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PROVOST You, sirrah, provide your block and your axe
to-morrow four o’clock.
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PROVOST You, fellow, have your block and your axe ready tomorrow at four o’clock.
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ABHORSON
50Come on, bawd; I will instruct thee in my trade; follow.
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ABHORSON Come on, pimp, I’ll show you the ropes. Follow me.
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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.
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POMPEY I want to learn, sir. And I hope, if you ever get the chance to use me for your own execution, you’ll find me ready. Because, really, I owe you a good turn for your kindness.
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POMPEY and ABHORSON exit.
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POMPEY and ABHORSON exit.
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PROVOST
55Call hither Barnardine and Claudio:
The one has my pity; not a jot the other,
Being a murderer, though he were my brother.
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PROVOST Call Barnardine and Claudio here. I pity one, but not the other, even if he were my brother, as he’s a murderer.
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Enter CLAUDIO
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CLAUDIO enters.
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Look, here’s the warrant, Claudio, for thy death:
’Tis now dead midnight, and by eight to-morrow
60Thou must be made immortal. Where’s Barnardine?
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Look, Claudio, here’s your death warrant. It’s now dead midnight, and by 8 a.m. tomorrow you must be laid to eternal rest. Where’s Barnardine?
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CLAUDIO As fast lock’d up in sleep as guiltless labour
When it lies starkly in the traveller’s bones:
He will not wake.
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CLAUDIO As fast asleep as the most innocent of exhausted laborers. He won’t wake up.
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PROVOST Who can do good on him?
65Well, go, prepare yourself.
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PROVOST Who could do him any good, anyway? Well, go, prepare yourself.
(knocking is heard offstage)
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Knocking within
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But, hark, what noise?
Heaven give your spirits comfort!
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What’s that noise? (to Claudio) Heaven give your spirits comfort!
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