Ring and the Book

by Robert Browning

166 chapters26h 7mEnglish1869

About this book

"Better translate--"A Roman murder-case: "Position of the entire criminal cause "Of Guido Franceschini, nobleman, "With certain Four the cutthroats in his pay, "Tried, all five, and found guilty and put to death "By heading or hanging as befitted ranks, "At Rome on February Twenty-Two, "Since our salvation Sixteen Ninety Eight: "Wherein it is disputed if, and when, "Husbands may kill adulterous wives, yet 'scape 'The customary forfeit.'" (Excerpt from first chapter of The Ring and the Book.) Note from reader: The main text I have read from follows the first edition; but there are some words or lines that do not make sense, either through copying mistakes or because they are difficult if not impossible to make sense of in the first edition. In such cases, I have relied upon an alternate text, found at archive.org and also in the public domain, that contains the wording of the later editions. --Tony Oliva

Chapters (166)

1Chapter 1 - The Ring and the Book: "Do you see this ring?"

571

2Chapter 1. "Word for word, So ran the title-page"

452

3Chapter 1. "So was the trial at end, do you suppose?"

707

4Chapter 1. "Well, British Public, ye who like me not,"

1196

5Chapter 1. "This was it from, my fancy with those facts,"

465

6Chapter 1. "Enough of me!"

581

7Chapter 1. "Then, yet another day let come and go,"

476

8Chapter 1. "Also hear Caponsacchi who comes next,"

405

9Chapter 1. "Then, since a Trial ensued, a touch o' the same"

747

10Chapter 1. "Then must speak Guido yet a second time,"

490

11Chapter 1. "Such, British Public, ye who like me not,"

185

12Chapter 2 - Half-Rome: "What, you, Sir, come too? (Just the man I'd meet.)"

348

13Chapter 2. "From dawn till now that it is growing dusk,"

421

14Chapter 2. "These wretched Comparini were once gay"

451

15Chapter 2. "He waited and learned waiting, thirty years;"

489

16Chapter 2. "They went to Arezzo,--Pietro and his spouse,"

400

17Chapter 2. "I see the comment ready on your lip,"

385

18Chapter 2. "This makes the first act of the farce"

563

19Chapter 2. "Leave it thus, and now revert"

522

20Chapter 2. "So it went on and on till--who was right?"

392

21Chapter 2. "Sir, what's the sequel?"

433

22Chapter 2. "Therefore to Rome with the clear case"

607

23Chapter 2. "The Canon Caponsacchi, then, was sent"

657

24Chapter 2. "Come, here's the last drop does its worst to wound,"

443

25Chapter 2. "But with a certain issue: no dispute"

352

26Chapter 3 - The Other Half-Rome: "Another day that finds her living yet"

381

27Chapter 3. "Truth lies between: there's anyhow a child"

379

28Chapter 3. "Adam-like, Pietro sighed and said no more"

432

29Chapter 3. "So--giving now his great flap-hat a gloss"

484

30Chapter 3. "Then with the great air did he kiss"

488

31Chapter 3. "And faith here made the mountains move."

468

32Chapter 3. "Who could gainsay this just and right award?"

461

33Chapter 3. "In short, he also took the middle course"

772

34Chapter 3. "This is why;"

365

35Chapter 3. "When first, pursuant to his plan, there sprung"

456

36Chapter 3. "All was determined and performed at once"

560

37Chapter 3. "Guido's tale begins--"

496

38Chapter 3. "So was the case concluded then and there"

446

39Chapter 3. "The priest went to his relegation-place"

436

40Chapter 3. "You, What would you answer?"

459

41Chapter 3. ""Come in," bade poor Violante cheerfully"

311

42Chapter 4 - Tertium Quid: "True, Excellency--as his Highness says"

450

43Chapter 4. "What's his resource? He asks and straight obtains"

442

44Chapter 4. "Accordingly, when time was come about"

561

45Chapter 4. "Indeed the prize was simply full to a fault"

594

46Chapter 4. "Said and done."

