Robert Browning - The Complete Poems of Robert Browning - 22 Poetry Collections in One Edition

AIX IN PROVENCE

I.

CHRIST God who savest man, save most

Of men Count Gismond who saved me!

Count Gauthier, when he chose his post,

Chose time and place and company

To suit it; when he struck at length

My honour, ’twas with all his strength.

II.

And doubtlessly ere he could draw

All points to one, he must have schemed!

That miserable morning saw

Few half so happy as I seemed,

While being dressed in Queen’s array

To give our Tourney prize away.

III.

I thought they loved me, did me grace

To please themselves; ’twas all their deed;

God makes, or fair or foul, our face;

If showing mine so caused to bleed

My cousins’ hearts, they should have dropped

A word, and straight the play had stopped.

IV.

They, too, so beauteous! Each a queen

By virtue of her brow and breast;

Not needing to be crowned, I mean,

As I do. E’en when I was dressed,

Had either of them spoke, instead

Of glancing sideways with still head!

V.

But no: they let me laugh, and sing

My birthday song quite through, adjust

The last rose in my garland, fling

A last look on the mirror, trust

My arms to each an arm of theirs,

And so descend the castle-stairs —

VI.

And come out on the morning-troop

Of merry friends who kissed my cheek,

And called me Queen, and made me stoop

Under the canopy — (a streak

That pierced it, of the outside sun,

Powdered with gold its gloom’s soft dun) —

VII.

And they could let me take my state

And foolish throne amid applause

Of all come there to celebrate

My Queen’s-day — Oh I think the cause

Of much was, they forgot no crowd

Makes up for parents in their shroud!

VIII.

However that be, all eyes were bent

Upon me, when my cousins cast

Theirs down; ’twas time I should present

The victor’s crown, but … there, ‘twill last

No long time … the old mist again

Blinds me as then it did. How vain!

IX.

See! Gismond’s at the gate, in talk

With his two boys: I can proceed.

Well, at that moment, who should stalk

Forth boldly (to my face, indeed)

But Gauthier, and he thundered “Stay!”

And all stayed. “Bring no crowns, I say!

X.

“Bring torches! Wind the penance-sheet

”About her! Let her shun the chaste,

“Or lay herself before their feet!

”Shall she whose body I embraced

“A night long, queen it in the day?

“For Honour’s sake no crowns, I say!”

XI.

I? What I answered? As I live,

I never fancied such a thing

As answer possible to give.

What says the body when they spring

Some monstrous torture-engine’s whole

Strength on it? No more says the soul.

XII.

Till out strode Gismond; then I knew

That I was saved. I never met

His face before, but, at first view,

I felt quite sure that God had set

Himself to Satan; who would spend

A minute’s mistrust on the end?

XIII.

He strode to Gauthier, in his throat

Gave him the lie, then struck his mouth

With one back-handed blow that wrote

In blood men’s verdict there. North, South,

East, West, I looked. The lie was dead,

And damned, and truth stood up instead.

XIV.

This glads me most, that I enjoyed

The heart of the joy, with my content

In watching Gismond unalloyed

By any doubt of the event:

God took that on him — I was bid

Watch Gismond for my part: I did.

XV.

Did I not watch him while he let

His armourer just brace his greaves,

Rivet his hauberk, on the fret

The while! His foot … my memory leaves

No least stamp out, nor how anon

He pulled his ringing gauntlets on.

XVI.

And e’en before the trumpet’s sound

Was finished, prone lay the false knight,

Prone as his lie, upon the ground:

Gismond flew at him, used no sleight

Of the sword, but open-breasted drove,

Cleaving till out the truth he clove.

XVII.

Which done, he dragged him to my feet

And said “Here die, but end thy breath

“In full confession, lest thou fleet

”From my first, to God’s second death!

“Say, hast thou lied?” And, “I have lied

“To God and her,” he said, and died.

XVIII.

Then Gismond, kneeling to me, asked

— What safe my heart holds, though no word

Could I repeat now, if I tasked

My powers forever, to a third

Dear even as you are. Pass the rest

Until I sank upon his breast.

XIX.

Over my head his arm he flung

Against the world; and scarce I felt

His sword (that dripped by me and swung)

A little shifted in its belt, —

For he began to say the while

How South our home lay many a mile.

XX.

So ‘mid the shouting multitude

We two walked forth to never more

Return. My cousins have pursued

Their life, untroubled as before

I vexed them. Gauthier’s dwelling-place

God lighten! May his soul find grace!

XXI.

Our elder boy has got the clear

Great brow; tho’ when his brother’s black

Full eye slows scorn, it … Gismond here?

And have you brought my tercel 1back? I just was telling Adela How many birds it struck since May.

Table of Contents

I.

YOU know, we French stormed Ratisbon:

A mile or so away,

On a little mound, Napoléon

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 its mind.

II.

Just as perhaps he mused “My plans

”That soar, to earth may fall,

“Let once my army-leader Lannes

”Waver at yonder wall,” —

Out ‘twixt the battery-smokes there flew

A rider, bound on bound

Full-galloping; nor bridle drew

Until he reached the mound.

III.

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.

IV.

“Well,” cried he, “Emperor, by God’s grace

”We’ve got you Ratisbon!

“The Marshal’s in the market-place,

”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; his plans

Soared up again like fire.

V.

The chief’s eye flashed; but presently

Softened itself, as sheathes

A film the mother-eagle’s eye

When her bruised eaglet breathes;

“You’re wounded!” “Nay,” the soldier’s pride

Touched to the quick, he said:

“I’m killed, Sire!” And his chief beside

Smiling the boy fell dead.

Table of Contents

I.

GR-R-R — there go, my heart’s abhorrence!

Water your damned flower-pots, do!

If hate killed men, Brother Lawrence,

God’s blood, would not mine kill you!

What? your myrtle-bush wants trimming?

Oh, that rose has prior claims —

Needs its leaden vase filled brimming?

Hell dry you up with its flames!

II.

At the meal we sit together:

Salve tibi! I must hear

Wise talk of the kind of weather,

Sort of season, time of year:

Not a plenteous cork-crop: scarcely

Dare we hope oak-galls, I doubt: