File:The country of The ring and the book (1913) (14597147488).jpg

Identifier: countryofringb00trev (find matches)
Title: The country of The ring and the book
Year: 1913 (1910s)
Authors: Treves, Frederick, Sir, 1853-1923
Subjects: Browning, Robert, 1812-1889
Publisher: London : Cassell
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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to execution. After this Caponsacchi speaks. He tells the wholestory over again as it arose and grew within his know-ledge. It is the speech delivered before the tribunalin justification of himself and in vindication of thegood name of the lady he sought to serve. Next comesPompilias account of her sad, brief life, told as shewas lying on her death-bed. She speaks with infinitecandour and earnestness, and with such beauty oflanguage that her confession stands out as the mostsuperb portion of the book. Twice again is the whole story traversed in thelawyers pleadings ; first, by the advocate who conductedthe defence, and then by his colleague who under-took the prosecution on behalf of the Treasury. Last of all comes the Popes utterance on the entireaffair. He passes in review the varied and violentcircumstances of the tragedy, and pronounces judgmentupon all who were in any way concerned therewith.It is through the mouth of the Pope that the poet reveals the tenor of his own mind. 244
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I. THE COMPARINI THE Comparini were, the poem says, u of themodest middle class and of good repute.Violante was a stirring, striving woman, aningenious schemer, quick at the by-road and thecross-cut, kind of heart, yet unwise, a maker of mis-chief, yet a woman of blundering good intent. Pietro,on the other hand, i4 a good, fat, rosy, careless man,was stupid and credulous, and a mere tool in thehands of his wife. He had a great affection forPompilia, the child he believed to be his daughter,was opposed to her marriage, and charmed by thethought of her coming back to the Via Vittoria againafter the affair at Arezzo. Will she come back, with nothing changed at all,And laugh But how you dreamed uneasily !I saw the great drops stand here on your brow—Did I do wrong to wake you with a kiss ? No, indeed, darling ! In the discreditable matter of the dowry contract Pietrowas no party to the cheat. In this transaction Guido givesMoney for money—and they, bride for groom,Having, he, not a do

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