The Case is Altered/Act V Scene III

Enter Angelo, with Rachel.

Ang. Nay, gentle Rachel.

Rach. Away, forbear, ungentle Angelo,

Touch not my body with those impious hands,

That, like hot irons, sear my trembling heart,

And make it hiss at your disloyalty.

Enter Chamont, Paulo Ferneze.

Was this your drift, to use Ferneze's name?

Was he your fittest stale? O wild dishonour!

Paul. Stay, noble sir.

Ang. 'Sblood, how like a puppet do you talk now!

Dishonour! what dishonour! come, come, fool;

Nay, then I see y'are peevish. S'heart, dishonour!

To have you to a priest, and marry you,

And put you in an honourable state.

Rach. To marry me! O heaven! can it be?

That men should live with such unfeeling souls,

Without or touch or conscience of religion?

Or that their warping appetites should spoil

Those honour'd forms, that the true scale of friendship

Had set upon their faces?

Ang. Do you hear?

What needs all this? say, will you have me, or no?

Rach. I'll have you gone, and leave me, if you would.

Ang. Leave you! I was accurst to bring you hither,

And make so fair an offer to a fool.

A pox upon you, why should you be coy,

What good thing have you in you to be proud of?

Are ye any other than a beggar's daughter?

Because you have beauty. O god's light! a blast!

Pau. I, Angelo.

Ang. You scornful baggage,

I lov'd thee not so much, but now I hate thee.

Rach. Upon my knees, you heavenly powers, I thank you,

That thus have tam'd his wild affections.

Ang. This will not do, I must to her again.

Rachel, O that thou sawest my heart, or didst behold

The place from whence that scalding sigh evented!

Rachel, by Jesu, I love thee as my soul,

Rachel, sweet Rachel.

Rach. What again return'd

Unto this violent passion!

Ang. Do but hear me;

By heaven I love you, Rachel.

Rach. Pray forbear.

O that my lord Ferneze were but here!

Ang. 'Sblood an' he were, what would he do!

Pau. This would he do, base villain.

Rach. My dear lord.

Paul. Thou monster! even the soul of treachery!

O what dishonour'd title of reproach

May my tongue spit in thy deserved face!

Methinks my very presence should invert

The steeled organs of those traiterous eyes,

To take into thy heart, and pierce it through.

Turn'st thou them on the ground! wretch, dig a grave

With their sharp points, to hide thy abhorred head.

Sweet love, thy wrongs have been too violent

Since my departure from thee, I perceive;

But now true comfort shall again appear,

And, like an armed angel, guard thee safe

From all th' assaults of cover'd villainy.

Come, monsieur, let us go, and leave this wretch

To his despair.

Ang. My noble Ferneze.

Pau. What canst thou speak to me, and not thy tongue,

Forc'd with the torment of thy guilty soul,

Break that infected circle of thy mouth,

Like the rude clapper of a crazed bell?

I, that in thy bosom lodg'd my soul,

With all her train of secrets, thinking them

To be as safe and richly entertain'd

As in a prince's court, or tower of strength,

And thou to prove a traitor to my trust,

And basely to expose it; O this world!

Ang. My honourable lord.

Pau. The very owl, whom other birds do stare

And wonder at, shall hoot at thee; and snakes,

In every bush, shall deaf thine ears with their —

Cha. Nay, good my lord, give end unto your passions.

Ang. You shall see I will redeem your lost opinion.

Rach. My lord, believe him.

Cha. Come, be satisfy'd;

Sweet lord, you know our haste; let us to horse,

The time for my engag'd return is past.

Be friends again, take him along with you.

Pau. Come, signior Angelo, hereafter prove more true.

[Exeunt.]