_Enter PROVOST and POMPEY._
_Prov._ Come hither, sirrah. Can you cut off a man's head?
_Pom._ If the man be a bachelor, sir, I can; but if he be
a married man, he's his wife's head, and I can never cut off
a woman's head.
_Prov._ Come, sir, leave me your snatches, and yield me 5
a direct answer. To-morrow morning are to die Claudio
and Barnardine. Here is in our prison a common executioner,
who in his office lacks a helper: if you will take it
on you to assist him, it shall redeem you from your gyves;
if not, you shall have your full time of imprisonment, and 10
your deliverance with an unpitied whipping, for you have
been a notorious bawd.
_Pom._ Sir, I have been an unlawful bawd time out of
mind; but yet I will be content to be a lawful hangman. I
would be glad to receive some instruction from my fellow 15
partner.
_Prov._ What, ho! Abhorson! Where's Abhorson, there?
_Enter ABHORSON._
_Abhor._ Do you call, sir?
_Prov._ Sirrah, here's a fellow will help you to-morrow
in your execution. If you think it meet, compound with 20
him by the year, and let him abide here with you; if not,
use him for the present, and dismiss him. He cannot plead
his estimation with you; he hath been a bawd.
_Abhor._ A bawd, sir? fie upon him! he will discredit
our mystery. 25
_Prov._ Go to, sir; you weigh equally; a feather will
turn the scale. [_Exit._
_Pom._ Pray, sir, by your good favour,--for surely, sir, a
good favour you have, but that you have a hanging look,--
do you call, sir, your occupation a mystery? 30
_Abhor._ Ay, sir; a mystery.
_Pom._ Painting, sir, I have heard say, is a mystery;
and your whores, sir, being members of my occupation,
using painting, do prove my occupation a mystery: but
what mystery there should be in hanging, if I should be 35
hanged, I cannot imagine.
_Abhor._ Sir, it is a mystery.
_Pom._ Proof?
_Abhor._ Every true man's apparel fits your thief: if it
be too little for your thief, your true man thinks it big 40
enough; if it be too big for your thief, your thief thinks it
little enough: so every true man's apparel fits your thief.
_Re-enter PROVOST._
_Prov._ Are you agreed?
_Pom._ Sir, I will serve him; for I do find your hangman
is a more penitent trade than your bawd; he doth 45
oftener ask forgiveness.
_Prov._ You, sirrah, provide your block and your axe
to-morrow four o'clock.
_Abhor._ Come on, bawd; I will instruct thee in my
trade; follow. 50
_Pom._ I do desire to learn, sir: and I hope, if you have
occasion to use me for your own turn, you shall find me
yare; for, truly, sir, for your kindness I owe you a good
turn.
_Prov._ Call hither Barnardine and Claudio:
[_Exeunt Pompey and Abhorson._ 55
The one has my pity; not a jot the other,
Being a murderer, though he were my brother.
_Enter CLAUDIO._
Look, here's the warrant, Claudio, for thy death:
'Tis now dead midnight, and by eight to-morrow
Thou must be made immortal. Where's Barnardine? 60
_Claud._ As fast lock'd up in sleep as guiltless labour
When it lies starkly in the traveller's bones:
He will not wake.
_Prov._ Who can do good on him?
Well, go, prepare yourself. [_Knocking within._]
But, hark, what noise?--
Heaven give your spirits comfort! [_Exit Clandio._] By and by.-- 65
I hope it is some pardon or reprieve
For the most gentle Claudio.
_Enter DUKE disguised as before._
Welcome, father.
_Duke._ The best and wholesomest spirits of the night
Envelop you, good Provost! Who call'd here of late?
_Prov._ None, since the curfew rung. 70
_Duke._ Not Isabel?
_Prov._ No.
_Duke._ They will, then, ere't be long.
_Prov._ What comfort is for Claudio?
_Duke._ There's some in hope.
_Prov._ It is a bitter Deputy.
_Duke._ Not so, not so; his life is parallel'd 75
Even with the stroke and line of his great justice:
He doth with holy abstinence subdue
That in himself which he spurs on his power
To qualify in others: were he meal'd with that
Which he corrects, then were he tyrannous; 80
But this being so, he's just. [_Knocking within._
Now are they come.
[_Exit Provost._
This is a gentle provost: seldom when
The steeled gaoler is the friend of men. [_Knocking within._
How now! what noise? That spirit's possessed with haste
That wounds the unsisting postern with these strokes. 85
_Re-enter PROVOST._
_Prov._ There he must stay until the officer
Arise to let him in: he is call'd up.
_Duke._ Have you no countermand for Claudio yet,
But he must die to-morrow?
_Prov._ None, sir, none.
_Duke._ As near the dawning, provost, as it is, 90
You shall hear more ere morning.
_Prov._ Happily
You something know; yet I believe there comes
No countermand; no such example have we:
Besides, upon the very siege of justice
Lord Angelo hath to the public ear 95
Profess'd the contrary.
_Enter a MESSENGER._
This is his lordship's man.
_Duke._ And here comes Claudio's pardon.
