Selections From The Poems And Plays Of Robert Browning Part 29

The air broke into a mist with bells, The old walls rocked with the crowd and cries.

Had I said, "Good folk, mere noise repels-- But give me your sun from yonder skies!"

They had answered, "And afterward, what else?" 10

Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun To give it my loving friends to keep!

Naught man could do, have I left undone; And you see my harvest, what I reap This very day, now a year is run. 15

There's n.o.body on the housetops now-- Just a palsied few at the windows set; For the best of the sight is, all allow, At the Shambles' Gate--or, better yet, By the very scaffold's foot, I trow. 20

I go in the rain, and, more than needs, A rope cuts both my wrists behind; And I think, by the feel, my forehead bleeds, For they fling, whoever has a mind, Stones at me for my year's misdeeds. 25

Thus I entered, and thus I go!

In triumphs, people have dropped down dead.

"Paid by the world, what dost thou owe Me?"--G.o.d might question; now instead, 'Tis G.o.d shall repay; I am safer so. 30

INSTANS TYRANNUS

I

Of the million or two, more or less, I rule and possess, One man, for some cause undefined, Was least to my mind.

II

I struck him; he groveled, of course-- 5 For what was his force?

I pinned him to earth with my weight And persistence of hate; And he lay, would not moan, would not curse, As his lot might be worse. 10

III

"Were the object less mean, would he stand At the swing of my hand!

For obscurity helps him and blots The hole where he squats."

So I set my five wits on the stretch 15 To inveigle the wretch.

All in vain! Gold and jewels I threw; Still he couched there perdue; I tempted his blood and his flesh, Hid in roses my mesh, 20 Choicest cates and the flagon's best spilth; Still he kept to his filth.

IV

Had he kith now or kin, were access To his heart, did I press; Just a son or a mother to seize! 25 No such booty as these.

Were it simply a friend to pursue 'Mid my million or two, Who could pay me in person or pelf What he owes me himself! 30 No; I could not but smile through my chafe; For the fellow lay safe As his mates do, the midge and the nit --Through minuteness, to wit.

V

Then a humor more great took its place 35 At the thought of his face, The droop, the low cares of the mouth, The trouble uncouth 'Twixt the brows, all that air one is fain To put out of its pain. 40 And, "no!" I admonished myself, "Is one mocked by an elf, Is one baffled by toad or by rat?

The gravamen's in that!

How the lion, who crouches to suit 45 His back to my foot, Would admire that I stand in debate!

But the small turns the great If it vexes you--that is the thing!

Toad or rat vex the king? 50 Though I waste half my realm to unearth Toad or rat, 'tis well worth!"

VI

So I soberly laid my last plan To extinguish the man.

Round his creep-hole, with never a break, 55 Ran my fires for his sake; Overhead, did my thunder combine With my underground mine: Till I looked from my labor content To enjoy the event. 60

VII

When sudden ... how think ye, the end?

Did I say "without friend"?

Say, rather, from marge to blue marge The whole sky grew his targe With the sun's self for visible boss, 65 While an Arm ran across Which the earth heaved beneath like a breast Where the wretch was safe pressed!

Do you see? Just my vengeance complete, The man sprang to his feet, 70 Stood erect, caught at G.o.d's skirts, and prayed!

--So, _I_ was afraid!

THE ITALIAN IN ENGLAND

That second time they hunted me From hill to plain, from sh.o.r.e to sea, And Austria, hounding far and wide Her bloodhounds through the countryside.

Breathed hot and instant on my trace-- 5 I made six days a hiding-place Of that dry green old aqueduct Where I and Charles, when boys, have plucked The fireflies from the roof above, Bright creeping through the moss they love: 10 --How long it seems since Charles was lost!

Six days the soldiers crossed and crossed The country in my very sight; And when that peril ceased at night, The sky broke out in red dismay 15 With signal fires; well, there I lay Close covered o'er in my recess, Up to the neck in ferns and cress, Thinking of Metternich our friend, And Charles's miserable end, 20 And much beside, two days; the third, Hunger o'ercame me when I heard The peasants from the village go To work among the maize; you know, With us in Lombardy, they bring 25 Provisions packed on mules, a string With little bells that cheer their task, And casks, and boughs on every cask To keep the sun's heat from the wine; These I let pa.s.s in jingling line, 30 And, close on them, dear noisy crew, The peasants from the village, too; For at the very rear would troop Their wives and sisters in a group To help, I knew. When these had pa.s.sed, 35 I threw my glove to strike the last, Taking the chance; she did not start, Much less cry out, but stooped apart, One instant rapidly glanced round, And saw me beckon from the ground; 40 A wild bush grows and hides my crypt; She picked my glove up while she stripped A branch off, then rejoined the rest With that; my glove lay in her breast.

