Act IV · Scene II
A room in the prison.
Hover a speech to translate it — or press play to hear it performed.
Enter Provost and POMPEY
Provost
Come hither, sirrah. Can you cut off a man's head?
POMPEY
If the man be a bachelor, sir, I can; but if he be amarried man, he's his wife's head, and I can nevercut off a woman's head.
Provost
Come, sir, leave me your snatches, and yield me adirect answer. To-morrow morning are to die Claudioand Barnardine. Here is in our prison a commonexecutioner, who in his office lacks a helper: ifyou will take it on you to assist him, it shallredeem you from your gyves; if not, you shall haveyour full time of imprisonment and your deliverancewith an unpitied whipping, for you have been anotorious bawd.
POMPEY
Sir, I have been an unlawful bawd time out of mind;but yet I will be content to be a lawful hangman. Iwould be glad to receive some instruction from myfellow partner.
Provost
What, ho! Abhorson! Where's Abhorson, there?
Enter ABHORSON
ABHORSON
Do you call, sir?
Provost
Sirrah, here's a fellow will help you to-morrow inyour execution. If you think it meet, compound withhim by the year, and let him abide here with you; ifnot, use him for the present and dismiss him. Hecannot plead his estimation with you; he hath been a bawd.
ABHORSON
A bawd, sir? fie upon him! he will discredit our mystery.
Provost
Go to, sir; you weigh equally; a feather will turnthe scale.
Exit
POMPEY
Pray, sir, by your good favour,--for surely, sir, agood favour you have, but that you have a hanginglook,--do you call, sir, your occupation a mystery?
ABHORSON
Ay, sir; a mystery
POMPEY
Painting, sir, I have heard say, is a mystery; andyour whores, sir, being members of my occupation,using painting, do prove my occupation a mystery:but what mystery there should be in hanging, if Ishould be hanged, I cannot imagine.
ABHORSON
Sir, it is a mystery.
POMPEY
Proof?
ABHORSON
Every true man's apparel fits your thief: if it betoo little for your thief, your true man thinks itbig enough; if it be too big for your thief, yourthief thinks it little enough: so every true man'sapparel fits your thief.
Re-enter Provost
Provost
Are you agreed?
POMPEY
Sir, I will serve him; for I do find your hangman isa more penitent trade than your bawd; he dothoftener ask forgiveness.
Provost
You, sirrah, provide your block and your axeto-morrow four o'clock.
ABHORSON
Come on, bawd; I will instruct thee in my trade; follow.
POMPEY
I do desire to learn, sir: and I hope, if you haveoccasion to use me for your own turn, you shall findme yare; for truly, sir, for your kindness I owe youa good turn.
Provost
Call hither Barnardine and Claudio:
Exeunt POMPEY and ABHORSON
Provost
The one has my pity; not a jot the other,Being a murderer, though he were my brother.
Enter CLAUDIO
Provost
Look, here's the warrant, Claudio, for thy death:'Tis now dead midnight, and by eight to-morrowThou must be made immortal. Where's Barnardine?
CLAUDIO
As fast lock'd up in sleep as guiltless labourWhen it lies starkly in the traveller's bones:He will not wake.
Provost
Who can do good on him?Well, go, prepare yourself.
Knocking within
Provost
But, hark, what noise?Heaven give your spirits comfort!
Exit CLAUDIO
Provost
By and by.I hope it is some pardon or reprieveFor the most gentle Claudio.
Enter DUKE VINCENTIO disguised as before
Provost
Welcome father.
DUKE VINCENTIO
The best and wholesomest spirts of the nightEnvelope you, good Provost! Who call'd here of late?
Provost
None, since the curfew rung.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Not Isabel?
Provost
No.
DUKE VINCENTIO
They will, then, ere't be long.
Provost
What comfort is for Claudio?
DUKE VINCENTIO
There's some in hope.
Provost
It is a bitter deputy.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Not so, not so; his life is parallel'dEven with the stroke and line of his great justice:He doth with holy abstinence subdueThat in himself which he spurs on his powerTo qualify in others: were he meal'd with thatWhich he corrects, then were he tyrannous;But this being so, he's just.
Knocking within
DUKE VINCENTIO
Now are they come.
Exit Provost
DUKE VINCENTIO
This is a gentle provost: seldom whenThe steeled gaoler is the friend of men.
Knocking within
DUKE VINCENTIO
How now! what noise? That spirit's possessed with hasteThat wounds the unsisting postern with these strokes.
Re-enter Provost
Provost
There he must stay until the officerArise to let him in: he is call'd up.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Have you no countermand for Claudio yet,But he must die to-morrow?
Provost
None, sir, none.
DUKE VINCENTIO
As near the dawning, provost, as it is,You shall hear more ere morning.