_Mes._ [_Giving a paper_] My lord hath sent you this note;
and by me this further charge, that you swerve not from the
smallest article of it, neither in time, matter,
or other circumstance. 100
Good morrow; for, as I take it, it is almost day.
_Prov._ I shall obey him. [_Exit Messenger._
_Duke._ [_Aside_] This is his pardon, purchased by such sin
For which the pardoner himself is in.
Hence hath offence his quick celerity, 105
When it is borne in high authority:
When vice makes mercy, mercy's so extended,
That for the fault's love is the offender friended.
Now, sir, what news?
_Prov._ I told you. Lord Angelo, belike thinking me remiss 110
in mine office, awakens me with this unwonted putting-on;
methinks strangely, for he hath not used it before.
_Duke._ Pray you, let's hear.
[Transcriber's Note:
In order to preserve the marked line breaks without losing
readability, each line of the quoted message has been split into
two equal halves.]
_Prov._ [_Reads_]
Whatsoever you may hear to the
contrary, let Claudio be executed
by four of the clock; and in
the afternoon Barnardine: for my 115
better satisfaction, let me have
Claudio's head sent me by five.
Let this be duly performed; with a thought that more depends on
it than we must yet deliver. Thus fail not to do your office, as
you will answer it at your peril.
What say you to this, sir? 120
_Duke._ What is that Barnardine who is to be executed
in the afternoon?
_Prov._ A Bohemian born, but here nursed up and bred;
one that is a prisoner nine years old.
_Duke._ How came it that the absent Duke had not 125
either delivered him to his liberty or executed him? I
have heard it was ever his manner to do so.
_Prov._ His friends still wrought reprieves for him: and,
indeed, his fact, till now in the government of Lord Angclo,
came not to an undoubtful proof. 130
_Duke._ It is now apparent?
_Prov._ Most manifest, and not denied by himself.
_Duke._ Hath he borne himself penitently in prison?
how seems he to be touched?
_Prov._ A man that apprehends death no more dreadfully 135
but as a drunken sleep; careless, reckless, and fearless
of what's past, present, or to come; insensible of mortality,
and desperately mortal.
_Duke._ He wants advice.
_Prov._ He will hear none: he hath evermore had the 140
liberty of the prison; give him leave to escape hence, he
would not: drunk many times a day, if not many days entirely
drunk. We have very oft awaked him, as if to carry
him to execution, and showed him a seeming warrant for it:
it hath not moved him at all. 145
_Duke._ More of him anon. There is written in your
brow, provost, honesty and constancy: if I read it not truly,
my ancient skill beguiles me; but, in the boldness of my
cunning, I will lay my self in hazard. Claudio, whom here
you have warrant to execute, is no greater forfeit to the 150
law than Angelo who hath sentenced him. To make you
understand this in a manifested effect, I crave but four days'
respite; for the which you are to do me both a present and
a dangerous courtesy.
_Prov._ Pray, sir, in what? 155
_Duke._ In the delaying death.
_Prov._ Alack, how may I do it, having the hour limited,
and an express command, under penalty, to deliver his head
in the view of Angelo? I may make my case as Claudio's,
to cross this in the smallest. 160
_Duke._ By the vow of mine order I warrant you, if my
instructions may be your guide. Let this Barnardine be
this morning executed, and his head borne to Angelo.
_Prov._ Angelo hath seen them both, and will discover
the favour. 165
_Duke._ O, death's a great disguiser; and you may add
to it. Shave the head, and tie the beard; and say it was
the desire of the penitent to be so bared before his death:
you know the course is common. If any thing fall to you
upon this, more than thanks and good fortune, by the Saint 170
whom I profess, I will plead against it with my life.
_Prov._ Pardon me, good father; it is against my oath.
_Duke._ Were you sworn to the Duke, or to the Deputy?
_Prov._ To him, and to his substitutes.
_Duke._ You will think you have made no offence, if the 175
Duke avouch the justice of your dealing?
_Prov._ But what likelihood is in that?
_Duke._ Not a resemblance, but a certainty. Yet since I
see you fearful, that neither my coat, integrity, nor persuasion
can with ease attempt you, I will go further than I 180
meant, to pluck all fears out of you. Look you, sir, here is
the hand and seal of the Duke: you know the character, I
doubt not; and the signet is not strange to you.
_Prov._ I know them both.
_Duke._ The contents of this is the return of the Duke: 185
you shall anon over-read it at your pleasure; where you
shall find, within these two days he will be here. This is
a thing that Angelo knows not; for he this very day
receives letters of strange tenour; perchance of the Duke's
death; perchance entering into some monastery; but, by 190
chance, nothing of what is writ. Look, the unfolding star
calls up the shepherd. Put not yourself into amazement
how these things should be: all difficulties are but easy
when they are known. Call your executioner, and off with
Barnardine's head: I will give him a present shrift and 195
advise him for a better place. Yet you are amazed; but
this shall absolutely resolve you. Come away; it is almost
clear dawn. [_Exeunt._
NOTES: IV, 2.