d mark how heavily this befell to the poor
gentlewoman! for, beside the loss of a most noble and renowned brother,
who in his love towards her was ever most kind and natural, in the
wreck of her fortune she lost the affections of her husband, the
well-seeming Angelo; who pretending to discover some dishonour in this
honourable lady (though the true cause was the loss of her dowry) left
her in tears, and dried not one of them with his comfort. His unjust
unkindness, that in all reason should have quenched her love, has, like
an impediment in the current, made it more unruly, and Mariana loves
her cruel husband with the full continuance of her first affection.'
The duke then more plainly unfolded his plan. It was, that Isabel
should go to lord Angelo, and seemingly consent to come to him as he
desired at midnight; that by this means she would obtain the promised
pardon; and that Mariana should go in her stead to the appointment, and
pass herself upon Angelo in the dark for Isabel. 'Nor, gentle
daughter,' said the feigned friar, 'fear you to do this thing; Angelo
is her husband, and to bring them thus together is no sin.' Isabel
being pleased with this project, departed to do as he directed her; and
he went to apprise Mariana of their intention. He had before this time
visited this unhappy lady in his assumed character, giving her
religious instruction and friendly consolation, at which times he had
learned her sad story from her own lips; and now she, looking upon him
as a holy man, readily consented to be directed by him in this
undertaking.

When Isabel returned from her interview with Angelo, to the house of
Mariana, where the duke had appointed her to meet him, he said: 'Well
met, and in good time; what is the news from this good deputy?' Isabel
related the manner in which she had settled the affair. 'Angelo,' said
she, 'has a garden surrounded with a brick wall, on the western side of
which is a vineyard, and to that vineyard is a gate.' And then she
showed to the duke and Mariana two keys that Angelo had given her; and
she said: 'This bigger key opens the vineyard gate; this other a little
door which leads from the vineyard to the garden. There I have made my
promise at the dead of the night to call upon him, and have got from
him his word of assurance for my brother's life. I have taken a due and
wary note of the place; and with whispering and most guilty diligence
he showed me the way twice over.' 'Are there no ot