_Duke._ That now you are come, you will be gone.
Leave me awhile with the maid: my mind promises with my habit no loss shall touch her by my company.
_Prov._ In good time. [_Exit Provost. Isabella comes forward._
_Duke._ The hand that hath made you fair hath made 175 you good: the goodness that is cheap in beauty makes beauty brief in goodness; but grace, being the soul of your complexion, shall keep the body of it ever fair. The a.s.sault that Angelo hath made to you, fortune hath conveyed to my understanding; and, but that frailty hath examples for 180 his falling, I should wonder at Angelo. How will you do to content this subst.i.tute, and to save your brother?
_Isab._ I am now going to resolve him: I had rather my brother die by the law than my son should be unlawfully born. But, O, how much is the good Duke deceived in 185 Angelo! If ever he return and I can speak to him, I will open my lips in vain, or discover his government.
_Duke._ That shall not be much amiss: yet, as the matter now stands, he will avoid your accusation; he made trial of you only. Therefore fasten your ear on my advisings: to 190 the love I have in doing good a remedy presents itself. I do make myself believe that you may most uprighteously do a poor wronged lady a merited benefit; redeem your brother from the angry law; do no stain to your own gracious person; and much please the absent Duke, if peradventure 195 he shall ever return to have hearing of this business.
_Isab._ Let me hear you speak farther. I have spirit to do any thing that appears not foul in the truth of my spirit.
_Duke._ Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful. Have you not heard speak of Mariana, the sister of Frederick the 200 great soldier who miscarried at sea?
_Isab._ I have heard of the lady, and good words went with her name.
_Duke._ She should this Angelo have married; was affianced to her by oath, and the nuptial appointed: between 205 which time of the contract and limit of the solemnity, her brother Frederick was wrecked at sea, having in that perished vessel the dowry of his sister. But mark how heavily this befell to the poor gentlewoman: there she lost a n.o.ble and renowned brother, in his love toward her ever most 210 kind and natural; with him, the portion and sinew of her fortune, her marriage-dowry; with both, her combinate husband, this well-seeming Angelo.
_Isab._ Can this be so? did Angelo so leave her?
_Duke._ Left her in her tears, and dried not one of them 215 with his comfort; swallowed his vows whole, pretending in her discoveries of dishonour: in few, bestowed her on her own lamentation, which she yet wears for his sake; and he, a marble to her tears, is washed with them, but relents not.
_Isab._ What a merit were it in death to take this poor 220 maid from the world! What corruption in this life, that it will let this man live! But how out of this can she avail?
_Duke._ It is a rupture that you may easily heal: and the cure of it not only saves your brother, but keeps you from dishonour in doing it. 225
_Isab._ Show me how, good father.
_Duke._ This forenamed maid hath yet in her the continuance of her first affection: his unjust unkindness, that in all reason should have quenched her love, hath, like an impediment in the current, made it more violent and unruly. 230 Go you to Angelo; answer his requiring with a plausible obedience; agree with his demands to the point; only refer yourself to this advantage, first, that your stay with him may not be long; that the time may have all shadow and silence in it; and the place answer to convenience. This 235 being granted in course,--and now follows all,--we shall advise this wronged maid to stead up your appointment, go in your place; if the encounter acknowledge itself hereafter, it may compel him to her recompense: and here, by this, is your brother saved, your honour untainted, the poor 240 Mariana advantaged, and the corrupt Deputy scaled. The maid will I frame and make fit for his attempt. If you think well to carry this as you may, the doubleness of the benefit defends the deceit from reproof. What think you of it? 245
_Isab._ The image of it gives me content already; and I trust it will grow to a most prosperous perfection.
_Duke._ It lies much in your holding up. Haste you speedily to Angelo: if for this night he entreat you to his bed, give him promise of satisfaction. I will presently to 250 Saint Luke"s: there, at the moated grange, resides this dejected Mariana. At that place call upon me; and dispatch with Angelo, that it may be quickly.
_Isab._ I thank you for this comfort. Fare you well, good father.
[_Exeunt severally._ 255
NOTES: III, 1.
1: _of_] _for_ Hanmer.
4: _I"ve_] _I"have_ Ff.
5: _either_] _or_ Pope.
8: _keep_] _reck_ Warburton. _thou art_] om. Hanmer.
10: _dost_] Ff. _do_ Hanmer.
20: _exist"st_] Theobald. _exists_ Ff.
24: _effects_] _affects_ Johnson conj.
25: _If_] _Though_ Hanmer.
28: _unloads_] _unloadeth_ Pope.
29: _sire_] F4. _fire_ F1 F2 F3. See note (XIII).
31: _serpigo_] Rowe. _sapego_ F1. _sarpego_ F2 F3 F4.
34: _all thy blessed_] _pall"d, thy blazed_ Warburton.
_all thy blasted_ Johnson conj. _all thy boasted_ Collier MS.
35: _as aged_] _an indigent_ Hanmer. _a.s.suaged_ Warburton.
_a.s.sieged_ Becket conj. _engaged_ Staunton conj.
_enaged_ Grant White conj. _abased_ Edd. conj.
37: _beauty_] _bounty_ Warburton.
38: _yet_] om. Pope.
40: _more_] _moe_ Ff. _a_ Hanmer.
46: _sir_] _son_ Mason conj.
49: _Look_] om. Pope.
53: _Bring me to hear them speak_] Malone (Steevens conj.).
_Bring them to hear me speak_ F1. _Bring them to speak_ F2 F3 F4.
_Bring me to stand_ Capell.
54: _concealed_] _conceal"d_ F1. _conceal"d, yet hear them_ F2 F3 F4.
_conceal"d, yet hear them speak_ Capell. _Bring me where I conceal"d May hear them speak_ Davenant"s version.
55: SCENE II. Pope.
_sister_] _good sister_ Hanmer.
57: _most good, most good indeed_] _most good indeed_ Pope.
_most good in speed_ Hanmer. _most good. Indeed_ Blackstone conj.
See note (XIV).
60: _leiger_] _ledger_ Capell. _lieger_ Staunton.
62: _set on_] _set out_ Pope.
64: _To_] _Must_ Hanmer.
70: _Though_] Pope. _Through_ Ff.
79: _can a resolution fetch_] _want a resolution fetch"d_ Hanmer.
80: _tenderness?_] _tenderness._ Dyce (Heath conj.).
86: _appliances_] _appliance_ Hanmer.
88: _head_] _bred_ Grey conj.
89: _falcon_] _falconer_ Grey conj.
90, 91: _filth ... pond_] _pond ... filth_ Upton conj.
91, 94: _prenzie_] F1. _princely_ F2 F3 F4. _priestly_ Hanmer.
_precise_ Knight (Tieck conj.). _rev"rend_ Staunton.
_saintly_ Hickson conj. _pensive_ Anon. (N. & Q.) conj.
_frenzy!--princely_ Knight conj. _printsy_ Taylor conj.
_pious_ Delius conj. _phrenzied_ Anon. (N. & Q.) conj.
_primsie_ Anon. (N. & Q.) conj. _pensie_ Bullock conj.
See note (XV).
93: _d.a.m.ned"st_] _d.a.m.nest_ F1.
94: _guards_] _garb_ Collier MS.
97: _give"t_] _grant_ Hanmer. _give_ Warburton.
_from_] _for_ Hanmer.
103: _dear_] _dearest_ Pope.
105: _he_] _he then_ Hanmer.
111: _Why_] _Why,_ Hanmer.
118: _delighted_] _dilated_ Hanmer. _benighted_ (Anon. conj.
ap. Johnson). _delinquent_ Upton conj. _alighted_ Anon. conj.