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.
Command 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 woeful 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 is
sentenced, and he must die.' 'O just, but severe law,' said Isabel: 'I
had a brother then-- Heaven keep your honour!' and she was about to
depart. But Lucio, who had accompanied her, said: 'Give it not over so;
return to him again, entreat him, kneel down before him, hang upon his
gown. You are too cold; if you should need a pin, you could not with a
more tame tongue desire it.' Then again Isabel on her knees implored
for mercy. 'He is sentenced,' said Angelo: 'it is too late.' 'Too
later' said Isabel: 'Why, no: I that do speak a word may call it back
again. Believe this, my lord, no ceremony that to great ones belongs,
not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword, the marshal's truncheon,
nor the judge's robe, becomes them with one half so good a grace as
mercy does.' 'Pray you begone,' said Angelo. But still Isabel
entreated, and she said: 'If my brother had been as you, and you as he,
you might have slipped like him, but he, like you, would not have been
so stern. I would to heaven I had your power, and you were Isabel.
Should it then be thus? No. I would tell you what it were to be a
judge, and what a prisoner.' 'Be content, fair maid!' said Angelo: 'it
is the law, not I, condemns your brother. We