aid Isabel.
"Are not these large enough?" replied the nun. "Yes, truly," said
Isabel: "I speak not as desiring more, but rather wishing a more strict
restraint upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint Clare." Again they
heard the voice of Lucio, and the nun said, "He calls again. I pray you
answer him." Isabel then went out to Lucio, and in answer to his
salutation, said, "Peace and Prosperity! Who is it that calls?" Then
Lucio, approaching her with reverence, said, "Hail, virgin, if such you
be, as the roses on your cheeks proclaim you are no less! can you bring
me to the sight of Isabel, a novice of this place, and the fair sister
to her unhappy brother Claudio?"--"Why her unhappy brother?" said
Isabel, "let me ask! for I am that Isabel, and his sister."--"Fair and
gentle lady," he replied, "your brother kindly greets you by me; he is
in prison."--"Woe is me! for what?" said Isabel. Lucio then told her,
Claudio was imprisoned for seducing a young maiden. "Ah," said she, "I
fear it is my cousin Juliet." Juliet and Isabel were not related, but
they called each other cousin in remembrance of their school days'
friendship; and as Isabel knew that Juliet loved Claudio, she feared she
had been led by her affection for him into this transgression. "She it
is," replied Lucio. "Why then, let my brother marry Juliet," said
Isabel. Lucio replied that Claudio would gladly marry Juliet, but that
the lord deputy had sentenced him to die for his offence; "Unless," said
he, "you have the grace by your fair prayer to soften Angelo, and that
is my business between you and your poor brother."--"Alas!" said Isabel,
"what poor ability is there in me to do him good? I doubt I have no
power to move Angelo."--"Our doubts are traitors," said Lucio, "and make
us lose the good we might often win, by fearing to attempt it. Go to
Lord Angelo! When maidens sue, and kneel, and weep, men give like
gods."--"I will see what I can do," said Isabel: "I will but stay to
give the prioress notice of the affair, and then I will go to Angelo.
Commend me to my brother: soon at night I will send him word of my
success."

Isabel hastened to the palace, and threw herself on her knees before
Angelo, saying, "I am a woful suitor to your honour, if it will please
your honour to hear me."--"Well, what is your suit?" said Angelo. She
then made her petition in the most moving terms for her brother's life.
But Angelo said, "Maiden, there is no remedy; your brother i