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 brother
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 Lord Angelo perceived he was safe; and the
duke, observing his eye to brighten up a little, said, "Well, Angelo,
look that you love your wife; her worth has obtained your pardon: joy to
you, Mariana! Love her, Angelo! I have confessed her, and know her
virtue." Angelo remembered, when dressed in a little brief authority,
how hard his heart had been, and felt how sweet is mercy.

The duke commanded Claudio to marry Juliet, and offered himself again to
the acceptance of Isabel, whose virtuous and noble conduct had won her
prince's heart. Isabel, not having taken the veil, was free to marry;
and the friendly offices, while hid under the disguise of a humble
friar, which the noble duke had done for her, made her with grateful joy
accept the honour he offered her; and when she became Duchess of Vienna,
the excellent example of the virtuous Isabel worked such a complete
reformation among the young ladies of that city, that from that time
none ever fell into the transgression of Juliet, the repentant wife of
the reformed Claudio. And the mercy-loving duke long reigned with his
beloved Isabel, the happiest of husbands and of princes.

[Illustration]

TWELFTH NIGHT OR WHAT YOU WILL

Sebas