Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Adaptations; Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Stories, plots, etc. -- Juvenile literature
In the guilty conflict in his mind Angelo suffered more that night than
the prisoner he had so severely sentenced; for in the prison Claudio was
visited by the good duke, who, in his friar's habit, taught the young
man the way to heaven, preaching to him the words of penitence and
peace. But Angelo felt all the pangs of irresolute guilt: now wishing to
seduce Isabel from the paths of innocence and honour, and now suffering
remorse and horror for a crime as yet but intentional. But in the end
his evil thoughts prevailed; and he who had so lately started at the
offer of a bribe, resolved to tempt this maiden with so high a bribe, as
she might not be able to resist, even with the precious gift of her dear
brother's life.
When Isabel came in the morning, Angelo desired she might be admitted
alone to his presence: and being there, he said to her, if she would
yield to him her virgin honour and transgress even as Juliet had done
with Claudio, he would give her her brother's life; "For," said he, "I
love you, Isabel."--"My brother," said Isabel, "did so love Juliet, and
yet you tell me he shall die for it."--"But," said Angelo, "Claudio
shall not die, if you will consent to visit me by stealth at night, even
as Juliet left her father's house at night to come to Claudio." Isabel,
in amazement at his words, that he should tempt her to the same fault
for which he passed sentence upon her brother, said, "I would do as much
for my poor brother as for myself; that is, were I under sentence of
death, the impression of keen whips I would wear as rubies, and go to my
death as to a bed that longing I had been sick for, ere I would yield
myself up to this shame." And then she told him, she hoped he only spoke
these words to try her virtue. But he said, "Believe me, on my honour,
my words express my purpose." Isabel, angered to the heart to hear him
use the word Honour to express such dishonourable purposes, said, "Ha!
little honour to be much believed; and most pernicious purpose. I will
proclaim thee, Angelo, look for it! Sign me a present pardon for my
brother, or I will tell the world aloud what man thou art!"--"Who will
believe you, Isabel?" said Angelo; "my unsoiled name, the austereness of
my life, my word vouched against yours, will outweigh your accusation.
Redeem your brother by yielding to my will, or he shall die to-morrow.
As for you, say what you can, my false will overweigh your true story.
Answer me to-morrow."
"To whom should I complain? Did I tell this, who would believe me?" said
Isabel, as she went towards the dreary prison where her brother was
confined. When she arrived there, her brother was in pious conversation
with the duke, who in his friar's habit had also visited Juliet, and
brought both these guilty lovers to a proper sense of their fault; and
unhappy Juliet with tears and a true remorse confessed that she was more
to blame than Claudio, in that she willingly consented to his
dishonourable solicitations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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