第 8 节
作者:冷如冰      更新:2024-04-07 11:51      字数:9322
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  ACT III。
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  SCENE I。 The prison
  Enter DUKE; disguised as before; CLAUDIO; and PROVOST
  DUKE。 So; then you hope of pardon from Lord Angelo? CLAUDIO。
  The miserable have no other medicine But only hope: I have hope to live;
  and am prepar'd to die。 DUKE。 Be absolute for death; either death or life
  Shall thereby be the sweeter。 Reason thus with life。 If I do lose thee; I do
  lose a thing That none but fools would keep。 A breath thou art; Servile to
  all   the  skyey   influences;   That   dost  this  habitation   where    thou   keep'st
  Hourly afflict。 Merely; thou art Death's fool; For him thou labour'st by thy
  flight to shun And yet run'st toward him still。 Thou art not noble; For all
  th' accommodations that thou bear'st Are nurs'd by baseness。 Thou 'rt by
  no   means   valiant;   For  thou   dost   fear   the soft   and   tender  fork   Of   a   poor
  worm。 Thy best of   rest is sleep; And that thou oft provok'st; yet   grossly
  fear'st Thy death; which is no more。 Thou art not thyself; For thou exists
  on many a thousand grains That issue out of dust。 Happy thou art not; For
  what thou hast not; still thou striv'st to get; And what thou hast; forget'st。
  Thou art not certain; For thy complexion shifts to strange effects; After the
  moon。 If thou art rich; thou'rt poor; For; like an ass whose back with ingots
  bows; Thou bear'st thy heavy riches but a journey; And Death unloads thee。
  Friend hast thou none; For thine own bowels which do call thee sire; The
  mere   effusion   of   thy   proper   loins;   Do   curse   the   gout;   serpigo;   and   the
  rheum; For ending thee no sooner。 Thou hast nor youth nor age; But; as it
  were; an after…dinner's sleep; Dreaming on both; for all thy blessed youth
  Becomes as aged; and doth beg the alms Of palsied eld; and when thou art
  old and rich; Thou hast neither heat; affection; limb; nor beauty; To make
  thy riches pleasant。 What's yet in this That bears the name of life? Yet in
  this life Lie hid moe thousand deaths; yet death we fear; That makes these
  odds all even。 CLAUDIO。 I humbly thank you。 To sue to live; I find I seek
  to die; And; seeking death; find life。 Let it come on。 ISABELLA。 'Within'
  What; ho! Peace here; grace and good company! PROVOST。 Who's there?
  Come in; the wish deserves a welcome。 DUKE。 Dear sir; ere long I'll visit
  you again。 CLAUDIO。 Most holy sir; I thank you。
  Enter ISABELLA
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  ISABELLA。 My business is a word or two with Claudio。 PROVOST。
  And   very   welcome。   Look;   signior;   here's   your   sister。   DUKE。   Provost;   a
  word with you。 PROVOST。 As many as you please。 DUKE。 Bring me to
  hear    them    speak;    where     I  may    be   conceal'd。    Exeunt     DUKE       and
  PROVOST         CLAUDIO。        Now;    sister;  what's   the  comfort?     ISABELLA。
  Why; As   all   comforts   are;   most   good;   most   good;   indeed。   Lord Angelo;
  having affairs to heaven; Intends you for his swift ambassador; Where you
  shall be an everlasting leiger。 Therefore; your best appointment make with
  speed;     To…morrow       you    set   on。   CLAUDIO。        Is   there   no    remedy?
  ISABELLA。 None; but such remedy as; to save a head; To cleave a heart
  in twain。 CLAUDIO。 But is there any? ISABELLA。 Yes; brother; you may
  live: There is a devilish mercy in the judge; If you'll implore it; that will
  free   your   life;   But   fetter   you   till   death。   CLAUDIO。   Perpetual   durance?
  ISABELLA。 Ay; just; perpetual durance; a restraint; Though all the world's
  vastidity you had; To a determin'd scope。 CLAUDIO。 But in what nature?
