Robert Browning - Delphi Poets Series

by Robert Browning

  “Is possible Pope; I wager on his head,

  “Since those four entertainments of his niece

  “Which set all Rome a-stare: Pope probably —

  “Though Colloredo has his backers too,

  “And San Cesario makes one doubt at times:

  “Altieri will be Chamberlain at most.

  “A week ago the sun was warm like May,

  “And the old man took daily exercise

  “Along the river-side; he loves to see

  “That Custom-house he built upon the bank,

  “For, Naples-born, his tastes are maritime:

  “But yesterday he had to keep in-doors

  “Because of the outrageous rain that fell.

  “On such days the good soul has fainting-fits,

  “Or lies in stupor, scarcely makes believe

  “Of minding business, fumbles at his beads.

  “They say, the trust that keeps his heart alive

  “Is that, by lasting till December next,

  “He may hold Jubilee a second time,

  “And, twice in one reign, ope the Holy Doors.

  “By the way, somebody responsible

  “Assures me that the King of France has writ

  “Fresh orders: Fenelon will be condemned:

  “The Cardinal makes a wry face enough,

  “Having a love for the delinquent: still,

  “He’s the ambassador, must press the point.

  “Have you a wager too dependent here?

  “Now, from such matters to divert awhile,

  “Hear of to-day’s event which crowns the week,

  “Casts all the other wagers into shade.

  “Tell Dandolo I owe him fifty drops

  “Of heart’s blood in the shape of gold zecchines!

  “The Pope has done his worst: I have to pay

  “For the execution of the Count, by Jove!

  “Two days since, I reported him as safe,

  “Re-echoing the conviction of all Rome:

  “Who could suspect the one deaf ear — the Pope’s?

  “But prejudices grow insuperable,

  “And that old enmity to Austria, that

  “Passion for France and France’s pageant-king

  “(Of which, why pause to multiply the proofs

  “Now scandalously rife in Europe’s mouth?)

  “These fairly got the better in the man

  “Of justice, prudence, and esprit de corps,

  “And he persisted in the butchery.

  “Also, ‘tis said that in his latest walk

  “To that Dogana-by-the-Bank, he built,

  “The crowd, — he suffers question, unrebuked, —

  “Asked, ‘Whether murder was a privilege

  “‘Only reserved for nobles like the Count?’

  “And he was ever mindful of the mob.

  “Martinez, the Cæsarian Minister,

  “ — Who used his best endeavours to spare blood,

  “And strongly pleaded for the life ‘of one,’

  “Urged he, ‘I may have dined at table with!’ —

  “He will not soon forget the Pope’s rebuff,

  “ — Feels the slight sensibly, I promise you!

  “And but for the dissuasion of two eyes

  “That make with him foul weather or fine day,

  “He had abstained, nor graced the spectacle:

  “As it was, barely would he condescend

  “Look forth from the palchetto where he sat

  “Under the Pincian: we shall hear of this!

  “The substituting, too, the People’s Square

  “For the out-o’-the-way old quarter by the Bridge,

  “Was meant as a conciliatory sop

  “To the mob; it gave one holiday the more.

  “But the French Embassy might unfurl flag, —

  “Still the good luck of France to fling a foe!

  “Cardinal Bouillon triumphs properly!

  “Palchetti were erected in the Place,

  “And houses, at the edge of the Three Streets,

  “Let their front windows at six dollars each:

  “Anguisciola, that patron of the arts,

  “Hired one; our Envoy Contarini too.

  “Now for the thing; no sooner the decree

  “Gone forth, — ’tis four-and-twenty hours ago, —

  “Than Acciaioli and Panciatichi,

  “Old friends, indeed compatriots of the man,

  “Being pitched on as the couple properest

  “To intimate the sentence yesternight,

  “Were closeted ere cock-crow with the Count.

  “They both report their efforts to dispose

  “The unhappy nobleman for ending well,

  “Despite the natural sense of injury,

  “Were crowned at last with a complete success:

  “And when the Company of Death arrived

  “At twenty-hours, — the way they reckon here, —

  “We say, at sunset, after dinner-time, —

  “The Count was led down, hoisted up on car,

  “Last of the five, as heinousest, you know:

  “Yet they allowed one whole car to each man.

  “His intrepidity, nay, nonchalance,

  “As up he stood and down he sat himself,

  “Struck admiration into those who saw.

  “Then the procession started, took the way

  “From the New Prisons by the Pilgrim’s Street,

  “The street of the Governo, Pasquin’s Street,

  “(Where was stuck up, ‘mid other epigrams,

  “A quatrain . . . but of all that, presently!)

  “The Place Navona, the Pantheon’s Place,

  “Place of the Column, last the Corso’s length,

  “And so debouched thence at Mannaia’s foot

  “I’ the Place o’ the People. As is evident,

  “(Despite the malice, — plainly meant, I fear,

  “By this abrupt change of locality, —

  “The Square’s no such bad place to head and hang)

  “We had the titillation as we sat

  “Assembled, (quality in conclave, ha?)

