life of robert browning(罗伯特·布朗宁传)-第22部分
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to him by his wife's adulterous connection with the priest Caponsacchi。
But even in the Rome of that evil day justice was not extinct。 Guido's
motive is proved to be false； he himself is condemned to death。 An appeal
to the Pope is futile。 Finally； the wretched man pays the too merciful
penalty of his villainy。
There is nothing grand； nothing noble here： at most only a tragic
pathos in the fate of the innocent child…wife Pompilia。 It is clear； therefore；
that the greatness of 〃The Ring and the Book〃 must depend even less upon
its subject； its motive； than upon its being 〃an extraordinary feat〃 in the
gymnastics of verse。
In a sense； Browning's longest work is akin to that of his wife。 Both
〃The Ring and the Book〃 and 〃Aurora Leigh〃 are metrical novels。 The one
is discursive in episodes and spiritual experiences： the other in intricacies
of evidence。 But there the parallel ends。 If 〃The Ring and the Book〃 were
deflowered of its blooms of poetry and rendered into a prose narrative； it
might interest a barrister 〃getting up〃 a criminal case； but it would be
much inferior to； say； 〃The Moonstone〃； its author would be insignificant
beside the ingenious M。 Gaboriau。 The extraordinariness of the feat would
then be but indifferently commented upon。
As neither its subject； nor its extraordinariness as a feat； nor its method；
will withstand a searching examination； we must endeavour to discern if
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transcendent poetic merit be discoverable in the treatment。 To arrive at a
just estimate it is needful to free the mind not merely from preconceptions；
but from that niggardliness of insight which can perceive only the minor
flaws and shortcomings almost inevitable to any vast literary achievement；
and be blind to the superb merits。 One must prepare oneself to listen to a
new musician； with mind and body alert to the novel harmonies； and
oblivious of what other musicians have done or refrained from doing。
〃The Ring and the Book〃； as I have said； was not begun in the year of
its imagining。* It is necessary to anticipate the biographical narrative； and
state that the finding of the parchment…booklet happened in the fourth year
of the poet's widowerhood； for his happy married period of less than
fifteen years came to a close in 1861。
* The title is explained as follows： 〃The story of the Franceschini
case； as Mr。 Browning relates it； forms a circle of evidence to its one
central truth； and this circle was constructed in the manner in which the
worker in Etruscan gold prepares the ornamental circlet which will be
worn as a ring。 The pure metal is too soft to bear hammer or file； it must
be mixed with alloy to gain the necessary power of resistance。 The ring
once formed and embossed； the alloy is disengaged； and a pure gold
ornament remains。 Mr。 Browning's material was also inadequate to his
purpose； though from a different cause。 It was too HARD。 It was ‘pure
crude fact'； secreted from the fluid being of the men and women whose
experience it had formed。 In its existing state it would have broken up
under the artistic attempt to weld and round it。 He supplied an alloy； the
alloy of fancy； or as he also calls it of one fact more： this fact being
the echo of those past existences awakened within his own。 He breathed
into the dead record the breath of his own life； and when his ring of
evidence had re…formed； first in elastic then in solid strength； here
delicately incised； there broadly stamped with human thought and passion；
he could cast fancy aside； and bid his readers recognise in what he set
before them unadulterated human truth。〃 Mrs。 Orr。
On the afternoon of the day on which he made his purchase he read the
book from end to end。 〃A Spirit laughed and leapt through every limb。〃
The midsummer heats had caused thunder…clouds to congregate above
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Vallombrosa and the whole valley of Arno： and the air in Florence was
painfully sultry。 The poet stood by himself on his terrace at Casa Guidi；
and as he watched the fireflies wandering from the enclosed gardens； and
the sheet…lightnings quivering through the heated atmosphere； his mind
was busy in refashioning the old tale of loveless marriage and crime。
〃Beneath I' the street； quick shown by openings of the sky When flame fell
silently from cloud to cloud； Richer than that gold snow Jove rained on
Rhodes； The townsmen walked by twos and threes； and talked； Drinking
the blackness in default of air A busy human sense beneath my feet：
While in and out the terrace…plants； and round One branch of tall datura；
waxed and waned The lamp…fly lured there； wanting the white flower。〃
Scene by scene was re…enacted； though of course only in certain essential
details。 The final food for the imagination was found in a pamphlet of
which he came into possession of in London； where several important
matters were given which had no place in the volume he had picked up in
Florence。
Much； far the greater part； of the first 〃book〃 is interesting！ It is
mere verse。 As verse； even； it is often so involved； so musicless
occasionally； so banal now and again； so inartistic in colour as well as in
form； that one would； having apprehended its explanatory interest； pass on
without regret； were it not for the noble close the passionate； out…welling
lines to 〃the truest poet I have ever known；〃 the beautiful soul who had
given her all to him； whom； but four years before he wrote these words； he
had laid to rest among the cypresses and ilexes of the old Florentine
garden of the dead。 〃O lyric Love； half angel and half bird And all a
wonder and a wild desire； Boldest of hearts that ever braved the sun；
Took sanctuary within the holier blue； And sang a kindred soul out to his
face； Yet human at the red…ripe of the heart When the first summons
from the darkling earth Reached thee amid thy chambers； blanched their
blue； And bared them of the glory to drop down； To toil for man； to
suffer or to die； This is the same voice： can thy soul know change？ Hail
then； and hearken from the realms of help！ Never may I commence my
song； my due To God who best taught song by gift of thee； Except with
bent head and beseeching hand That still； despite the distance and the
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dark； What was； again may be； some interchange Of grace； some
splendour once thy very thought； Some benediction anciently thy smile：
Never conclude； but raising hand and head Thither where eyes； that cannot
reach； yet yearn For all hope； all sustainment； all reward； Their utmost up
and on； so blessing back In those thy realms of help； that heaven thy
home； Some whiteness which； I judge； thy face makes proud； Some
wanness where； I think； thy foot may fall！〃 。 。 。 。 。
Thereafter； for close upon five thousand words； the poem descends
again to the level of a versified tale。 It is saved from ruin by subtlety of
intellect； striking dramatic verisimilitude； an extraordinary vigour； and
occasional lines of real poetry。 Retrospectively； apart from the interest；
often strained to the utmost； most readers； I fancy； will recall with
lingering pleasure only the opening of 〃The Other Half Rome〃； the
description of Pompilia； 〃with the patient brow and lamentable smile；〃
with flower…like body； in white hospital array a child with eyes of
infinite pathos； 〃whether a flower or weed； ruined： who did it shall
account to Christ。〃
In these three introductory books we have the view of the matter taken
by those who side with Count Guido； of those who are all for Pompilia；
and of the 〃superior person〃； impartial because superciliously indifferent；
though sufficiently interested to 〃opine〃。
In the ensuing three books a much higher poetic level is reached。 In
the first； Guido speaks； in the second； Caponsacchi； the third； that lustrous
opal set midway in the 〃Ring〃； is Pompilia's narrative。 Here the three
protagonists live and move before our eyes。 The sixth book may be said to
be the heart of the whole poem。 The extreme intellectual subtlety of
Guido's plea stands quite unrivalled in poetic literature。 In comparing it；
for its poetic beauty； with other sections； the reader must bear in mind that
in a poem of a dramatic nature the dramatic proprieties must be dominant。
It would be obviously inappropriate to make Count Guido Franceschini
speak with the dignity of the Pope； with the exquisite pathos o