Then I drew breath; they disappeared; 45 It was for Italy I feared.

An hour, and she returned alone Exactly where my glove was thrown.

Meanwhile came many thoughts; on me Rested the hopes of Italy; 50 I had devised a certain tale Which, when 'twas told her, could not fail Persuade a peasant of its truth; I meant to call a freak of youth This hiding, and give hopes of pay, 55 And no temptation to betray.

But when I saw that woman's face, Its calm simplicity of grace, Our Italy's own att.i.tude In which she walked thus far, and stood, 60 Planting each naked foot so firm, To crush the snake and spare the worm-- At first sight of her eyes, I said, "I am that man upon whose head They fix the price, because I hate 65 The Austrians over us; the State Will give you gold--oh, gold so much!-- If you betray me to their clutch, And be your death, for aught I know, If once they find you saved their foe. 70 Now you must bring me food and drink, And also paper, pen, and ink, And carry safe what I shall write To Padua, which you'll reach at night Before the duomo shuts; go in, 75 And wait till Tenebrae begin; Walk to the third confessional, Between the pillar and the wall, And kneeling whisper, _Whence comes peace?_ Say it a second time, then cease; 80 And if the voice inside returns, _From Christ and Freedom; what concerns_ _The cause of Peace?_--for answer, slip My letter where you placed your lip; Then come back happy we have done 85 Our mother service--I, the son, As you the daughter of our land!"

Three mornings more, she took her stand In the same place, with the same eyes; I was no surer of sunrise 90 Than of her coming. We conferred Of her own prospects, and I heard She had a lover--stout and tall, She said--then let her eyelids fall, "He could do much"--as if some doubt 95 Entered her heart--then, pa.s.sing out, "She could not speak for others, who Had other thoughts; herself she knew"; And so she brought me drink and food.

After four days the scouts pursued 100 Another path; at last arrived The help my Paduan friends contrived To furnish me; she brought the news.

For the first time I could not choose But kiss her hand, and lay my own 105 Upon her head--"This faith was shown To Italy, our mother; she Uses my hand and blesses thee."

She followed down to the seash.o.r.e; I left and never saw her more. 110

How very long since I have thought Concerning--much less wished for--aught Beside the good of Italy, For which I live and mean to die!

I never was in love; and since 115 Charles proved false, what shall now convince My inmost heart I have a friend?

However, if I pleased to spend Real wishes on myself--say, three-- I know at least what one should be. 120 I would grasp Metternich until I felt his red wet throat distill In blood through these two hands. And next --Nor much for that am I perplexed-- Charles, perjured traitor, for his part, 125 Should die slow of a broken heart Under his new employers. Last --Ah, there, what should I wish? For fast Do I grow old and out of strength.

If I resolved to seek at length 130 My father's house again, how scared They all would look, and unprepared!

My brothers live in Austria's pay --Disowned me long ago, men say; And all my early mates who used 135 To praise me so--perhaps induced More than one early step of mine-- Are turning wise; while some opine, "Freedom grows license," some suspect, "Haste breeds delay," and recollect 140 They always said, such premature Beginnings never could endure!

So, with a sullen "All's for best,"

The land seems settling to its rest.

I think then, I should wish to stand 145 This evening in that dear, lost land, Over the sea the thousand miles, And know if yet that woman smiles With the calm smile; some little farm She lives in there, no doubt; what harm 150 If I sat on the door-side bench, And, while her spindle made a trench Fantastically in the dust, Inquired of all her fortunes--just Her children's ages and their names, 155 And what may be the husband's aims For each of them. I'd talk this out, And sit there, for an hour about, Then kiss her hand once more, and lay Mine on her head, and go my way. 160

So much for idle wis.h.i.+ng--how It steals the time! To business now.