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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 turn the scale。 Exit POMPEY。 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？ ABHORSON。 Ay； sir； a mystery。
POMPEY。 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 hang'd； I cannot imagine。 ABHORSON。 Sir； it is a mystery。
POMPEY。 Proof？ ABHORSON。 Every true man's apparel fits your thief：
if it be too little for your thief； your true man thinks it big enough； if it be
too big for your thief； your thief thinks it little enough； so every true man's
apparel fits your thief。
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Re…enter PROVOST
PROVOST。 Are you agreed？ POMPEY。 Sir； I will serve him； for I do
find your hangman is a more penitent trade than your bawd； he doth
oftener ask forgiveness。 PROVOST。 You； sirrah； provide your block and
your axe to…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 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。 PROVOST。
Call hither Barnardine and Claudio。 Exeunt ABHORSON and POMPEY
Th' 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？ CLAUDIO。 As fast lock'd up in sleep as guiltless labour
When 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＇
But hark； what noise？ Heaven give your spirits comfort！ Exit CLAUDIO
＇Knocking continues＇ By and by。 I hope it is some pardon or reprieve For
the most gentle Claudio。
Enter DUKE； disguised as before
Welcome； father。 DUKE。 The best and wholesom'st spirits of the
night Envelop you； good Provost！ Who call'd here of late？ PROVOST。
None； since the curfew rung。 DUKE。 Not Isabel？ PROVOST。 No。 DUKE。
They will then； ere't be long。 PROVOST。 What comfort is for Claudio？
DUKE。 There's some in hope。 PROVOST。 It is a bitter deputy。 DUKE。 Not
so； not so； his life is parallel'd Even with the stroke and line of his great
justice； He doth with holy abstinence subdue That in himself which he
spurs on his pow'r To qualify in others。 Were he meal'd with that Which he
corrects； then were he tyrannous； 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 possess'd with haste That wounds th'
unsisting postern with these strokes。
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Re…enter PROVOST
PROVOST。 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？ PROVOST。 None； sir； none。 DUKE。 As near the
dawning； Provost； as it is； You shall hear more ere morning。 PROVOST。
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 Profess'd the contrary。
Enter a MESSENGER This is his lordship's man。 DUKE。 And here
comes Claudio's pardon。 MESSENGER。 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。 Good morrow；
for as I take it； it is almost day。 PROVOST。 I shall obey him。 Exit
MESSENGER DUKE。 ＇Aside＇ This is his pardon； purchas'd by such sin
For which the pardoner himself is in； Hence hath offence his quick celerity；
When it is borne in high authority。 When vice makes mercy； mercy's so
extended That for the fault's love is th' offender friended。 Now； sir； what
news？ PROVOST。 I told you： Lord Angelo； belike thinking me remiss in
mine office； awakens me with this unwonted putting…on； methinks
strangely； for he hath not us'd it before。 DUKE。 Pray you； let's hear。
PROVOST。 ＇Reads＇ 'Whatsoever you may hear to the contrary； let Claudio
be executed by four of the clock； and； in the afternoon； Barnardine。 For
my 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？ DUKE。 What is that Barnardine who is to
be executed in th' afternoon？ PROVOST。 A Bohemian born； but here
nurs'd up and bred。 One that is a prisoner nine years old。 DUKE。 How
came it that the absent Duke had not either deliver'd him to his liberty or
executed him？ I have 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 Lord Angelo； came not to an undoubted proof。
DUKE。 It is now apparent？ PROVOST。 Most manifest； and not denied by
himself。 DUKE。 Hath he borne himself penitently in prison？ How seems
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he to be touch'd？ PROVOST。 A man that apprehends death no more
dreadfully 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。 PROVOST。 He will hear none。 He hath
evermore had the 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 awak'd him； as if to carry him to execution； and show'd him
a seeming warrant for it； it hath not moved him at all。 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 myself in hazard。 Claudio； whom here you have warrant
to execute； is no greater forfeit to the law than Angelo who hath sentenc'd
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。 PROVOST。 Pray； sir； in what？ DUKE。 In the delaying
death。 PROVOST。 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。
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。 PROVOST。 Angelo hath seen them both； and will
discover the favour。 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 bar'd before his death。 You know the course is common。
If anything fall to you upon this more than thanks and good fortune； by the
saint whom I profess； I will plead against it with my life。 PROVOST。
Pardon me； good father； it is against my oath。 DUKE。 Were you sworn to
the Duke； or to the deputy？ PROVOST。 To him and to his substitutes。
DUKE。 You will think you have made no offence if the Duke avouch the
justice of your dealing？ PROVOST。 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 meant； to pluck all fears out of you。 Look you