  “Of, minute after minute, some report

  “How the slow show was winding on its way.

  “Now did a car run over, kill a man,

  “Just opposite a pork-shop numbered Twelve:

  “And bitter were the outcries of the mob

  “Against the Pope: for, but that he forbids

  “The Lottery, why, twelve were Tern Quatern!

  “Now did a beggar by Saint Agnes, lame

  “From his youth up, recover use of leg,

  “Through prayer of Guido as he glanced that way:

  “So that the crowd near crammed his hat with coin.

  “Thus was kept up excitement to the last,

  “ — Not an abrupt out-bolting, as of yore,

  “From Castle, over Bridge and on to block,

  “And so all ended ere you well could wink!

  “Guido was last to mount the scaffold-steps

  “Here also, as atrociousest in crime.

  “We hardly noticed how the peasants died,

  “They dangled somehow soon to right and left,

  “And we remained all ears and eyes, could give

  “Ourselves to Guido undividedly,

  “As he harangued the multitude beneath.

  “He begged forgiveness on the part of God,

  “And fair construction of his act from men,

  “Whose suffrage he entreated for his soul,

  “Suggesting that we should forthwith repeat

  “A Pater and an Ave, with the hymn

  “Salve Regina Cœli, for his sake.

  “Which said, he turned to the confessor, crossed

  “And reconciled himself, with decency,

  “Oft glancing at Saint Mary’s opposite

  “Where they possess, and showed in shri
ne to-day,

  “The Blessed Umbilicus of our Lord,

  “(A relic ‘tis believed no other church

  “In Rome can boast of) — then rose up, as brisk

  “Knelt down again, bent head, adapted neck,

  “And, with the name of Jesus on his lips,

  “Received the fatal blow.

  ”The headsman showed

  “The head to the populace. Must I avouch

  “We strangers own to disappointment here?

  “Report pronounced him fully six feet high,

  “Youngish, considering his fifty years,

  “And, if not handsome, dignified at least.

  “Indeed, it was no face to please a wife!

  “His friends say, this was caused by the costume:

  “He wore the dress he did the murder in,

  “That is, a just-a-corps of russet serge,

  “Black camisole, coarse cloak of baracan

  “(So they style here the garb of goat’s-hair cloth)

  “White hat and cotton cap beneath, poor Count,

  “Preservative against the evening dews

  “During the journey from Arezzo. Well,

  “So died the man, and so his end was peace;

  “Whence many a moral were to meditate.

  “Spada, — you may bet Dandolo, — is Pope!

  “Now for the quatrain!”

  No, friend, this will do!

  You’ve sputtered into sparks. What streak comes next?

  A letter: Don Giacinto Arcangeli,

  Doctor and Proctor, him I made you mark

  Buckle to business in his study late,

  The virtuous sire, the valiant for the truth,

  Acquaints his correspondent, — Florentine,

  By name Cencini, advocate as well,

  Socius and brother-in-the-devil to match, —

  A friend of Franceschini, anyhow,

  And knit up with the bowels of the case, —

  Acquaints him, (in this paper that I touch)

  How their joint effort to obtain reprieve

  For Guido had so nearly nicked the nine

  And ninety and one over, — he would say,

  At Tarocs, — or succeeded, — in our phrase.

  To this Cencini’s care I owe the Book,

  The yellow thing I take and toss once more

  — How will it be, my four-years’-intimate,

  When thou and I part company anon? —

  ‘Twas he, the “whole position of the case,”

  Pleading and summary, were put before;

  Discreetly in my Book he bound them all,

  Adding some three epistles to the point.

  Here is the first of these, part fresh as penned,

  The sand, that dried the ink, not rubbed away,

  Though penned the day whereof it tells the deed:

  Part — extant just as plainly, you know where,

  Whence came the other stuff, went, you know how,

  To make the ring that’s all but round and done.

  “Late they arrived, too late, egregious Sir,

  “Those same justificative points you urge

  “Might benefit His Blessed Memory

  “Count Guido Franceschini now with God:

  “Since the Court, — to state things succinctly, — styled

  “The Congregation of the Governor,

  “Having resolved on Tuesday last our cause

  “I’ the guilty sense, with death for punishment,

  “Spite of all pleas by me deducible

  “In favour of said Blessed Memory, —

  “I, with expenditure of pains enough,

  “Obtained a respite, leave to claim and prove

  “Exemption from the law’s award, — alleged

  “The power and privilege o’ the Clericate:

  “To which effect a courier was despatched.

  “But ere an answer from Arezzo came,

  “The Holiness of our Lord the Pope (prepare!)

  “Judging it inexpedient to postpone

  “The execution of such sentence passed,

  “Saw fit, by his particular chirograph,

  “To derogate, dispense with privilege,

  “And wink at any hurt accruing thence

  “To Mother Church through damage of her son;

  “Also, to overpass and set aside

  “That other plea on score of tender age,

  “Put forth by me to do Pasquini good,

  “One of the four in trouble with our friend.

