race and honour, it is Lord
Angelo." And now the duke departed from Vienna under pretence of making
a journey into Poland, leaving Angelo to act as the lord deputy in his
absence; but the duke's absence was only a feigned one, for he privately
returned to Vienna, habited like a friar, with the intent to watch
unseen the conduct of the saintly-seeming Angelo.

It happened just about the time that Angelo was invested with his new
dignity, that a gentleman, whose name was Claudio, had seduced a young
lady from her parents; and for this offence, by command of the new lord
deputy, Claudio was taken up and committed to prison, and by virtue of
the old law which had been so long neglected, Angelo sentenced Claudio
to be beheaded. Great interest was made for the pardon of young Claudio,
and the good old Lord Escalus himself interceded for him. "Alas," said
he, "this gentleman whom I would save had an honourable father, for
whose sake I pray you pardon the young man's transgression." But Angelo
replied, "We must not make a scare-crow of the law, setting it up to
frighten birds of prey, till custom, finding it harmless, makes it their
perch, and not their terror. Sir, he must die."

Lucio, the friend of Claudio, visited him in the prison, and Claudio
said to him, "I pray you, Lucio, do me this kind service. Go to my
sister Isabel, who this day proposes to enter the convent of Saint
Clare; acquaint her with the danger of my state; implore her that she
make friends with the strict deputy; bid her go herself to Angelo. I
have great hopes in that; for she can discourse with prosperous art, and
well she can persuade; besides, there is a speechless dialect in
youthful sorrow, such as moves men."

Isabel, the sister of Claudio, had, as he said, that day entered upon
her noviciate in the convent, and it was her intent, after passing
through her probation as a novice, to take the veil, and she was
inquiring of a nun concerning the rules of the convent, when they heard
the voice of Lucio, who, as he entered that religious house, said,
"Peace be in this place!"--"Who is it that speaks?" said Isabel. "It is
a man's voice," replied the nun: "Gentle Isabel, go to him, and learn
his business; you may, I may not. When you have taken the veil, you must
not speak with men but in the presence of the prioress; then if you
speak you must not show your face, or if you show your face, you must
not speak."--"And have you nuns no further privileges?" s