Hearing of her success, the Duke went next day to the prison prepared to learn that an order had arrived for Claudio's release. It had not, however, but a letter was banded to the Provost while he waited. His amazement was great when the Provost read aloud these words, “Whatsoever you may hear to the contrary, let Claudio be executed by four of the clock. Let me have his head sent me by five.” But the Duke said to the Provost, “You must show the Deputy another head,” and he held out a letter and a signet. “Here,” he said, “are the hand and seal of the Duke. He is to return, I tell you, and Angelo knows it not. Give Angelo another head.” The Provost thought, “This friar speaks with power. I know the Duke's signet and I know his hand.” He said at length, “A man died in prison this morning, a pirate of the age of Claudio, with a beard of his color. I will show his head.” The pirate's head was duly shown to Angelo, who was deceived by its resemblance to Claudio's. The Duke's return was so popular that the citizens removed the city gates from their hinges to assist his entry into Vienna. Angelo and Escalus duly presented themselves, and were profusely praised for their conduct of affairs in the Duke's absence. It was, therefore, the more unpleasant for Angelo when Isabella, passionately angered by his treachery, knelt before the Duke, and cried for justice. When her story was told, the Duke cried, “To prison with her for a slanderer of our right hand! But stay, who persuaded you to come here?” “Friar Lodowick,” said she. “Who knows him?” inquired the Duke. “I do, my lord,” replied Lucio. “I beat him because he spake against your Grace.” A friar called Peter here said, “Friar Lodowick is a holy man.” Isabella was removed by an officer, and Mariana came forward. She took off her veil, and said to Angelo, “This is the face you once swore was worth looking on.” Bravely he faced her as she put out her hand and said, “This is the hand which wears the ring you thought to give another.” “I know the woman,” said Angelo. “Once there was talk of marriage between us, but I found her frivolous.” Mariana here burst out that they were affianced by the strongest vows. Angelo replied by asking the Duke to insist on the production of Friar Lodowick. “He shall appear,” promised the Duke, and bade Escalus examine the missing witness thoroughly while he was elsewhere. Presently the Duke re-appeared in the character of Friar Lodowick, and accompanied by Isabella and the Provost. He was not so much examined as abused and threatened by Escalus. Lucio asked him to deny, if he dared, that he called the Duke a fool and a coward, and had had his nose pulled for his impudence. “To prison with him!” shouted Escalus, but as hands were laid upon him, the Duke pulled off his friar's hood, and was a Duke before them all. “Now,” he said to Angelo, “if you have any impudence that can yet serve you, work it for all it's worth.”