  ISABELLA。         In  such   a  one   as;  you  consenting     to't;  Would    bark  your
  honour   from  that trunk  you   bear; And   leave  you naked。  CLAUDIO。   Let
  me know the point。 ISABELLA。 O; I do fear thee; Claudio; and I quake;
  Lest thou a feverous life shouldst entertain; And six or seven winters more
  respect   Than   a   perpetual   honour。   Dar'st   thou   die?   The   sense   of   death   is
  most in apprehension; And the poor beetle that we tread upon In corporal
  sufferance finds a pang as great As when a giant dies。 CLAUDIO。 Why
  give you me this shame? Think you I can a resolution fetch From flow'ry
  tenderness? If I must die; I will encounter darkness as a bride And hug it in
  mine arms。 ISABELLA。 There spake my brother; there my father's grave
  Did utter forth a voice。 Yes; thou must die: Thou art too noble to conserve
  a   life  In  base  appliances。    This   outward…sainted      deputy;   Whose     settled
  visage and deliberate word Nips youth i' th' head; and follies doth enew As
  falcon doth the fowl; is yet a devil; His filth within being cast; he would
  appear     A   pond    as   deep    as  hell。  CLAUDIO。         The    precise   Angelo!
  ISABELLA。   O;   'tis   the   cunning   livery   of   hell   The   damned'st   body   to
  invest and cover In precise guards! Dost thou think; Claudio; If I would
  yield him my virginity Thou mightst be freed? CLAUDIO。 O heavens! it
  cannot be。 ISABELLA。 Yes; he would give't thee; from this rank offence;
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  So to offend him still。 This night's the time That I should do what I abhor
  to   name;   Or   else   thou   diest   to…morrow。   CLAUDIO。   Thou   shalt   not   do't。
  ISABELLA。 O; were it but my life! I'd throw it down for your deliverance
  As   frankly   as   a   pin。   CLAUDIO。   Thanks;   dear   Isabel。   ISABELLA。   Be
  ready;    Claudio;     for  your    death   to…morrow。      CLAUDIO。        Yes。   Has    he
  affections in him That thus can make him bite the law by th' nose When he
  would   force   it?   Sure   it   is   no   sin;   Or   of   the   deadly   seven   it   is   the   least。
  ISABELLA。 Which is the least? CLAUDIO。 If it were damnable; he being
  so wise; Why would he for the momentary trick Be perdurably fin'd?… O
  Isabel! ISABELLA。 What says my brother? CLAUDIO。 Death is a fearful
  thing。 ISABELLA。 And shamed life a hateful。 CLAUDIO。 Ay; but to die;
  and   go   we   know   not   where;   To   lie   in   cold   obstruction;   and   to   rot;   This
  sensible warm motion to become A kneaded clod; and the delighted spirit
  To bathe in fiery floods or to reside In thrilling region of thick…ribbed ice;
  To be imprison'd in the viewless winds; And blown with restless violence
  round about The pendent world; or to be worse than worst Of those that
  lawless     and   incertain   thought    Imagine     howling…    'tis  too  horrible。   The
  weariest     and   most    loathed    worldly    life  That   age;   ache;   penury;    and
  imprisonment; Can lay on nature is a paradise To what we fear of death。
  ISABELLA。 Alas;   alas!   CLAUDIO。   Sweet   sister;   let   me   live。   What   sin
  you do to save a brother's life; Nature dispenses with the deed so far That
  it   becomes   a   virtue。   ISABELLA。   O   you   beast!   O   faithless   coward!   O
  dishonest wretch! Wilt thou be made a man out of my vice? Is't not a kind
  of incest to take life From thine own sister's shame? What should I think?
  Heaven shield my mother play'd my father fair! For such a warped slip of
  wilderness   Ne'er   issu'd   from   his   blood。   Take   my   defiance;   Die;   perish。
  Might     but   my   bending     down    Reprieve     thee   from    thy  fate;  it  should
  proceed。 I'll pray a thousand prayers for thy death; No word to save thee。
  CLAUDIO。 Nay; hear me; Isabel。 ISABELLA。 O fie; fie; fie! Thy sin's not
  accidental; but a trade。 Mercy to thee would prove itself a bawd; 'Tis best
  that thou diest quickly。 CLAUDIO。 O; hear me; Isabella。
  Re…enter DUKE
  DUKE。 Vouchsafe a word; young sister; but one word。 ISABELLA。
  What is your will? DUKE。 Might you dispense with your leisure; I would
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  by and by have some speech with you; the satisfaction I would require is
  likewise your own benefit。 ISABELLA。 I have no superfluous leisure; my
  stay   must   be   stolen   out   of   other   affairs;   but   I   will   attend   you   awhile。
  'Walks apart' DUKE。 Son; I have overheard what hath pass'd bet