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Page 41
"And so he went,
Triumphant, with his bandits after him.
And why he sought not shelter where they sought,
But frankly in the next day's noon began
His journey back to Venice, I know not .....
Excepting it were madness.
"Soon pursued,
Brought back to Naples, thrown in prison, tried,
He named his crime a justice, shewed in proof
The paper Carlo signed. 'We take no count
Of cessions or avowals under force'
The judge rebuked him. 'Nay,' Emilio cried,
'Think you 'twere possible that any force
Could make a true man write himself a knave?
But, as for me, it little matters now
What you will judge: I am judged otherwhere;
And if you'll let me die 'twill somewhat serve
To make me pitied in an afterthought,
And will be charitable good to one
Whom I have wronged - to one whom I wrong now
By only living!'
"But there was no talk
Of death for him; though all his many friends
Could not undo his sentence - truly no
For Carlo had friends too. Condemned for life
To the galleys!
"Gervase, had you known so much,
You never would have loved me - not I mean
If else you might have loved me. Convict's wife
Or convict's widow, 'tis all one in shame."
He smiled at her, his smiling sad beyond
Her tears, "I might have said so long ago,
But, knowing you, I never should have said it,
But, knowing you, I cannot see the shame."
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