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Robert Browning - The Ring And The Book - Chapter V - Count Guido Franceschini
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I call Pompilia, he calls . . . sacred name,
Be unpronounced, be unpolluted here!
And last led up to the glory and prize of hate
By his . . . foster-father, Caponsacchi’s self,
The perjured priest, pink of conspirators,
Tricksters and knaves, yet polished, superfine,
Manhood to model adolescence by . . . 
Lords, look on me, declare,—when, what I show,
Is nothing more nor less than what you deemed
And doled me out for justice,—what did you say?
For reparation, restitution and more,—
Will you not thank, praise, bid me to your breasts
For having done the thing you thought to do,
And thoroughly trampled out sin’s life at last?
I have heightened phrase to make your soft speech serve,
Doubled the blow you but essayed to strike,
Carried into effect your mandate here
That else had fallen to ground: mere duty done,
Oversight of the master just supplied
By zeal i’ the servant: I, being used to serve,
Have simply . . . what is it they charge me with?
Blackened again, made legible once more
Your own decree, not permanently writ,
Rightly conceived but all too faintly traced,—
It reads efficient, now, comminatory,
A terror to the wicked, answers so
The mood o’ the magistrate, the mind of law.
Absolve, then, me, law’s mere executant!
Protect your own defender,—save me, Sirs!
Give me my life, give me my liberty,
My good name and my civic rights again!
It would be too fond, too complacent play
Into the hands o’ the devil, should we lose
The game here, I for God: a soldier-bee
That yields his life, exenterate with the stroke
O’ the sting that saves the hive. I need that life,
Oh, never fear! I’ll find life plenty use
Though it should last five years more, aches and all!
For, first thing, there’s the mother’s age to help—
Let her come break her heart upon my breast,
Not on the blank stone of my nameless tomb!
The fugitive brother has to be bidden back
To the old routine, repugnant to the tread,
Of daily suit and service to the Church,—
Thro’ gibe and jest, those stones that Shimei flung!
Ay, and the spirit-broken youth at home,
The awe-struck altar-ministrant, shall make
Amends for faith now palsied at the source,
Shall see truth yet triumphant, justice yet
A victor in the battle of this world!
Give me—for last, best gift, my son again,
Whom law makes mine,—I take him at your word,
Mine be he, by miraculous mercy, lords!
Let me lift up his youth and innocence
To purify my palace, room by room
Purged of the memories, lend from his bright brow
Light to the old proud paladin my sire
Shrunk now for shame into the darkest shade
O’ the tapestry, showed him once and shrouds him now!
Then may we,—strong from that rekindled smile,—
Go forward, face new times, the better day.
And when, in times made better through your brave
Decision now,—might but Utopia be!—
Rome rife with honest women and strong men,
Manners reformed, old habits back once more,
Customs that recognise the standard worth,—
The wholesome household rule in force again,
Husbands once more God’s representative,
Wives like the typical Spouse once more, and Priests
No longer men of Belial, with no aim
At leading silly women captive, but
Of rising to such duties as yours now,—
Then will I set my son at my right hand
And tell his father’s story to this point,
Adding “The task seemed superhuman, still
“I dared and did it, trusting God and law:
“And they approved of me: give praise to both!”
And if, for answer, he shall stoop to kiss
My hand, and peradventure start thereat,—
I engage to smile “That was an accident
“I’ the necessary process,—just a trip
“O’ the torture-irons in their search for truth,—
“Hardly misfortune, and no fault at all.”
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