Lucio, the friend of Claudio, visited him in the prison, and Claudio said to him: “I pray you, Lucio, do me this kind service. Go to my sister Isabel, who this day proposes to enter the convent of Saint Clare; acquaint her with the danger of my state; implore her that she make friends with the strict deputy; bid her go herself to Angelo. I have great hopes in that; for she can discourse with prosperous art, and well she can persuade; besides, there is a speechless dialect in youthful sorrow, such as moves men.”
Isabel, the sister of Claudio, had, as he said, that day entered her noviciate in the convent, and it was her intent, after passing through her probation as a novice, to take the veil, and she was inquiring of a nun concerning the rules of the convent, when they heard the voice of Lucio, who, as he entered that religious house, said: “Peace be in this place!”—”Who is it that speaks?” said Isabel. “It is a man’s voice,” replied the nun: “Gentle Isabel, go to him, and learn his business; you may, I may not. When you have taken the veil, you must not speak with men but in the presence of the prioress; then if you speak you must not show your face, or if you show your face, you must not speak.”—”And have you nuns no further privileges?” said Isabel. “Are not these large enough?” replied the nun. “Yes, truly,” said Isabel: “I speak not as desiring more, but rather wishing a more strict restraint upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint Clare.” Again they heard the voice of Lucio, and the nun said: “He calls again. I pray you answer him.” Isabel then went out to Lucio, and in answer to his salutation, said: “Peace and Prosperity! Who is it that calls?” Then Lucio, approaching her with reverence, said: “Hail, virgin, if such you be, as the roses on your cheeks proclaim you are no less! can you bring me to the sight of Isabel, a novice of this place, and the fair sister to her unhappy brother Claudio?”—”Why her unhappy brother?” said Isabel, “let me ask! for I am that Isabel, and his sister.”—”Fair and gentle lady,” he replied, “your brother kindly greets you by me; he is in prison.”—”Woe is me! for what?” said Isabel. Lucio then told her, Claudio was imprisoned for seducing a young maiden. “Ah,” said she, “I fear it is my cousin Juliet.” Juliet and Isabel were not related, but they called each other cousin in remembrance of their school days’ friendship; and as Isabel knew that Juliet loved Claudio, she feared she had been led by her affection for him into this transgression. “She it is,”replied Lucio. “Why then, let my brother marry Juliet,” said Isabel. Lucio replied that Claudio would gladly marry Juliet, but that the lord deputy had sentenced him to die for his offence; “Unless,” said he, “you have the grace by your fair prayer to soften Angelo, and that is my business between you and your poor brother.”—”Alas!” said Isabel, ‘what poor ability is there in me to do him good? I doubt I have no power to move Angelo.”—”Our doubts are traitors,” said Lucio, “and make us lose the good we might often win, by fearing to attempt it. Go to lord Angelo! When maidens sue, and kneel, and weep, men give like gods.”—”I will see what I can do,”said Isabel: “I will but stay to give the prioress notice of the affair, and then I will go to Angelo. Commend me to my brother: soon at night I will send him word of my success.”