end 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 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?' said 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