was I found but on a strange bed (1150)
“In a strange room like hell, roaring with noise,
“Ruddy with flame, and filled with men, in front
“Whom but the man you call my husband, ay—
“Count Guido once more between heaven and me,
“For there my heaven stood, my salvation, yes—
“That Caponsacchi all my heaven of help,
“Helpless himself, held prisoner in the hands
“Of men who looked up in my husband’s face
“To take the fate thence he should signify,
“Just as the way was at Arezzo: then, (1160)
“Not for my sake but his who had helped me—
“I sprang up, reached him with one bound, and seized
“The sword o’ the felon, trembling at his side,
“Fit creature of a coward, unsheathed the thing
“And would have pinned him through the poison-bag
“To the wall and left him there to palpitate,
“As you serve scorpions, but men interposed—
“Disarmed me, gave his life to him again
“That he might take mine and the other lives,
“And he has done so. I submit myself!” (1170)
The priest says—oh, and in the main result
The facts asseverate, he truly says,
As to the very act and deed of him,
However you mistrust the mind o’ the man—
The flight was just for flight’s sake, no pretext
For aught except to set Pompilia free:
He says “I cite the husband’s self’s worst charge
“In proof of my best word for both of us.
“Be it conceded that so many times
“We took our pleasure in his palace: then, (1180)
“What need to fly at all?—or flying no less,
“What need to outrage the lips sick and white
“Of a woman, and bring ruin down beside,
“By halting when Rome lay one stage beyond?”
So does he vindicate Pompilia’s fame,
Confirm her story in all points but one—
This; that, so fleeing and so breathing forth
Her last strength in the prayer to halt awhile,
She makes confusion of the reddening white
Which was the sunset when her strength gave way, (1190)
And the next sunrise and its whitening red
Which she revived in when her husband came:
She mixes both times, morn and eve, in one,
Having lived through a blank of night ’twixt each
Though dead-asleep, unaware as a corpse,
She on the bed above; her friend below
Watched in the doorway of the inn the while,
Stood i’ the red o’ the morn, that she mistakes,
In act to rouse and quicken the tardy crew
And hurry out the horses, have the stage (1200)
Over, the last league, reach Rome and be safe:
When up came Guido.

Guido’s tale begins—
How he and his whole household, drunk to death
By some enchanted potion, poppied drugs
Plied by the wife, lay powerless in gross sleep
And left the spoilers unimpeded way,
Could not shake off their poison and pursue,
Till noontide, then made shift to get on horse
And did pursue: which means, he took his time, (1210)
Pressed on no more than lingered after, step
By step, just making sure o’ the fugitives,
Till at the nick of time, he saw his chance,
Seized it, came up with and surprised the pair.
How he must needs have gnawn lip and gnashed teeth,
Taking successively at tower and town,
Village and roadside, still the same report,
“Yes, such a pair arrived an hour ago,
“Sat in the carriage just where your horse stands,
“While we got horses ready,—turned deaf ear (1220)
“To all entreaty they would even alight;
“Counted the minutes and resumed their course.”
Would they indeed escape, arrive at Rome,
Leave no least loop to let damnation through,
And foil him of his captured infamy,
Prize of guilt proved and perfect? So it seemed:
Till, oh the happy chance, at last stage, Rome
But two short hours off, Castelnuovo reached,
The guardian angel gave reluctant place,
Satan stepped forward with alacrity, (1230)
Pompilia’s flesh and blood succumbed, perforce
A halt was, and her husband had his will,
Perdue he couched, counted out hour by hour
Till he should spy in the east a signal-streak—
Night had been, morrow was, triumph would be.
Do you see the plan deliciously complete?
The rush upon the unsuspecting sleep,
The easy execution, the outcry
Over the deed, “Take notice all the world!
“These two dead bodies, locked still in embrace,— (1240)
“The man is Caponsacchi and a priest,
“The woman is my wife: they fled me late,
“Thus have I found and you behold them thus,
“And may judge me: do you approve or no?”

Success did seem not so improbable,
But that already Satan’s laugh was heard,
His back turned on Guido—left i’ the lurch,
Or rather, baulked of suit and service now,
That he improve on both by one deed more,
Burn up the better at no distant day, (1250)
Body and soul one holocaust to hell.
Anyhow, of this natural consequence
Did just the last link of the long chain snap:
For his eruption was o’ the priest, alive
And alert, calm, resolute, and formidable,
Not the least look of fear in that broad brow—
One not to be disposed of by surprise,
And armed moreover—who had guessed as much?
Yes, there stood he in secular costume
Complete from head to heel, with sword at side, (1260)
He seemed to know the trick of perfectly.
There was no prompt suppression of the man
As he said calmly, “I have saved your wife
“From death; there was no other way but this;
“Of what do I defraud you except death?
“Charge any wrong beyond, I answer it.”
Guido, the valorous, had met his match,
Was forced to demand help instead of fight,
Bid the authorities o’ the place lend aid
And make the best of a broken matter so. (1270)
They soon obeyed the summons—I suppose,
Apprized and

  By PanEris using Melati.

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