Уильям Шекспир - Measure for Measure

  DUKE. Escalus!
  ESCALUS. My lord.
  DUKE. Of government the properties to unfold
    Would seem in me t' affect speech and discourse,
    Since I am put to know that your own science
    Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice
    My strength can give you; then no more remains
    But that to your sufficiency- as your worth is able-
    And let them work. The nature of our people,
    Our city's institutions, and the terms
    For common justice, y'are as pregnant in
    As art and practice hath enriched any
    That we remember. There is our commission,
    From which we would not have you warp. Call hither,
    I say, bid come before us, Angelo. Exit an ATTENDANT
    What figure of us think you he will bear?
    For you must know we have with special soul
    Elected him our absence to supply;
    Lent him our terror, dress'd him with our love,
    And given his deputation all the organs
    Of our own power. What think you of it?
  ESCALUS. If any in Vienna be of worth
    To undergo such ample grace and honour,
    It is Lord Angelo.

  DUKE. Look where he comes.
  ANGELO. Always obedient to your Grace's will,
    I come to know your pleasure.
  DUKE. Angelo,
    There is a kind of character in thy life
    That to th' observer doth thy history
    Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings
    Are not thine own so proper as to waste
    Thyself upon thy virtues, they on thee.
    Heaven doth with us as we with torches do,
    Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues
    Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike
    As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd
    But to fine issues; nor Nature never lends
    The smallest scruple of her excellence
    But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines
    Herself the glory of a creditor,
    Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech
    To one that can my part in him advertise.
    Hold, therefore, Angelo-
    In our remove be thou at full ourself;
    Mortality and mercy in Vienna
    Live in thy tongue and heart. Old Escalus,
    Though first in question, is thy secondary.
    Take thy commission.
  ANGELO. Now, good my lord,
    Let there be some more test made of my metal,
    Before so noble and so great a figure
    Be stamp'd upon it.
  DUKE. No more evasion!
    We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice
    Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.
    Our haste from hence is of so quick condition
    That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd
    Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
    As time and our concernings shall importune,
    How it goes with us, and do look to know
    What doth befall you here. So, fare you well.
    To th' hopeful execution do I leave you
    Of your commissions.
  ANGELO. Yet give leave, my lord,
    That we may bring you something on the way.
  DUKE. My haste may not admit it;
    Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
    With any scruple: your scope is as mine own,
    So to enforce or qualify the laws
    As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand;
    I'll privily away. I love the people,
    But do not like to stage me to their eyes;
    Though it do well, I do not relish well
    Their loud applause and Aves vehement;
    Nor do I think the man of safe discretion
    That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.
  ANGELO. The heavens give safety to your purposes!
  ESCALUS. Lead forth and bring you back in happiness!
  DUKE. I thank you. Fare you well. Exit
  ESCALUS. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave
    To have free speech with you; and it concerns me
    To look into the bottom of my place:
    A pow'r I have, but of what strength and nature
    I am not yet instructed.
  ANGELO. 'Tis so with me. Let us withdraw together,
    And we may soon our satisfaction have
    Touching that point.
  ESCALUS. I'll wait upon your honour. Exeunt

  LUCIO. If the Duke, with the other dukes, come not to
composition
    with the King of Hungary, why then all the dukes fall upon
the
    King.
  FIRST GENTLEMAN. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of
    Hungary's!
  SECOND GENTLEMAN. Amen.
  LUCIO. Thou conclud'st like the sanctimonious pirate that went
to
    sea with the Ten Commandments, but scrap'd one out of the
table.
  SECOND GENTLEMAN. 'Thou shalt not steal'?
  LUCIO. Ay, that he raz'd.
  FIRST GENTLEMAN. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the
captain
    and all the rest from their functions: they put forth to
steal.
    There's not a soldier of us all that, in the thanksgiving
before
    meat, do relish the petition well that prays for peace.
  SECOND GENTLEMAN. I never heard any soldier dislike it.
  LUCIO. I believe thee; for I think thou never wast where grace
was
    said.
  SECOND GENTLEMAN. No? A dozen times at least.
  FIRST GENTLEMAN. What, in metre?
  LUCIO. In any proportion or in any language.
  FIRST GENTLEMAN. I think, or in any religion.
  LUCIO. Ay, why not? Grace is grace, despite of all controversy;
as,
    for example, thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of
all
    grace.
  FIRST GENTLEMAN. Well, there went but a pair of shears between
us.
  LUCIO. I grant; as there may between the lists and the velvet.
    Thou art the list.
  FIRST GENTLEMAN. And thou the velvet; thou art good velvet;
thou'rt
    a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee. I had as lief be a list
of
    an English kersey as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a
French
    velvet. Do I speak feelingly now?
  LUCIO. I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful
feeling of
    thy speech. I will, out of thine own confession, learn to
begin
    thy health; but, whilst I live, forget to drink after thee.
  FIRST GENTLEMAN. I think I have done myself wrong, have I not?
  SECOND GENTLEMAN. Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art tainted
or
    free.