“O faithless coward! O dishonest wretch!” said Isabel. “Would you preserve your life by your sister’s shame? Oh, fie, fie, fie! I thought, my brother, you had in you such a mind of honor 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 dishonor.” “Nay, hear me, Isabel!” said Claudio. But what he would have said in defense of his weakness in desiring to live by the dishonor 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 honor in her, has given him that gracious denial which he is most ill 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 alone with Isabel, commended her virtuous resolution, saying, “The hand that made you fair has made you good.” “Oh,” said Isabel, “how much is the good duke deceived in Angelo! If ever he return, and I can speak to him, I will discover his government.” Isabel knew not that she was even now making the discovery she threatened. The duke replied: “That shall not be much amiss; yet as the matter now stands, Angelo will repel your accusation; therefore lend an attentive ear to my advisings. I believe that you may most righteously do a poor wronged lady a merited benefit, redeem your brother from the angry law, do no stain to your own most gracious person, and much please the absent duke, if peradventure he shall ever return to have notice of this business.” Isabel said she had a spirit to do anything he desired, provided it was nothing wrong. “Virtue is bold and never fearful,” said the duke: and then he asked her, if she had ever heard of Mariana, the sister of Frederick, the great soldier who was drowned at sea. “I have heard of the lady,” said Isabel, “and good words went with her name.”