456

47Chapter 4. "On the other hand "Not so!" Guido retorts"

527

48Chapter 4. "On the other hand, so much is easily said"

688

49Chapter 4. "But then this is the wife's--Pompilia's tale"

479

50Chapter 4. "Then, look into his own account o' the case!"

396

51Chapter 4. "Guido rejoins--"Did the other end o' the tale"

941

52Chapter 4. "Is it settled so far?"

511

53Chapter 4. "And, as they left by one door,"

546

54Chapter 4. "At this discrepancy of judgments--mad"

524

55Chapter 5 - Count Guido Franceschini: "Thanks, Sir, but, should it please the reverend Court"

626

56Chapter 5. "I am representative of a great line"

458

57Chapter 5. "So I was."

857

58Chapter 5. "Now, Paul's advice was weighty: priests should know:"

756

59Chapter 5. "So much for them so far: now for myself"

942

60Chapter 5. "Such was the starting; now of the further step."

819

61Chapter 5. ""Far from that! No, you took the opposite course,"

539

62Chapter 5. "So much For the terrible effect of threatening, Sirs!"

591

63Chapter 5. "Oh, but we did not write a single word!"

670

64Chapter 5. "I played the man as I best might, bade friends"

491

65Chapter 5. "Now,--I see my lords Shift in their seat"

513

66Chapter 5. ""Nay," said the letter, "but you have just that!"

530

67Chapter 5. "Festive bells--everywhere the Feast o' the Babe"

820

68Chapter 5. "But now Health is returned, and sanity of soul"

574

69Chapter 5. "Then I proceed a step, come with clean hands"

900

70Chapter 6 - Giuseppe Caponsacchi: "Answer you, Sirs? Do I understand aright?"

448

71Chapter 6. "Men, for the last time, what do you want with me?"

517

72Chapter 6. "I begin."

500

73Chapter 6. "So I became a priest: those terms changed all"

496

74Chapter 6. "Sirs, ere the week was out,"

507

75Chapter 6. "I questioned--lifting half the woman's mask"

457

76Chapter 6. "So, I went: crossed street and street: "The next street's turn,"

754

77Chapter 6. "I answered, "It shall be when it can be."

389

78Chapter 6. "I' the grey of dawn it was I found myself"

402

79Chapter 6. "There she stood--leaned there, for the second time,"

461

80Chapter 6. "For the first hour We both were silent in the night, I know"

438

81Chapter 6. "We did go on all night; but at its close"

420

82Chapter 6. "Suddenly I saw The old tower"

494

83Chapter 6. "She started up, stood erect, face to face"

461

84Chapter 6. "When we were parted,--shall I go on there?"

469

85Chapter 6. "And I was just set down to study these"

463

86Chapter 6. "I have done with being judged."

426

87Chapter 6. "Why, Sirs, what's this? Why, this is sorry and strange!"

495

88Chapter 6. "Sirs, I am quiet again. You see, we are"

208

89Chapter 7 - Pompilia: "I am just seventeen years and five months old"

500

90Chapter 7. "On second thoughts, I hope he will regard"

507

91Chapter 7. "Six days ago when it was New Year's-day"

664

92Chapter 7. "There was a fancy came"

471

93Chapter 7. "When I saw nothing more, the next three weeks"

452

94Chapter 7. "All since is one blank"

639

95Chapter 7. "I felt there was just one thing Guido claimed"

559

96Chapter 7. "So, home I did go; so, the worst befell"

460

97Chapter 7. "I had been miserable three drear years"

464

98Chapter 7. "There may have elapsed a week"

436

99Chapter 7. "I returned,"

409

100Chapter 7. "Now, understand here, by no means mistake!"

494

101Chapter 7. "Off she went--"May he not refuse, that's all"

444

102Chapter 7. "And this man, men call sinner? Jesus Christ!"

698

103Chapter 7. "You see, I will not have the service fail!"

575

104Chapter 7. "Well, and there is more! Yes, my end of breath"

371

105Chapter 8 - Dominus Hyacinthus de Archangelis Pauperum Procurator: "Ah, my Giacinto, he's no ruddy rogue,"

567

106Chapter 8. "Whew!"

793

107Chapter 8. "Yet what do I name "little and a leak?"

