Ang. Go to; let that be mine: Do you your office, or give up your place, Prov. Ang. Dispose of her To some more fitter place, and that with speed. Re-enter Servant. Serv. Here is the sister of the man condemn'd Desires access to you. Ang. Hath he a sister? Prov. Ay, my good lord; a very virtuous maid, And to be shortly of a sisterhood, If not already. 20 Ang. Well, let her be admitted. [Exit Servant. See you the fornicatress be removed: Prov. Enter ISABELLA and LUCIO. God save your honour! Ang. Stay a little while. [To Isab.] You're welcome: what's your will? Isab. I am a woeful suitor to your honour, Please but your honour hear me. Well; what's your suit? Ang. Isab. There is a vice that most I do abhor, And most desire should meet the blow of justice; For which I would not plead, but that I must; For which I must not plead, but that I am At war 'twixt will and will not. Well; the matter? Ang. And not my brother. Prov. [Aside] Heaven give thee moving graces! Ang Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it? Why, every fault's condemn'd ere it be done: To fine the faults whose fine stands in record, 40 Isab. Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown: You could not with more tame a tongue desire it: Isab. Must he needs die? Ang. Maiden, no remedy. Isab. Yes; I do think that you might pardon him, And neither heaven nor man grieve at the mercy. Ang. I will not do't. Isab. But can you, if you would? 51 Ang. Look, what I will not, that I cannot do. Isab. But might you do't, and do the world no wrong, If so your heart were touch'd with that remorse As mine is to him? Ang. He's sentenced; 'tis too late. Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] You are too cold. Isab. Too late? why, no; I, that do speak a word, May call it back again. Well, believe this, No ceremony that to great ones 'longs, Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword, 60 If he had been as you and you as he, You would have slipt like him; but he, like Ang. Pray you, be gone. Isab. I would to heaven I had your potency, And you were Isabel! should it then be thus? No; I would tell what 'twere to be a judge, And what a prisoner. Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] Ay, touch him; there's the vein. Ang. Your brother is a forfeit of the law, And you but waste your words. Isab. Alas, alas! Why, all the souls that were were forfeit once; And He that might the vantage best have took Found out the remedy. How would you be, If He, which is the top of judgement, should But judge you as you are? O, think on that; And mercy then will breathe within your lips, Like man new made. Ang. Be you content, fair maid; It is the law, not I condemn your brother: Were he my kinsman, brother, or my son, 70 80 It should be thus with him: he must die to morrow. Isab. To-morrow! O, that's sudden! him, spare him! He's not prepared for death. kitchens Spare Even for our We kill the fowl of season: shall we serve heaven With less respect than we do minister To our gross selves? think you; Who is it that hath died for this offence? Good, good my lord, be [Aside to Isab.] Ay, well said. There's many have committed it. Lucio. Ang. The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept: Those many had not dared to do that evil, Had answer'd for his deed: now 'tis awake, 90 Takes note of what is done; and, like a prophet, But, ere they live, to end. Isab. Yet show some pity. Ang. I show it most of all when I show justice; For then I pity those I do not know, 100 Which a dismiss'd offence would after gall; wrong, Lives not to act another. Be satisfied; Your brother dies to-morrow; be content. Isab. So you must be the first that gives this sentence, And he, that suffers. O, it is excellent To have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] That's well said. As Jove himself does, Jove would ne'er be quiet, For every pelting,* petty officer Would use his heaven for thunder; Nothing but thunder! Merciful Heaven, *Paltry. Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt Than the soft myrtle: but man, proud man, I 20 Most ignorant of what he's most assured, Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] O, to him, to him, wench! he will relent; He's coming; I perceive't. Prov. [Aside] Pray heaven she win him! Isab. We cannot weigh our brother with ourself: Great men may jest with saints; 'tis wit in them, But in the less foul profanation. Lucio. Thou'rt i'the right, girl; more o' that. Isab. That in the captain's but a choleric word, Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy. 130 Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] Art avised o' that? more on't. Ang. Why do you put these sayings upon me? Isab. Because authority, though it err like others, Hath yet a kind of medicine in itself, That skins the vice o' the top. Go to your bosom; Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know That's like my brother's fault: if it confess A natural guiltiness such as is his, Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue 140 Against my brother's life. Ang. [Aside] She speaks, and 'tis Such sense, that my sense breeds with it. Fare you well. Isab. Gentle my lord, turn back. Ang. I will bethink me; come again to-morrow. Isab. Hark how I'll bribe you: good my lord, turn back. Ang. How! bribe me? Isab. Ay, with such gifts that heaven shall share with you. Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] You had marr'd all else. Isab. Not with fond shekels of the tested* gold, Or stones whose rates are either rich or poor *Pure. As fancy values them; but with true prayers 151 That shall be up at heaven and enter there Ere sun-rise, prayers from preserved souls, From fasting maids whose minds are dedicate To nothing temporal. Ang. Well; come to me to-morrow. Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] Go to; 'tis well; away! Isab. Heaven keep your honour safe! Ang. For I am that way going to temptation, Where prayers cross. [Aside] Amen: At what hour to-morrow Isab. At any time 'fore noon. 160 Isab. 'Save your honour! Ang. [Exeunt Isabella, Lucio, and Provost. What's this, what's this? Is this her fault or mine? Not she; nor doth she tempt: but it is I Do as the carrion does, not as the flower, |