na, "I crave no other, nor no
better man;" and then on her knees, even as Isabel had begged the
life of Claudio, did this kind wife of an ungrateful husband beg the
life of Angelo; and she said, "Gentle my liege, O good my lord! Sweet
Isabel, take my part! Lend me your knees, and all my life to come
I will lend you, all my life, to do you service!" The duke said,
"Against all sense you importune her. Should Isabel kneel down to beg
for mercy, her brother's ghost would break his paved bed, and take her
hence in horror." Still Mariana said, "Isabel, sweet Isabel, do but
kneel by me, hold up your hand, say nothing! I will speak all. They
say, best men are moulded out of faults, and for the most part become
much the better for being a little bad. So may my husband. Oh, Isabel,
will you not lend a knee?" The duke then said, "He dies for Claudio."
But much pleased was the good duke, when his own Isabel, from whom he
expected all gracious and honourable acts, kneeled down before him,
and said, "Most bounteous sir, look, if it please you, on this man
condemned, as if my brother lived. I partly think a due sincerity
governed his deeds, till he did look on me. Since it is so, let him
not die! My brother had but justice, in that he did the thing for
which he died."

The duke, as the best reply he could make to this noble petitioner for
her enemy's life, sending for Claudio from his prison-house, where he
lay doubtful of his destiny, presented to her this lamented brother
living; and he said to Isabel, "Give me your hand, Isabel; for your
lovely sake I pardon Claudio. Say you will be mine, and he shall be my
brother too." By this time lord Angelo perceived he was safe; and the
duke observing his eye to brighten up a little, said, "Well, Angelo,
look that you love your wife; her worth has obtained your pardon: joy
to you, Mariana! Love her, Angelo! I have confessed her, and know her
virtue." Angelo remembered, when drest in a little brief authority,
how hard his heart had been, and felt how sweet is mercy.

The duke commanded Claudio to marry Juliet, and offered himself again
to the acceptance of Isabel, whose virtuous and noble conduct had won
her prince's heart. Isabel, not having taken the veil, was free to
marry; and the friendly offices, while hid under the disguise of a
humble friar, which the noble duke had done for her, made her with
grateful joy accept the honour he offered her; and when she became
duchess of Vienna, the