605

108Chapter 8. "So, doubtless, had I needed argue here"

718

109Chapter 8. "May Gigia have remembered, nothing stings"

693

110Chapter 8. "Have I proved"

817

111Chapter 8. "Pause and breathe!"

612

112Chapter 8. "And now, sea widens and the coast is clear."

559

113Chapter 8. "Here fall to be considered those same six"

566

114Chapter 8. "Third aggravation: that our act was done--"

512

115Chapter 8. "But wait awhile!"

648

116Chapter 8. "Talking of which flea"

515

117Chapter 8. "And now, thou excellent the Governor!"

784

118Chapter 9 - Juris Doctor Johannes-Baptista Bottinius: "Had I God's leave, how I would alter things!"

508

119Chapter 9. "End we exordium, Phaebus plucks my ear!"

575

120Chapter 9. "For lo, advancing Hymen and his pomp!"

728

121Chapter 9. "Enough! Prepare,"

473

122Chapter 9. "From all which, I deduce--the lady here"

569

123Chapter 9. "Thus Would I defend the step,--were the thing true"

546

124Chapter 9. "Fit place, methinks,"

656

125Chapter 9. "And so he was contented--one must do"

481

126Chapter 9. "It happened once,--begins this foolish Jew,"

580

127Chapter 9. "Forgive me this digression--that I stand"

651

128Chapter 9. "Yet doubt he dares!"

520

129Chapter 9. "Your "this," friend, is extraneous to the law,"

591

130Chapter 10 - The Pope: "Like to Ahasuerus, that shrewd prince,"

679

131Chapter 10. "But, after John, came Sergius, reaffirmed"

730

132Chapter 10. "O pale departure, dim disgrace of day!"

624

133Chapter 10. "This is why Guido is found reprobate."

634

134Chapter 10. "He purposes this marriage, I remark,"

628

135Chapter 10. "Whereby the man so far attains his end"

658

136Chapter 10. "So is the murder managed, sin conceived"

805

137Chapter 10. "Nay, more i' the background, yet? Unnoticed forms"

565

138Chapter 10. "And surely not so very much apart"

640

139Chapter 10. "So do I see, pronounce on all and some"

374

140Chapter 10. "O Thou,--as represented here to me"

542

141Chapter 10. "Neither does this astonish at the end,"

863

142Chapter 10. "And is this little all that was to be?"

751

143Chapter 10. "How should I answer this Euripides?"

770

144Chapter 10. "Still, I stand here, not off the stage though close"

825

145Chapter 11 - Guido: "You are the Cardinal Acciaiuoli, and you,"

637

146Chapter 11. "Life!"

786

147Chapter 11. "That's Nature's way of loosing cord!--but Art,"

944

148Chapter 11. "I say that, long ago, when things began,"

563

149Chapter 11. "And the Pope breaks talk with ambassador,"

562

150Chapter 11. "Enough of the hypocrites. But you, Sirs, you--"

648

151Chapter 11. "Yes, presently...what hour is fleeting now?"

832

152Chapter 11. "Why must your nephews begin breathing spice"

628

153Chapter 11. "Panciatichi!"

613

154Chapter 11. "All which just means,"

594

155Chapter 11. "'Tis I preach while the hour-glass runs and runs!"

541

156Chapter 11. "Just this immaculate official stares,"

523

157Chapter 11. "And then my Trial,--'tis my Trial that bites"

690

158Chapter 11. "Thus The time's arrived when, ancient Roman-like,"

596

159Chapter 11. "So, let death atone!"

793

160Chapter 11. "You too are petrifactions of a kind:"

905

161Chapter 12 - The Book and the Ring: "Here were the end, had anything an end:"

454

162Chapter 12. "Now for the thing; no sooner the decree"

654

163Chapter 12. "And so forth,--follow name and place and date:"

629

164Chapter 12. "I looked that Rome should have the natural gird"

713

165Chapter 12. "For me, the weary and the worn, who prompt"

605

166Chapter 12. "Alack, Bottini, what is my next word"

522

Ring and the Book

About this book

Chapters (166)

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