Laid hands on Caponsacchi, found in fault,
A priest yet flagrantly accoutred thus,—
Then, to make good Count Guido’s further charge,
Proceeded, prisoner made lead the way,
In a crowd, upstairs to the chamber-door
Where wax-white, dead asleep, deep beyond dream,
As the priest laid her, lay Pompilia yet.
How I see Guido taking heart again!
He knew his wife so well and the way of her—
How at the outbreak she would shroud her shame
In hell’s heart, would it mercifully yawn—
How, failing that, her forehead to his foot,
She would crouch silent till the great doom fell,
Leave him triumphant with the crowd to see!
Guilt motionless or writhing like a worm?
No! Second misadventure, this worm turned,
I told you: would have slain him on the spot (1290)
With his own weapon, but they seized her hands:
Leaving her tongue free, as it tolled the knell
Of Guido’s hope so lively late. The past
Took quite another shape now. She who shrieked
“At least and for ever I am mine and God’s,
“Thanks to his liberating angel Death—
“Never again degraded to be yours
“The ignoble noble, the unmanly man,
“The beast below the beast in brutishness!”—
This was the froward child, “the restif lamb (1300)
“Used to be cherished in his breast,” he groaned—
“Eat from his hand and drink from out his cup,
“The while his fingers pushed their loving way
“Through curl on curl of that soft coat—alas,
“And she all silverly baaed gratitude
“While meditating mischief!”—and so forth.
He must invent another story now!
The ins and outs of the room were searched: he found
Or showed for found the abominable prize—
Love-letters from his wife who cannot write, (1310)
Love-letters in reply o’ the priest—thank God!—
Who can write and confront his character
With this, and prove the false thing forged throughout:
Spitting whereat he needs must spatter who
But Guido’s self?—that forged and falsified
One letter called Pompilia’s, past dispute:
Then why not these to make sure still more sure?
Guido preferred his charges in due form,
Called on the law to adjudicate, consigned (1320)
The accused ones to the Prefect of the place.
(Oh mouse-birth of that mountain-like revenge!)
And so to his own place betook himself
After the spring that failed,—the wildcat’s way.
The captured parties were conveyed to Rome;
Investigation followed here i’ the court—
Soon to review the fruit of its own work,
From then to now being eight months and no more.
Guido kept out of sight and safe at home:
The Abate, brother Paolo, helped most (1330)
At words when deeds were out of question, pushed
Nearest the purple, best played deputy,
So, pleaded, Guido’s representative
At the court shall soon try Guido’s self,—what’s more,
The court that also took—I told you, Sir—
That statement of the couple, how a cheat
Had been i’ the birth of the babe, no child of theirs.
That was the prelude; this, the play’s first act:
Whereof we wait what comes, crown, close of all.
On the parties thus accused,—how otherwise?
Shade, but with shine as unmistakable.
Each had a prompt defence: Pompilia first—
“Earth was made hell to me who did no harm:
“I only could emerge one way from hell
“By catching at the one hand held me, so
“I caught at it and thereby stepped to heaven:
“If that be wrong, do with me what you will!”
Then Caponsacchi with a grave grand sweep
O’ the arm as though his soul warned baseness off— (1350)
“If as a man, then much more as a priest
“I hold me bound to help weak innocence:
“If so my worldly reputation burst,
“Being the bubble it is, why, burst it may:
“Blame I can bear though not blameworthiness.
“But use your sense first, see if the miscreant here
“The man who tortured thus the woman, thus
“Have not both laid the trap and fixed the lure
“Over the pit should bury body and soul!
“His facts are lies: his letters are the fact— (1360)
“An infiltration flavoured with himself!
“As for the fancies—whether…what is it you say?
“The lady loves me, whether I love her
“In the forbidden sense of your surmise,—
“If, with the midday blaze of truth above,
“The unlidded eye of God awake, aware,
“You needs must pry about and track the course
“Of each stray beam of light may traverse earth,
“To the night’s sun and Lucifer himself,
“Do so, at other time, in other place, (1370)
“Not now nor here! Enough that first to last
“I never touched her lip nor she my hand
“Nor either of us thought a thought, much less
“Spoke a word which the Virgin might not hear.
“Be that your question, thus I answer it.”
“It is a thorny question, and a tale
“Hard to believe, but not impossible:
“Who can be absolute for either side?
“A middle course is happily open yet. (1380)
“Here has a blot surprised the social blank,—
“Whether through favour, feebleness, or fault,
“No matter, leprosy
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