“I take her home because her head is hurt;
“Comfort her as you women understand!”
So, there I left them by the garden-wall,
Paced the road, then bade put the horses to,
Came back, and there she sat: close to her knee,
A black-eyed child still held the bowl of milk, (1330)
Wondered to see how little she could drink,
And in her arms the woman’s infant lay.
She smiled at me “How much good this has done!
“This is a whole night’s rest and how much more!
“I can proceed now, though I wish to stay.
“How do you call that tree with the thick top
“That holds in all its leafy green and gold
“The sun now like an immense egg of fire?”
(It was a million-leaved mimosa.) “Take
“The babe away from me and let me go!” (1340)
And in the carriage, “Still a day, my friend;
“And perhaps half a night, the woman fears.
“I pray it finish since it cannot last.
“There may be more misfortune at the close,
“And where will you be? God suffice me then!”
And presently—for there was a roadside-shrine—
“When I was taken first to my own church
“Lorenzo in Lucina, being a girl,
“And bid confess my faults, I interposed,
“ ‘But teach me what fault to confess and know!’ (1350)
“So, the priest said—‘You should bethink yourself:
“ ‘Each human being needs must have done wrong!’
“Now, be you candid and no priest but friend—
“Were I surprised and killed here on the spot,
“A runaway from husband and his home,
“Do you account it were in sin I died?
“My husband used to seem to harm me, not …
“Not on pretence he punished sin of mine,
“Nor for sin’s sake and lust of cruelty,
“But as I heard him bid a farming-man (1360)
“At the villa take a lamb once to the wood
“And there ill-treat it, meaning that the wolf
“Should hear its cries, and so come, quick be caught,
“Enticed to the trap: he practised thus with me
“That so, whatever were his gain thereby,
“Others that I might become prey and spoil.
“Had it been only between our two selves,—
“His pleasure and my pain,—why, pleasure him
“By dying, nor such need to make a coil!
“But this was worth an effort, that my pain (1370)
“Should not become a snare, prove pain threefold
“To other people—strangers—or unborn—
“How should I know? I sought release from that—
“I think, or else from,—dare I say, some cause
“Such as is put into a tree, which turns
“Away from the northwind with what nest it holds,—
“The woman said that trees so turn: now, friend,
“Tell me, because I cannot trust myself!
“You are a man: what have I done amiss?”
You must conceive my answer,—I forget— (1380)
Taken up wholly with the thought, perhaps,
This time she might have said,—might, did not say—
“You are a priest.” She said, “my friend.”
We passed the places, somehow the calm went,
Again the restless eyes began to rove
In new fear of the foe mine could not see:
She wandered in her mind,—addressed me once
“Gaetano!”—that is not my name: whose name?
I grew alarmed, my head seemed turning too: (1390)
I quickened pace with promise now, now threat:
Bade drive and drive, nor any stopping more.
“Too deep i’ the thick of the struggle, struggle through!
“Then drench her in repose though death’s self pour
“The plenitude of quiet,—help us, God,
“Whom the winds carry!”
The old tower, and the little white-walled clump
Of buildings and the cypress-tree or two,—
“Already Castelnuovo—Rome!” I cried, (1400)
“As good as Rome,—Rome is the next stage, think!
“This is where travellers’ hearts are wont to beat.
“Say you are saved, sweet lady!” Up she woke.
The sky was fierce with colour from the sun
Setting. She screamed out “No, I must not die!
“Take me no farther, I should die: stay here!
“I have more life to save than mine!”
We seemed safe: what was it foreboded so?
Out of the coach into the inn I bore (1410)
The motionless and breathless pure and pale
Pompilia,—bore her through a pitying group
And laid her on a couch, still calm and cured
By deep sleep of all woes at once. The host
Was urgent “Let her stay an hour or two!
“Leave her to us, all will be right by morn!”
Oh, my foreboding! But I could not choose.
I listened,—not one movement, not one sigh.
“Fear not: she sleeps so sound!” they said—but I (1420)
Feared, all the same, kept fearing more and more,
Found myself throb with fear from head to foot,
Filled with a sense of such impending woe,
That, at first pause of night, pretence of grey,
I made my mind up it was morn.—“Reach Rome,
“Lest hell reach her! A dozen miles to make,
“Another long breath, and we emerge!” I stood
I’ the court-yard, roused the sleepy grooms.
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