第 7 节
作者:冷如冰      更新:2024-04-07 11:51      字数:8738
  access to you。 ANGELO。 Teach her the way。 'Exit SERVANT' O heavens!
  Why does my blood thus muster to my heart; Making both it unable for
  itself And dispossessing all my other parts Of necessary fitness? So play
  the  foolish throngs   with one  that   swoons;   Come   all to help   him;  and   so
  stop the air By which he should revive; and even so The general subject to
  a well…wish'd king Quit their own part; and in obsequious fondness Crowd
  to his presence; where their untaught love Must needs appear offence。
  Enter ISABELLA  How  now;  fair   maid? ISABELLA。  I  am  come   to
  know   your   pleasure。   ANGELO。   That   you   might   know   it   would   much
  better   please   me   Than   to   demand   what   'tis。   Your   brother   cannot   live。
  ISABELLA。 Even so! Heaven keep your honour! ANGELO。 Yet may he
  live   awhile;   and;  it  may   be;  As   long   as  you  or  I;  yet  he  must   die。
  ISABELLA。 Under your sentence? ANGELO。 Yea。 ISABELLA。 When? I
  beseech you; that in his reprieve; Longer or shorter; he may be so fitted
  That his soul sicken not。 ANGELO。 Ha! Fie; these filthy vices! It were as
  good To pardon him that hath from nature stol'n A man already made; as to
  remit Their saucy sweetness that do coin heaven's image In stamps that are
  forbid; 'tis all as easy Falsely to take away a life true made As to put metal
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  in restrained means To make a false one。 ISABELLA。 'Tis set down so in
  heaven;   but   not   in   earth。 ANGELO。   Say   you   so? Then   I  shall   pose   you
  quickly。   Which   had   you   rather…   that   the   most   just   law   Now   took   your
  brother's    life;  or;  to  redeem    him;    Give   up   your   body    to  such   sweet
  uncleanness As   she that   he   hath   stain'd?   ISABELLA。   Sir;  believe  this:   I
  had rather give my body than my soul。 ANGELO。 I talk not of your soul;
  our compell'd sins Stand more for number than for accompt。 ISABELLA。
  How      say  you?    ANGELO。        Nay;   I'll  not  warrant   that;  for  I  can   speak
  Against the thing I say。 Answer to this: I; now the voice of the recorded
  law;   Pronounce   a   sentence   on   your   brother's   life;   Might   there   not   be   a
  charity in sin To save this brother's life? ISABELLA。 Please you to do't;
  I'll take it as a peril to my soul It is no sin at all; but charity。 ANGELO。
  Pleas'd you to do't at peril of your soul; Were equal poise of sin and charity。
  ISABELLA。 That I do beg his life; if it be sin; Heaven let me bear it! You
  granting of my suit; If that be sin; I'll make it my morn prayer To have it
  added to the faults of mine; And nothing of your answer。 ANGELO。 Nay;
  but hear me; Your sense pursues not mine; either you are ignorant Or seem
  so; craftily; and that's not good。 ISABELLA。 Let me be ignorant; and in
  nothing   good   But   graciously   to   know   I   am   no   better。   ANGELO。   Thus
  wisdom   wishes   to   appear   most   bright   When   it   doth   tax   itself;   as   these
  black masks Proclaim an enshielded beauty ten times louder Than beauty
  could; display'd。 But mark me: To be received plain; I'll speak more gross…
  Your brother is to die。 ISABELLA。 So。 ANGELO。 And his offence is so;
  as   it   appears;  Accountant   to   the   law   upon   that   pain。   ISABELLA。   True。
  ANGELO。 Admit no other way to save his life; As I subscribe not that; nor
  any other; But; in the loss of question; that you; his sister; Finding yourself
  desir'd of such a person Whose credit with the judge; or own great place;
  Could fetch your brother from  the manacles   Of the  all…binding law;   and
  that there were No earthly mean to save him but that either You must lay
  down the treasures of your body To this supposed; or else to let him suffer…
  What would you do? ISABELLA。 As much for my poor brother as myself;
  That is; were I under the terms of death; Th' impression of keen whips I'd
  wear as rubies; And strip myself to death as to a bed That longing have
