Measure for Measure - LightNovelsOnl.com
You're reading novel online at LightNovelsOnl.com. Please use the follow button to get notifications about your favorite novels and its latest chapters so you can come back anytime and won't miss anything.
SCENE I. Enter M.] Ff. M. discovered sitting. Steevens.
5, 6: F4 omits the refrain in l. 6. Rowe omits it in both lines.
6: _but_] _though_ Fletcher's version.
13: _it_] _is_ Warburton.
17: _meet_] _meet one_ Hanmer.
19: Enter I.] Transferred by Singer to line 23.
24: SCENE II. Pope.
_well come_] Ff. _welcome_ Warburton.
32, 33, 34: _There have I made my promise Upon the heavy middle of the night To call upon him._] S. Walker conj.
_There have I made my promise, upon the Heavy middle of the night to call upon him._ Ff.
_There on the heavy middle of the night Have I my promise made to call upon him._ Pope.
_There have I made my promise to call on him Upon the heavy middle of the night._ Capell.
_There have I made my promise in the heavy Middle...._ Singer.
_There have I made my promise on the heavy Middle...._ Dyce.
Delius and Staunton read with Ff. but print as prose.
38: _action all of precept_] _precept of all action_ Johnson conj.
49: SCENE III. Pope.
52: _have_] _I have_ Pope.
58-63: _O place ... fancies_] These lines to precede III. 2. 178.
Warburton conj.
60: _these_] _their_ Hanmer. _base_ Collier MS.
_quests_] _quest_ F1.
61: _escapes_] _'scapes_ Pope.
62: _their idle dreams_] Pope. _their idle dreame_ Ff.
_an idle dream_ Rowe.
63: _Welcome, how agreed?_] _Well! agreed?_ Hanmer.
SCENE IV. Pope.
65: _It is_] _'Tis_ Pope.
74: _t.i.the's_] _t.i.thes_ F1 F2 F3. _Tythes_ F4. _tilth's_ Hanmer (Warburton).
_Our ... sow_] _Our tythe's to reap, for yet our corn's to sow_ Capell conj. MS.
SCENE II. _A room in the prison._
_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 s.n.a.t.c.hes, 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 a.s.sist 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 wh.o.r.es, 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.
