should sooner confess : perchance, publickly she'll be asham'd. Enter Duke in the Friar's habit, and Provost. ISABELLA is brought in. Escal. I will go darkly to work with her. 302 Lucio. That's the way; for women are light at midnight. Escal. Come on, mistress; here's a gentlewoman denies all that you have said. Lucio. My lord, here comes the rascal I spoke of; here with the Provost. Escal. In very good time :-speak not you to him, 'till we call upon you. Lucio. Mum. 311 Escal. Come, sir; did you set these women on to slander lord Angelo? they have confess'd you did. Escal. How! know you where you are? Duke. Respect to your great place! and let the devil Be sometime honour'd for his burning throne Where is the duke? 'tis he should hear me speak. Escal. The duke's in us; and we will hear you speak: Look, you speak justly. 320 Duke. Boldly, at least:-But, oh, poor souls, Come you to seek the lamb here of the fox? Good Good night to your redress: Is the duke gone? Then is your cause gone too. The duke's unjust,' Thus to retort your manifest appeal, And put your trial in the villain's mouth, Lucio. This is the rascal; this is he, I spoke of. To call him villain ?. 332 And then to glance from him to the duke himself, joint, But we will know this purpose:-What? unjust ? Duke. Be not so hot; the duke: -342 Dare no more stretch this finger of mine, than he Qare rack his own; his subject I am not, Nor here provincial: My business in this state: Made me a looker-on here in Vienna,: Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble, 'Till it o'er-run the stew: " laws, for all faults; "But faults so countenanc'd, that the strong statutes' "Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop, "As much in mock as mark." Escal. Slander to the state! Away with him to prison. Ang. What can you vouch against him, signior Is this the man, that you did tell us of?. Lucio. 'Tis he, my lord. Come hither, goodman. bald-pate: Do you know me > 351 Duke. I remember you, sir, by the sound of your voice: I met you at the prison, in the absence of the duke. Lucio. Oh, did you so? And do you remember... what you said of the duke? Duke. Most notedly, sir. Lucio. Do you so, sir? And was the duke a fleshmonger, a fool, and a coward, as you then reported him to be? 360. Duke. You must, sir, change persons with me, ere you make that my report: you, indeed, spoke so of him; and much more, much worse. Lucio. O thou damnable fellow! Did not I pluck thee by the nose, for thy speeches ? Duke. I protest, I love the duke, as I love myself, Ang. Hark! how the villain would close now, after his treasonable abuses. : Escal. Such a fellow is not to be talk'd withal: Away with him to prison :-"Where is the provost ? "-Away with him to prison; lay bolts enough upon "him: let him speak no more :"-away with those giglots too, and with the other confederate compa. nion. [The Provost lays hands on the Duke. Duke Stay, sir; stay a while. 375 Lucio. Come, sir; come, sir; come, sir: foh, sir, Why, you bald-pated, lying rascal! you must be hooded, i hooded, must you? show your knave's visage, with a pox to you! show your sheep-biting face, and be hang'd an hour! Will't not off [Pulls off the friar's hood, and discovers the Duke. . Duke. Thou art the first knave, tliat e'er mad'st a First, provost, let me bail these gentle three: 382 Sneak not away, sir; [to Lucio.] for the friar and you Must have a word anon lay hold on him. Lucio. This may prove worse than hanging. Duke. What you have spoke, I pardon; sit you down. [To Escalus. We'll borrow place of him :-Sir, by your leave: Hast thou or word, or wit, or impudence, And hold no longer out. Ang. O my dread lord, I should be guiltier than my guiltiness, [To Angelo. 399 When I perceive, your grace, like power divine, But let my trial be mine own confession; Say, wast thou e'er contracted to this woman? Ang. I was, my lord. 40% Duke. Duke. Go take her hence, and marry her instantly. Do you the office, friar; which consummate, Return him here again :-Go with him, provost. 4 [Exeunt ANGELO, MARIANA, PETER, and Provost. Escal. 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 Isab. Oh, give me pardon, That I, your vassal, have employ'd and pain'd Duke. You are pardon'd, Isabel: .418 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 power, 413 "Than let him be so lost : Oh, 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. Re-enter |