  been sick for; ere I'd yield My body up to shame。 ANGELO。 Then must
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  your brother die。 ISABELLA。 And 'twere the cheaper way: Better it were
  a brother died at once Than that a sister; by redeeming him; Should die for
  ever。 ANGELO。   Were   not   you;   then;   as   cruel   as   the   sentence   That   you
  have slander'd so? ISABELLA。 Ignominy in ransom and free pardon Are
  of two houses: lawful mercy Is nothing kin to foul redemption。 ANGELO。
  You seem'd of late to make the law a tyrant; And rather prov'd the sliding
  of your brother A merriment than a vice。 ISABELLA。 O; pardon me; my
  lord! It oft falls out; To have what we would have; we speak not what we
  mean:   I   something   do   excuse   the   thing   I   hate   For   his   advantage   that   I
  dearly love。 ANGELO。 We are all frail。 ISABELLA。 Else let my brother
  die; If not a fedary but only he Owe and succeed thy weakness。 ANGELO。
  Nay; women are frail too。 ISABELLA。 Ay; as the glasses where they view
  themselves; Which   are   as   easy  broke   as   they  make   forms。 Women;   help
  heaven!   Men   their   creation   mar   In   profiting   by   them。   Nay;   call   us   ten
  times frail; For we are soft as our complexions are; And credulous to false
  prints。 ANGELO。 I think it well; And from this testimony of your own sex;
  Since I suppose we are made to be no stronger Than faults may shake our
  frames; let me be bold。 I do arrest your words。 Be that you are; That is; a
  woman;   if   you   be   more;   you're   none;   If   you   be   one;   as   you   are   well
  express'd By all external warrants; show it now By putting on the destin'd
  livery。   ISABELLA。   I   have   no   tongue   but   one;   gentle;   my   lord;   Let   me
  intreat you speak the former language。 ANGELO。 Plainly conceive; I love
  you。 ISABELLA。 My brother did love Juliet; And you tell me that he shall
  die for't。 ANGELO。 He shall not; Isabel; if you give me love。 ISABELLA。
  I know your virtue hath a license in't; Which seems a little fouler than it is;
  To   pluck   on   others。 ANGELO。   Believe   me;   on   mine   honour;   My   words
  express my purpose。 ISABELLA。  Ha! little honour  to be much   believ'd;
  And   most   pernicious   purpose!   Seeming;   seeming!   I   will   proclaim   thee;
  Angelo; look for't。 Sign me a present pardon for my brother Or; with an
  outstretch'd throat; I'll tell the world aloud What man thou art。 ANGELO。
  Who   will   believe   thee;   Isabel?   My  unsoil'd   name;   th'   austereness   of   my
  life;   My    vouch    against   you;    and   my   place    i'  th'  state;  Will  so  your
  accusation overweigh That you shall stifle in your own report; And smell
  of calumny。 I have begun; And now I give my sensual race the rein: Fit thy
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  consent   to   my   sharp   appetite;   Lay   by   all   nicety   and   prolixious   blushes
  That banish what they sue for; redeem thy brother By yielding up thy body
  to   my  will;   Or   else   he   must   not   only   die   the   death;   But   thy   unkindness
  shall his death draw out To ling'ring sufferance。 Answer me to…morrow; Or;
  by the affection that now guides me most; I'll prove a tyrant to him。 As for
  you; Say what you can: my false o'erweighs your true。 Exit ISABELLA。
  To whom should I complain? Did I tell this; Who would believe me? O
  perilous mouths That bear in them one and the self…same tongue Either of
  condemnation      or  approof;  Bidding   the  law   make   curtsy   to  their  will;
  Hooking both right and wrong to th' appetite; To follow as it draws! I'll to
  my brother。 Though he hath fall'n by prompture of the blood; Yet hath he
  in him such a mind of honour That; had he twenty heads to tender down
  On twenty bloody blocks; he'd yield them up Before his sister should her
  body   stoop   To   such  abhorr'd   pollution。   Then;   Isabel;   live   chaste;   and;
  brother;   die:   More   than   our   brother   is   our   chastity。   I'll   tell   him   yet   of
  Angelo's request; And fit his mind to death; for his soul's rest。 Exit