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DUKE VINCENTIO
135What is that Barnardine who is to be executed in the
afternoon?
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DUKE VINCENTIO Who is this Barnardine who’s to be executed in the
afternoon?
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PROVOST A Bohemian born, but here nursed un and bred; one
that is a prisoner nine years old.
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PROVOST He was born in Bohemia, but raised here. He’s been a prisoner for the last nine years.
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DUKE VINCENTIO How came it that the absent duke had not either
140delivered him to his liberty or executed him? I
have heard it was ever his manner to do so.
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DUKE VINCENTIO How did it happen that the absent duke neither freed him nor executed him? I’ve heard he usually does one or the other.
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PROVOST His friends still wrought reprieves for him: and,
indeed, his fact, till now in the government of Lord
Angelo, came not to an undoubtful proof.
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PROVOST Barnardine’s friends kept getting him reprieves. And there was no clear evidence that he was actually guilty, until now, when Angelo came to power.
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DUKE VINCENTIO
145It is now apparent?
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DUKE VINCENTIO It’s clear now?
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PROVOST Most manifest, and not denied by himself.
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PROVOST Very clear, and he doesn’t deny it himself.
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DUKE VINCENTIO Hath he born himself penitently in prison? how
seems he to be touched?
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DUKE VINCENTIO Has he shown remorse while in prison? What effect has it had on him?
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PROVOST A man that apprehends death no more dreadfully but
150as a drunken sleep; careless, reckless, and fearless
of what’s past, present, or to come; insensible of
mortality, and desperately mortal.
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PROVOST He’s a man who fears death as no worse than a drunken sleep. He’s careless, reckless, and fearless of the past, present, or future. He’s unaware of the concept of death, and desperately clinging to life.
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DUKE VINCENTIO He wants advice.
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DUKE VINCENTIO He needs counseling.
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PROVOST He will hear none: he hath evermore had the liberty
155of the prison; give him leave to escape hence, he
would not: drunk many times a day, if not many days
entirely drunk. We have very oft awaked him, as if
to carry him to execution, and showed him a seeming
warrant for it: it hath not moved him at all.
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PROVOST He won’t listen to any. He’s always had the freedom to go anywhere inside the prison. If you gave him a chance to escape, he wouldn’t run. He’s drunk many times a day, or spends many days entirely drunk. Often, we’ve woken him up, as if to take him to be executed, and shown him a pretend warrant. It’s never affected him at all.
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