Читать книгу The Complete Works of Shakespeare онлайн

70 страница из 942

We came again to bind them. Then they fled

Into this abbey, whither we pursu’d them,

And here the Abbess shuts the gates on us,

And will not suffer us to fetch him out,

Nor send him forth, that we may bear him hence.

Therefore, most gracious Duke, with thy command

Let him be brought forth, and borne hence for help.

Duke.

Long since thy husband serv’d me in my wars,

And I to thee engag’d a prince’s word,

When thou didst make him master of thy bed,

To do him all the grace and good I could.

Go some of you, knock at the abbey-gate,

And bid the Lady Abbess come to me:

I will determine this before I stir.

Enter a Messenger.

[Mess.]

O mistress, mistress, shift and save yourself!

My master and his man are both broke loose,

Beaten the maids a-row, and bound the doctor,

Whose beard they have sing’d off with brands of fire,

And ever as it blaz’d, they threw on him

Great pails of puddled mire to quench the hair;

My master preaches patience to him, and the while

His man with scissors nicks him like a fool;