HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT TO AIX
[There is no definite historical basis for this poem: we recognize the scene as the Netherlands, and the time as the early part of the 17th century, when the Low Countries were at war with Spain. The towns mentioned by Browning can be found on modern maps, showing the route of the riders eastward from Ghent to Aix,-the latter over the Belgian border in Germany.]
I sprang to the stirrup, and Joris, and he; I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three;
"Good speed!" cried the watch, as the gate-bolts undrew;
"Speed!" echoed the wall to us galloping through;
Behind shut the postern, the lights sank to rest,
And into the midnight we galloped abreast.
And "Gallop," gasped Joris, "for Aix is in sight!"
"How they'll greet us!"-and all in a moment his roan
Rolled neck and croup over, lay dead as a stone;
And there was my Roland to bear the whole weight
Of the news which alone could save Aix from her fate,
With his nostrils like pits full of blood to the brim,
And with circles of red for his eye-sockets' rim.
Then I cast loose my buffcoat, each holster let fall,
Shook off both my jack-boots, let go belt
And in his cell, when death drew near, An angel in a dream brought cheer:
And rising from the sickness drear, He grew a priest, and now stood here. 60
To the East with praise he turned, And on his sight the angel burned.
"I bore thee from thy craftsman's cell, And set thee here; I did not well.
"Vainly I left my angel-sphere, Vain was thy dream of many a year.
Out 'twixt the battery-smokes there flew A rider, bound on bound Full-galloping; nor bridle drew
Until he reached the mound.
Then off there flung in smiling joy, And held himself erect By just his horse's mane, a boy: You hardly could suspect- (So tight he kept his lips compressed, Scarce any blood came through) You looked twice ere you saw his breast Was all but shot in two.
"Well," cried he, "Emperor, by God's grace We've got you Ratisbon!
"Thy voice's praise seemed weak; it The Marshal's in the market-place,
Creation's chorus stopped!
"Go back and praise again
The early way, while I remain.
"With that weak voice of our disdain, Take up creation's pausing strain. "Back to the cell and poor employ: Resume the craftsman and the boy!"
Theocrite grew old at home;
A new Pope dwelt in Peter's dome.
One vanished as the other died: They sought God side by side. (1845)
INCIDENT OF THE FRENCH CAMP
[Ratisbon is the German Regensburg, in Bavaria; Napoleon stormed it in 1809, during an invasion of Austria. Lannes was one of his most trusted marshals.]
You know, we French stormed Ratisbon: A mile or so away,
On a little mound, Napoleon
Stood on our storming-day;
With neck out-thrust, you fancy how, Legs wide, arms locked behind, As if to balance the prone brow Oppressive with his mind.
Just as perhaps he mused "My plans That soar, to earth may fall,
Let once my army-leader Lannes Waver at yonder wall,”—
And you'll be there anon
To see your flag-bird flap his vans Where I, to heart's desire,
Perched him!" The chief's eye flashed;
-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 With signal fires; well, there I lay Close covered o'er in my recess, Up to the neck in ferns and cress, Thinking on Metternich1 our friend, And Charles's miserable end, 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 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 pass in jingling line, 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 passed, 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: 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;
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, And no temptation to betray.
But when I saw that woman's face, Its calm simplicity of grace, Our Italy's own attitude
In which she walked thus far, and stood, Planting each naked foot so firm,
To crush the snake and spare the wormAt first sight of her eyes, I said,
"I am that man upon whose head
1 Metternich. The Austrian prime minister.
They fix the price, because I hate 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 duomo2 shuts; go in, And wait till Tenebræ 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; 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 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 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 Entered her heart,-then, passing 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 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 Upon her head-"This faith was shown To Italy, our mother; she
Uses my hand and blesses thee." She followed down to the sea-shore;
I left and never saw her more.
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!
2 duomo. Cathedral.
3 Tenebra. A Holy Week service.
In blood through these two hands. And next
-Nor much for that am I perplexed- Charles, perjured traitor, for his part, 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 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 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 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 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 If I sat on the door-side bench, 151 And, while her spindle made a trench Fantastically in the dust,
Inquired of all her fortunes-just Her children's ages and their names, 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.
So much for idle wishing-how It steals the time! To business now. (1845)
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. "Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door- Only this and nothing more.'
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had sought to borrow From my books surcease of sorrow-sorrow for the lost Lenore, For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me-filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating, "Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door- Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door- This it is and nothing more."
Presently my soul grew stronger: hesitating then no longer, "Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, That I scarce was sure I heard you"-here I opened wide the door- Darkness there and nothing more.
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