  “So that all five, to-day, have suffered death

  “With no distinction save in dying, — he,

  “Decollated by way of privilege,

  “The rest hanged decently and in order. Thus

  “Came the Count to his end of gallant man,

  “Defunct in faith and exemplarity:

  “Nor shall the shield of his great House lose shine,

  “Nor its blue banner blush to red thereby.

  “This, too, should yield sustainment to our hearts —

  “He had commiseration and respect

  “In his decease from universal Rome,

  “Quantum est hominum venustiorum,

  “The nice and cultivated everywhere:

  “Though, in respect of me his advocate,

  “Needs must I groan o’er my debility,

  “Attribute the untoward event o’ the strife

  “To nothing but my own crass ignorance

  “Which failed to set the valid reasons forth,

  “Find fit excuse: such is the fate of war!

  “May God compensate us the direful blow

  “By future blessings on his family

  “Whereof I lowly beg the next commands;

  “ — Whereto, as humbly, I confirm myself . . . ”

  And so forth, — follow name and place and date:

  On the next leaf —

  ”Hactenus senioribus!

  “There, old fox, show the clients t’other side

  “And keep this corner sacred, I beseech!

  “You and your pleas and proofs were what folks call

  “Pisan assistance, aid that comes too late,

  “Saves a man dead as nail in post of door.

  “Had I but time and space for narrative!

  “What was the good of twenty Clericates

  “When somebody’s thick headpiece once was bent

  “On seeing Guido’s drop into the bag?

  “How these old men like giving youth a push!

  “So much the better: next push goes to him,

  “And a new Pope begins the century.

  “Much good I get by my superb defence!

  “But argument is solid and subsists,

  “While obstinacy and ineptitude

  “Accompany the owner to his tomb;

  “What do I care how soon? Beside, folks see!

  “Rome will have relished heartily the show,

  “Yet understood the motives, never fear,

  “Which caused the indecent change o’ the People’s Place

  “To the People’s Playground, — stigmatise the spite

  “Which in a trice precipitated things!

  “As oft the moribund will give a kick

  “To show they are not absolutely dead,

  “So feebleness i’ the socket shoots its last,

  “A spirt of violence for energy!

  “But thou, Cencini, brother of my breast,

  “O fox, whose home is ‘mid the tender grape,

  “Whose couch in Tuscany by Themis’ throne,

  “Subject to no such . . . but I shut my mouth

  “Or only open it again to say,

  “This pother and confusion fairly laid,

  “My hands are empty and my satchel lank.

  “Now then for both the Matrimonial Cause

  “And the case of Gomez! Serve them hot and hot!

  “Reliqua differamus in crastinum!

/>   “The impatient estafette cracks whip outside:

  “Still, though the earth should swallow him who swears

  “And me who make the mischief, in must slip

  “ — My boy, your godson, fat-chaps Hyacinth,

  “Enjoyed the sight while Papa plodded here.

  “I promised him, the rogue, a month ago,

  “The day his birthday was, of all the days,

  “That if I failed to save Count Guido’s head,

  “Cinuccio should at least go see it chopped

  “From trunk — ’So, latinize your thanks!’ quoth I:

  “‘That I prefer, hoc malim,’ raps me out

  “The rogue: you notice the subjunctive? Ah!

  “Accordingly he sat there, bold in box,

  “Proud as the Pope behind the peacock-fans:

  “Whereon a certain lady-patroness

  “For whom I manage things (my boy in front,

  “Her Marquis sat the third in evidence;

  “Boys have no eyes nor ears save for the show)

  “‘This time, Cintino,’ was her sportive word,

  “When whiz and thump went axe and mowed lay man

  “And folks could fall to the suspended chat,

  “‘This time, you see, Bottini rules the roast,

  “‘Nor can Papa with all his eloquence

  “‘Be reckoned on to help as heretofore!’

  “Whereat Cinone pouts; then, sparkishly —

  “‘Papa knew better than aggrieve his Pope,

  “‘And baulk him of his grudge against our Count,

  “‘Else he’d have argued-off Bottini’s’ . . . what?

  “‘His nose,’ — the rogue! well parried of the boy!

  “He’s long since out of Cæsar (eight years old)

  “And as for tripping in Eutropius . . . well,

  “Reason the more that we strain every nerve

  “To do him justice, mould a model-mouth,

  “A Bartolus-cum-Baldo for next age:

  “For that I purse the pieces, work the brain,

  “And want both Gomez and the marriage-case,

  “Success with which shall plaster aught of pate

  “That’s broken in me by Bottini’s flail,

  “And bruise his own, belike, that wags and brags.

  “Adverti supplico humiliter

  “Quod, don’t the fungus see, the fop divine

  “That one hand drives two horses, left and right?

  “With this rein did I rescue from the ditch

  “The fortune of our Franceschini, keep

  “Unsplashed the credit of a noble House,

  “And set the fashionable cause of Rome

  “A-prancing till bystanders shouted ‘‘ware!’

  “The other rein’s judicious management

  “Suffered old Somebody to keep the pace,

  “Hobblingly play the roadster: who but he

  “Had his opinion, was not led by the nose