Gather his wits up, groaningly give thanks (920)
When neighbours crowded round him to condole.
“Ah,” quoth a gossip, “well I mind me now,
“The Count did always say he thought he felt
“He feared as if this very chance might fall!
“And when a man of fifty finds his corns
“Ache and his joints throb, and foresees a storm,
“Though neighbours laugh and say the sky is clear,
“Let us henceforth believe him weatherwise!”
Then was the story told, I’ll cut you short:
All neighbours knew: no mystery in the world, (930)
The lovers left at nightfall—over night
Had Caponsacchi come to carry off
Pompilia,—not alone, a friend of his,
One Guillichini, the more conversant
With Guido’s housekeeping that he was just
A cousin of Guido’s and might play a prank—
(Have you not too a cousin that’s a wag?)
—Lord and a Canon also,—what would you have?
Such are the red-clothed milk-swollen poppy-heads
That stand and stiffen ’mid the wheat o’ the Church!— (940)
This worthy came to aid, abet his best.
And so the house was ransacked, booty bagged,
The lady led downstairs and out of doors
Guided and guarded till, the city passed,
A carriage lay convenient at the gate
Good-bye to the friendly Canon; the loving one
Could peradventure do the rest himself.
In jumps Pompilia, after her the priest,
“Whip, driver!—Money makes the mare to go,
“And we’ve a bagful. Take the Roman road!” (950)
So said the neighbours. This was eight hours since.
Shook off the relics of his poison-drench,
Got horse, was fairly started in pursuit
With never a friend to follow, found the track
Fast enough, ’twas the straight Perugia way,
Trod soon upon their very heels, too late
By a minute only at Camoscia, at
Chiusi, Foligno, ever the fugitives
Just ahead, just out as he galloped in, (960)
Getting the good news ever fresh and fresh,
Till, lo, at the last stage of all, last post
Before Rome,—as we say, in sight of Rome
And safety (there’s impunity at Rome
For priests, you know) at—what’s the little place?
What some call Castelnuovo, some just call
The Osteria, because o’ the post-house inn,
There, at the journey’s all but end, it seems,
Triumph deceived them and undid them both,
Secure they might foretaste felicity (970)
Nor fear surprisal: so, they were surprised.
There did they halt at early evening, there
Did Guido overtake them: ’twas day-break;
He came in time enough, not time too much,
Since in the courtyard stood the Canon’s self
Urging the drowsy stable grooms to haste
Harness the horses, have the journey end,
The trifling four-hour’s-running, so reach Rome.
And the other runaway, the wife? Upstairs,
Still on the couch where she had spent the night, (980)
One couch in one room, and one room for both.
So gained they six hours, so were lost thereby.
Fall on their knees? No impudence serves here?
They beat their breasts and beg for easy death,
Confess this, that, and the other?—anyhow
Confess there wanted not some likelihood
To the supposition as preposterous,
That, O Pompilia, thy sequestered eyes
Had noticed, straying o’er the prayer-book’s edge, (990)
More of the Canon than that black his coat,
Buckled his shoes were, broad his hat of brim:
And that, O Canon, thy religious care
Had breathed too soft a benedicite
To banish trouble from a lady’s breast
So lonely and so lovely, nor so lean!
This you expect? Indeed, then, much you err.
Not to such ordinary end as this
Had Caponsacchi flung the cassock far,
Doffed the priest, donned the perfect cavalier; (1000)
The die was cast: over shoes over boots:
And just as she, I presently shall show,
Pompilia, soon looked Helen to the life,
Recumbent upstairs in her pink and white,
So, in the inn-yard, bold as ’twere Troy-town,
There strutted Paris in correct costume,
Cloak, cap and feather, no appointment missed,
Even to a wicked-looking sword at side,
He seemed to find and feel familiar at.
Nor wanted words as ready and as big (1010)
As the part he played, the bold abashless one.
“I interposed to save your wife from death,
“Yourself from shame, the true and only shame:
“Ask your own conscience else!—or, failing that,
“What I have done I answer, anywhere,
“Here, if you will; you see I have a sword:
“Or, since I have a tonsure as you taunt,
“At Rome, by all means,—priests to try a priest.
“Only, speak where your wife’s voice can reply!”
And then he fingered at the sword again. (1020)
So, Guido called, in aid and witness both,
The Public Force. The Commissary came,
Officers also; they secured the priest;
Then, for his more confusion, mounted up
With him, a guard on either side, the stair
To the bed-room where still slept or feigned a sleep
His paramour and Guido’s wife: in burst
The company and bade her wake and rise.
I’ the midst and stood as terrible as truth, (1030)
Sprang to her husband’s side, caught at the sword
That hung there useless, since they held each hand
O’ the lover, had disarmed him properly.
And in a moment out flew the bright thing
Full in the face of Guido,—but for help
O’ the guards who held her back and pinioned her
With pains enough, she had finished you
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