lied his sister; "and I quake, lest you should wish to
live, and more respect the trifling term of six or seven winters added
to your life, than your perpetual honour! Do you dare to die? The sense
of death is most in apprehension, and the poor beetle that we tread
upon, feels a pang as great as when a giant dies." "Why do you give me
this shame?" said Claudio. "Think you I can fetch a resolution from
flowery tenderness? If I must die, I will encounter darkness as a bride,
and hug it in my arms."--"There spoke my brother," said Isabel; "there
my father's grave did utter forth a voice. Yes, you must die; yet would
you think it, Claudio! this outward sainted deputy, if I would yield to
him my virgin honour, would grant your life. O, were it but my life, I
would lay it down for your deliverance as frankly as a pin!"--"Thanks,
dear Isabel," said Claudio. "Be ready to die to-morrow," said Isabel.
"Death is a fearful thing," said Claudio. "And shamed life a hateful,"
replied his sister. But the thoughts of death now overcame the constancy
of Claudio's temper, and terrors, such as the guilty only at their
deaths do know, assailing him, he cried out, "Sweet sister, let me live!
The sin you do to save a brother's life, nature dispenses with the deed
so far, that it becomes a virtue."--"O faithless coward! O dishonest
wretch!" said Isabel; "would you preserve your life by your sister's
shame? O fie, fie, fie! I thought, my brother, you had in you such a
mind of honour, that had you twenty heads to render up on twenty blocks,
you would have yielded them up all, before your sister should stoop to
such dishonour." "Nay, hear me, Isabel!" said Claudio. But what he would
have said in defence of his weakness, in desiring to live by the
dishonour of his virtuous sister, was interrupted by the entrance of the
duke; who said, "Claudio, I have overheard what has passed between you
and your sister. Angelo had never the purpose to corrupt her; what he
said, has only been to make trial of her virtue. She having the truth of
honour in her, has given him that gracious denial which he is most glad
to receive. There is no hope that he will pardon you; therefore pass
your hours in prayer, and make ready for death." Then Claudio repented
of his weakness, and said, "Let me ask my sister's pardon! I am so out
of love with life, that I will sue to be rid of it." And Claudio
retired, overwhelmed with shame and sorrow for his fault.

The duke being now a