第 2 节
作者:
冷如冰 更新:2024-04-07 11:51 字数:9322
yonder arrested and carried to prison was worth five thousand of you all。
FIRST GENTLEMAN。 Who's that; I pray thee? MRS。 OVERDONE。
Marry; sir; that's Claudio; Signior Claudio。 FIRST GENTLEMAN。
Claudio to prison? 'Tis not so。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 Nay; but I know 'tis so:
I saw him arrested; saw him carried away; and; which is more; within
these three days his head to be chopp'd off。 LUCIO。 But; after all this
fooling; I would not have it so。 Art thou sure of this? MRS。 OVERDONE。
I am too sure of it; and it is for getting Madam Julietta with child。 LUCIO。
Believe me; this may be; he promis'd to meet me two hours since; and he
was ever precise in promise…keeping。 SECOND GENTLEMAN。 Besides;
you know; it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose。
FIRST GENTLEMAN。 But most of all agreeing with the proclamation。
LUCIO。 Away; let's go learn the truth of it。 Exeunt Lucio and
GENTLEMEN MRS。 OVERDONE。 Thus; what with the war; what with
the sweat; what with the gallows; and what with poverty; I am custom…
shrunk。
Enter POMPEY
How now! what's the news with you? POMPEY。 Yonder man is
carried to prison。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 Well; what has he done? POMPEY。
A woman。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 But what's his offence? POMPEY。
Groping for trouts in a peculiar river。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 What! is there
a maid with child by him? POMPEY。 No; but there's a woman with maid
by him。 You have not heard of the proclamation; have you? MRS。
OVERDONE。 What proclamation; man? POMPEY。 All houses in the
suburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 And what
shall become of those in the city? POMPEY。 They shall stand for seed;
they had gone down too; but that a wise burgher put in for them。 MRS。
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OVERDONE。 But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pull'd
down? POMPEY。 To the ground; mistress。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 Why;
here's a change indeed in the commonwealth! What shall become of me?
POMPEY。 Come; fear not you: good counsellors lack no clients。 Though
you change your place you need not change your trade; I'll be your tapster
still。 Courage; there will be pity taken on you; you that have worn your
eyes almost out in the service; you will be considered。 MRS。 OVERDONE。
What's to do here; Thomas Tapster? Let's withdraw。 POMPEY。 Here
comes Signior Claudio; led by the provost to prison; and there's Madam
Juliet。 Exeunt
Enter PROVOST; CLAUDIO; JULIET; and OFFICERS; LUCIO
following
CLAUDIO。 Fellow; why dost thou show me thus to th' world? Bear
me to prison; where I am committed。 PROVOST。 I do it not in evil
disposition; But from Lord Angelo by special charge。 CLAUDIO。 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。 LUCIO。 Why; how now; Claudio; whence comes this restraint?
CLAUDIO。 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? CLAUDIO。 What but to
speak of would offend again。 LUCIO。 What; is't murder? CLAUDIO。 No。
LUCIO。 Lechery? CLAUDIO。 Call it so。 PROVOST。 Away; sir; you must
go。 CLAUDIO。 One word; good friend。 Lucio; a word with you。 LUCIO。
A hundred; if they'll do you any good。 Is lechery so look'd after?
CLAUDIO。 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 Of outward order; this we came not to; Only for
propagation of a dow'r 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
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chances The stealth of our most mutual entertainment; With character too
gross; is writ on Juliet。 LUCIO。 With child; perhaps? CLAUDIO。
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 th' 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。 CLAUDIO。
I have done so; but he's not to be found。 I prithee; 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 move 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 at a game of tick…tack。 I'll to
her。 CLAUDIO。 I thank you; good friend Lucio。 LUCIO。 Within two hours。
CLAUDIO。 Come; officer; away。 Exeunt
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SCENE III。 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 To
give me secret harbour hath a purpose More grave and wrinkled than the
aims and ends Of burning youth。 FRIAR。 May your Grace speak of it?
DUKE。 My holy sir; none better knows than you How I have ever lov'd
the life removed; And held in idle price to haunt assemblies Where youth;
and cost; a witless bravery keeps。 I have deliver'd to Lord Angelo; A man
of stricture and firm abstinence; My absolute power and place here in
Vienna; And he supposes me travell'd to Poland; For so I have strew'd it in
the common ear; And so it is received。 Now; pious sir; You will demand of
me why I do this。 FRIAR。 Gladly; my lord。 DUKE。 We have strict statutes
and most biting laws; The needful bits and curbs to headstrong steeds;
Which for this fourteen years we have let sleep; Even like an o'ergrown
lion in a cave; That goes not out to prey。 Now; as fond fathers; Having
bound up the threat'ning twigs of birch; Only to stick it in their children's
sight For terror; not to use; in time the rod Becomes more mock'd than
fear'd; so our decrees; Dead to infliction; to themselves are dead; And
liberty plucks justice by the nose; The baby beats the nurse; and quite
athwart Goes all decorum。 FRIAR。 It rested in your Grace To unloose this
tied…up justice when you pleas'd; And it in you more dreadful would have
seem'd Than in Lord Angelo。 DUKE。 I do fear; too dreadful。 Sith 'twas my
fault to give the people scope; 'Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall
them For what I bid them do; for we bid this be done; When evil deeds
have their permissive pass And not the punishment。 Therefore; indeed; my
father; I have on Angelo impos'd the office; Who may; in th' ambush of my
name; strike home; And yet my nat