m. And there
came Isabel, in the manner of a petitioner for redress, and said,
"Justice, most royal duke! I am the sister of one Claudio, who for the
seducing a young maid was condemned to lose his head. I made my suit
to lord Angelo for my brother's pardon. It were needless to tell your
grace how I prayed and kneeled, how he repelled me, and how I replied;
for this was of much length. The vile conclusion I now begin with
grief and shame to utter. Angelo would not but by my yielding to his
dishonourable love release my brother; and after much debate within
myself, my sisterly remorse overcame my virtue, and I did yield to
him. But the next morning betimes Angelo, forfeiting his promise, sent
a warrant for my poor brother's head!" The duke affected to disbelieve
her story; and Angelo said that grief for her brother's death, who had
suffered by the due course of the law, had disordered her senses. And
now another suitor approached, which was Mariana; and Mariana said,
"Noble prince, as there comes light from heaven, and truth from
breath, as there is sense in truth, and truth in virtue, I am this
man's wife, and, my good lord, the words of Isabel are false, for the
night she says she was with Angelo, I passed that night with him in
the garden-house. As this is true, let me in safety rise, or else for
ever be fixed here a marble monument." Then did Isabel appeal for the
truth of what she had said to friar Lodowick, that being the name the
duke had assumed in his disguise. Isabel and Mariana had both obeyed
his instructions in what they said, the duke intending that the
innocence of Isabel should be plainly proved in that public manner
before the whole city of Vienna; but Angelo little thought that it was
from such a cause that they thus differed in their story, and he hoped
from their contradictory evidence to be able to clear himself from
the accusation of Isabel; and he said, assuming a look of offended
innocence, "I did but smile till now; but, good my lord, my patience
here is touched, and I perceive these poor distracted women are but
the instruments of some greater one, who sets them on. Let me have
way, my lord, to find this practice out." "Aye, with all my heart,"
said the duke, "and punish them to the height of your pleasure. You,
lord Escalus, sit with lord Angelo, lend him your pains to discover
this abuse; the friar is sent for that set them on, and when he comes,
do with your injuries as may seem best in any ch