Enter JACOPO. Jacopo. I wait for your command, sir. So, I propound this to your faculty 10 Under these imputations; that is nought- Hardly a name behind me in the land, Being a stranger: all the more behoves That I regard how altered were the case With natives of the country, Florentines On whom the like mischance should fall: the roots O' the tree survive the ruin of the trunk No root of mine will throb, you understand. But I had predecessors, Florentines, 20 Accused as I am now, and punished so The Traversari: you know more than I How stigmatised they are, and lost in shame. Now Puccio, who succeeds me in command Both served them and succeeded, in due time; He knows the way, holds proper documents, And has the power to lay the simple truth Before an active spirit, as I count yours: And also there's Tiburzio, my new friend, Will, at a word, confirm such evidence, 30 He being the great chivalric soul we know. I put it to your tact, sir were't not well, A grace, though but for contrast's sake, no more, If you who witness, and have borne a share that is, investigate To indicate Those famous citizens, your countrymen? Nay, you shall promise nothing: but reflect, 40 And if your sense of justice prompt you good! Jacopo. And if, the trial past, their fame stand clear To all men's eyes, as yours, my lord, to Their ghosts may sleep in quiet satisfied! Enter DOMIZIA. Luria. Ah, you once more? Domizia. Domizia, whom you knew, Another woman, you have never known. Luria. One object, she seemed erewhile born to With her whole energies and die content,- reached? Already are new undreamed energies Outgrowing under, and extending farther To a new object; there's another world. See! I have told the purpose of my life; 'Tis gained: you are decided, well or ill You march on Florence, or submit to 7c her. My work is done with you, your brow declares. But leave you? More of you seems yet to reach: I stay for what I just begin to see. Luria. So that you turn not to the past! Nothing but ill in it my selfish impulse, Luria. Speak not against your nature: best, each keep His own you, yours I keep mine, most, now that Luria. In my own East . . . if you would stoop and help My barbarous illustration! It sounds ill; Luria. We have creatures there, which if you saw The first time, you would doubtless marvel at For their surpassing beauty, craft and strength. And though it were a lively moment's shock When you first found the purpose of forked tongues That seem innocuous in their lambent play, 10 Yet, once made know such grace requires such guard, Your reason soon would acquiesce, I think, So, take them, good with ill, contentedly, Yet. Aught else? And I only wait for him. Repair our harm - so were to-day's work done; A movement of the Lucchese But where leave Luria for our sons to see? Toward Florence? Have Luria. Husain. troops Southward Luria. out instantly Ah, old use clings! Puccio must care Luria. Ah until Braccio spoke! Braccio. Till Braccio told in just a word the whole His lapse to error, his return to knowledge: Nay, Luria, I should Enter TIBURZIO, BRACCIO, and PUCCIO. Which told not at Pisa? I return Tiburzio? By such procedure I have served her best. A people is but the attempt of many 10 To rise to the completer life of one; And those who live as models for the mass Your rectitude, and duly crown the same, Keep but God's model safe, new men will 20 To take its mould, and other days to prove How great a good was Luria's glory. True I might go try my fortune as you urged And, joining Lucca, helped by your disgrace, droop the head, I whom shame rests with! Yet I dare look up, Sure of your pardon now I sue for it, Knowing you wholly. Let the midnight end! 'Tis morn approaches! Still you answer not? Sunshine succeeds the shadow past away; Our faces, which phantasmal grew and false, 30 Are all that felt it: they change round you, 40 A SOUL'S TRAGEDY. 1846. ACT FIRST, BEING WHAT WAS CALLED THE POETRY OF CHIAPPINO'S LIFE; AND ACT SECOND, ITS PROSE. A SOUL'S TRAGEDY. PERSONS. Of the world's good! What can I say, shall serve? Eulalia. This, - lest you, even more than needs, embitter LUITOLFO and EULALIA, betrothed lovers. Our parting: say your wrongs have cast, CHIAPPINO, their friend. OGNIBEN, the Pope's Legate. Citizens of Faenza. TIME, 15. PLACE, Faenza. for once, A cloud across your spirit! How a cloud? Eulalia. No man nor woman loves you, did you say? Chiappino. ACT I. The poetry Eulalia. SCENE. Inside LUITOLFO's house. The Provost were less friendly to your friend Than everybody here professes him, I should begin to tremble - should not you? 10 Why are you silent when so many times I turn and speak to you? That's good! Chiappino. In the whole world was left to call my own; There's nothing mine, I fancied,- till you - Counting, you see, as "nothing" the permission To study this peculiar lot of mine 20 In silence: well, go silence with the rest My God, were't not for thee! Ay, God remains, Even did men forsake you. Chiappino. Oh, not so! Were't not for God, I mean, what hope of Did I not turn to thee! It is thy prompting I dare to be ashamed of, and thy counsel 40 Would die along my coward lip, I know. But I do turn to thee. This craven tongue, These features which refuse the soul its You shall now, to style - why the thing we please | That you use well or ill? It's man, in me, My gratitude to you and all your friends more. Here's our Faenza birthplace; they send here I was born here, so was Luitolfo; both A provost from Ravenna: how he rules, At one time, much with the same circum-You can at times be eloquent about. 'Then, end his rule!" stance Of rank and wealth; and both, up to this night Of parting company, have side by side Still fared, he in the sunshine I, the shadow. IO "Why?" asks the world. "Because," replies the world To its complacent self, "these playfellows, "Who took at church the holy-water drop "Each from the other's finger, and so forth, "Were of two moods: Luitolfo was the proper "Friend-making, everywhere friend-find- "Fit for the sunshine, so, it followed him. "And puts so good a face on't wisely 20 "Where action's fruitless, while he remedics 30 "In silence what the foolish rail against; "A man to smooth such natures as parade "Of opposition must exasperate; 66 No general gauntlet-gatherer for the weak Against the strong, yet over-scrupulous "At lucky junctures; one who won't forego "The after-battle work of binding wounds, "Because, forsooth he'd have to bring himself "To side with wound-inflictors for their leave!" Why do you gaze, nor help me to repeat What comes so glibly from the common mouth, About Luitolfo and his so-styled friend? I thought You would be readier with the other half Of the world's story, my half! Yet, 'tis true. stroke does that! 15 "Ah yes, one "But patience under wrong works slow 50 and sure. "Must violence still bring peace forth? He, beside, "Returns so blandly one's obeisance! ah "Some latent virtue may be lingering yet, "Some human sympathy which, once excite, 'And all the lump were leavened quietly: But I, as one of those he rules, won't bear Enough of earnest, is there? You'll play, 60 will you? Diversify your tactics, give submission, Each beck and bend, each . . . all you do I hate! Eulalia. We share a common censure, then. 'Tis well you have not poor Luitolfo's part Nor mine to point out in the wide offence. Chiappino. Oh, shall I let you so escape 70 me, lady? Come, on your own ground, lady, - from yourself, (Leaving the people's wrong, which most is What have I got to be so grateful for? Shame, Chiappino! Shame Fall presently on who deserves it most! - Which is to see. He paid my fines --my friend, Your prosperous smooth lover presently, Then, scarce your wooer, soon, your husband: well I loved you. Eulalia. Hold! Chiappino. You knew it, years ago. When my voice faltered and my eye grew dim 80 |