“Never in all the time their child at all.
“Do you understand? I cannot: yet so it is.
“Just so I say of you that proffer help:
“I cannot understand what prompts your soul,
“I simply needs must see that it is so, (790)
“Only one strange and wonderful thing more.
“They came here with me, those two dear ones, kept
“All the old love up, till my husband, till
“His people here so tortured them, they fled.
“And now, is it because I grow in flesh
“And spirit one with him their torturer,
“That they, renouncing him, must cast off me?
“If I were graced by God to have a child,
“Could I one day deny God graced me so?
“Then, since my husband hates me, I shall break (800)
“No law that reigns in this fell house of hate,
“By using—letting have effect so much
“Of hate as hides me from that whole of hate
“Would take my life which I want and must have—
“Just as I take from your excess of love
“Enough to save my life with, all I need.
“The Archbishop said to murder me were sin:
“My leaving Guido were a kind of death
“With no sin,—more death, he must answer for.
“Hear now what death to him and life to you (810)
“I wish to pay and owe. Take me to Rome!
“You go to Rome, the servant makes me hear.
“Take me as you would take a dog, I think,
“Masterless left for strangers to maltreat:
“Take me home like that—leave me in the house
“Where the father and the mother are; and soon
“They’ll come to know and call me by my name,
“Their child once more, since child I am, for all
“They now forget me, which is the worst o’ the dream—
“And the way to end dreams is to break them, stand, (820)
“Walk, go: then help me to stand, walk and go!
“The Governor said the strong should help the weak:
“You know how weak the strongest women are.
“How could I find my way there by myself?
“I cannot even call out, make them hear—
“Just as in dreams: I have tried and proved the fact.
“I have told this story and more to good great men,
“The Archbishop and the Governor: they smiled.
“ ‘Stop your mouth, fair one!’—presently they frowned,
“ ‘Get you gone, disengage you from our feet!’ (830)
“I went in my despair to an old priest,
“Only a friar, no great man like these two,
“But good, the Augustinian, people name
“Romano,—he confessed me two months since:
“He fears God, why then needs he fear the world?
“And when he questioned how it came about
“That I was found in danger of a sin—
“Despair of any help from providence,—
“ ‘Since, though your husband outrage you,’ said he,
“ ‘That is a case too common, the wives die (840)
“ ‘Or live, but do not sin so deep as this’—
“Then I told—what I never will tell you—
“How, worse than husband’s hate, I had to bear
“The love,—soliciting to shame called love,—
“Of his brother,—the young idle priest i’ the house
“With only the devil to meet there. ‘This is grave—
“ ‘Yes we must interfere: I counsel,—write
“ ‘To those who used to be your parents once,
“ ‘Of dangers here, bid them convey you hence!’
“ ‘But,’ said I, ‘when I neither read nor write?’ (850)
“Then he took pity and promised ‘I will write.’
“If he did so,—why, they are dumb or dead:
“Either they give no credit to the tale,
“Or else, wrapped wholly up in their own joy
“Of such escape, they care not who cries, still
“I’ the clutches. Anyhow, no word arrives.
“All such extravagance and dreadfulness
“Seems incident to dreaming, cured one way,—
“Wake me! The letter I received this morn,
“Said—if the woman spoke your very sense— (860)
“ ‘You would die for me:’ I can believe it now:
“For now the dream gets to involve yourself.
“First of all, you seemed wicked and not good,
“In writing me those letters: you came in
“Like a thief upon me. I this morning said
“In my extremity, entreat the thief!
“Try if he have in him no honest touch!
“A thief might save me from a murderer.
“’Twas a thief said the last kind word to Christ:
“Christ took the kindness and forgave the theft: (870)
“And so did I prepare what I now say.
“But now, that you stand and I see your face,
“Though you have never uttered word yet,—well, I know,
“Here too has been dream- work, delusion too,
“And that at no time, you with the eyes here,
“Ever intended to do wrong by me,
“Nor wrote such letters therefore. It is false,
“And you are true, have been true, will be true.
“To Rome then,—when is it you take me there?
“Each minute lost is mortal. When?—I ask.” (880)
“I will go hence and do your pleasure, find
“The sure and speedy means of travel, then
“Come back and take you to your friends in Rome.
“There wants a carriage, money and the rest,—
“A day’s work by to-morrow at this time.
“How shall I see you and assure escape?”
“If I am at the open window, well:
“If I am absent, drop a handkerchief (890)
“And walk by! I shall see from where I watch,
“And know that all is done. Return next eve,
“And next, and so till we can meet and speak!”
“To-morrow at this hour I pass,” said I.
She was withdrawn.
I bid you pause at. When I told thus far,
Someone said, subtly, “Here at least was found
“Your confidence in error,—you perceived
“The spirit of the letters, in a sort, (900)
“Had been the
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