Provost
HappilyYou something know; yet I believe there comesNo countermand; no such example have we:Besides, upon the very siege of justiceLord Angelo hath to the public earProfess'd the contrary.
Enter a Messenger
Provost
This is his lordship's man.
DUKE VINCENTIO
And here comes Claudio's pardon.
Messenger
[Giving a paper]My lord hath sent you this note; and by me thisfurther charge, that you swerve not from thesmallest article of it, neither in time, matter, orother circumstance. Good morrow; for, as I take it,it is almost day.
Provost
I shall obey him.
Exit Messenger
DUKE VINCENTIO
[Aside] This is his pardon, purchased by such sinFor which the pardoner himself is in.Hence hath offence his quick celerity,When it is born 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?
Provost
I told you. Lord Angelo, belike thinking me remissin mine office, awakens me with this unwontedputting-on; methinks strangely, for he hath not used it before.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Pray you, let's hear.
Provost
[Reads]'Whatsoever you may hear to the contrary, letClaudio be executed by four of the clock; and in theafternoon Barnardine: for my better satisfaction,let me have Claudio's head sent me by five. Letthis be duly performed; with a thought that moredepends on it than we must yet deliver. Thus failnot to do your office, as you will answer it at your peril.'What say you to this, sir?
DUKE VINCENTIO
What is that Barnardine who is to be executed in theafternoon?
Provost
A Bohemian born, but here nursed un and bred; onethat is a prisoner nine years old.
DUKE VINCENTIO
How came it that the absent duke had not eitherdelivered him to his liberty or executed him? Ihave heard it was ever his manner to do so.
Provost
His friends still wrought reprieves for him: and,indeed, his fact, till now in the government of LordAngelo, came not to an undoubtful proof.
DUKE VINCENTIO
It is now apparent?
Provost
Most manifest, and not denied by himself.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Hath he born himself penitently in prison? howseems he to be touched?
Provost
A man that apprehends death no more dreadfully butas a drunken sleep; careless, reckless, and fearlessof what's past, present, or to come; insensible ofmortality, and desperately mortal.
DUKE VINCENTIO
He wants advice.
Provost
He will hear none: he hath evermore had the libertyof the prison; give him leave to escape hence, hewould not: drunk many times a day, if not many daysentirely drunk. We have very oft awaked him, as ifto carry him to execution, and showed him a seemingwarrant for it: it hath not moved him at all.
DUKE VINCENTIO
More of him anon. There is written in your brow,provost, honesty and constancy: if I read it nottruly, my ancient skill beguiles me; but, in theboldness of my cunning, I will lay myself in hazard.Claudio, whom here you have warrant to execute, isno greater forfeit to the law than Angelo who hathsentenced him. To make you understand this in amanifested effect, I crave but four days' respite;for the which you are to do me both a present and adangerous courtesy.
Provost
Pray, sir, in what?
DUKE VINCENTIO
In the delaying death.
Provost
A lack, how may I do it, having the hour limited,and an express command, under penalty, to deliverhis head in the view of Angelo? I may make my caseas Claudio's, to cross this in the smallest.
DUKE VINCENTIO
By the vow of mine order I warrant you, if myinstructions may be your guide. Let this Barnardinebe this morning executed, and his head born to Angelo.
Provost
Angelo hath seen them both, and will discover the favour.
DUKE VINCENTIO
O, death's a great disguiser; and you may add to it.Shave the head, and tie the beard; and say it wasthe desire of the penitent to be so bared before hisdeath: you know the course is common. If any thingfall to you upon this, more than thanks and goodfortune, by the saint whom I profess, I will pleadagainst it with my life.
Provost
Pardon me, good father; it is against my oath.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Were you sworn to the duke, or to the deputy?
Provost
To him, and to his substitutes.
DUKE VINCENTIO
You will think you have made no offence, if the dukeavouch the justice of your dealing?
Provost
But what likelihood is in that?
DUKE VINCENTIO
Not a resemblance, but a certainty. Yet since I seeyou fearful, that neither my coat, integrity, norpersuasion can with ease attempt you, I will gofurther than I meant, to pluck all fears out of you.Look you, sir, here is the hand and seal of theduke: you know the character, I doubt not; and thesignet is not strange to you.
Provost
I know them both.
DUKE VINCENTIO
The contents of this is the return of the duke: youshall anon over-read it at your pleasure; where youshall find, within these two days he will be here.This is a thing that Angelo knows not; for he thisvery day receives letters of strange tenor;perchance of the duke's death; perchance enteringinto some monastery; but, by chance, nothing of whatis writ. Look, the unfolding star calls up theshepherd. Put not yourself into amazement how thesethings should be: all difficulties are but easywhen they are known. Call your executioner, and offwith Barnardine's head: I will give him a presentshrift and advise him for a better place. Yet youare amazed; but this shall absolutely resolve you.Come away; it is almost clear dawn.
Exeunt