evented the death of her brother for not yet
would he tell her that Claudio was living; meaning first to make a
further trial of her goodness. Angelo now knew the duke had been a
secret witness of his bad deeds, and he said: 'O my dread lord, I
should be guiltier than my guiltiness, to think I can be undiscernible,
when I perceive your grace, like power divine, has looked upon my
actions. Then, good prince, no longer prolong my shame, but let my
trial be my own confession. Immediate sentence and death is all the
grace I beg.' The duke replied: 'Angelo, thy faults are manifest. We do
condemn thee to the very block where Claudio stooped to death; and with
like haste away with him; and for his possessions, Mariana, we do
instate and widow you withal, to buy a better husband.' 'O my dear
lord,' said Mariana, '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 bother
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 lor