Page:Biographical and critical studies by James Thomson ("B.V.").djvu/489

 "THE RING AND THE BOOK" 473 Then a soul sighs its lowest and its last After the loud ones, — so much breath remains Unused by the four-days'-dying ; for she lived Thus long, miraculously long, 'twas thought, Just that Pompilia might defend herself. How she endeavoured to explain her life. Then since a Trial ensued, a touch o' the same To sober us, flustered with frothy talk. And teach our common sense its helplessness. For why deal simply with divining-rod, Scrape where we fancy secret sources flow. And ignore law, the recognised machine. Elaborate display of pipe and wheel Framed to unchoak, pump up and pour apace Truth in a flowery foam shall wash the world ? The patent truth-extracting process, — ha? Let us make all that mystery turn one wheel, Give you a single grind of law at least I One orator of two on either side. Shall teach us the puissance of the tongue — That is o' the pen which simulated tongue — On paper." For the pleadings were all in writing ; fortunately for the poet and ourselves, as they were thus preserved entire in the yellow book. So we next read : — " How Don Giacinto of the Arcangeli, Called Procurator of the Poor at Rome, Now advocate for Guido and his mates, — How he turns, twists, and tries the oily thing Shall be — first speech for Guido 'gainst the Fisc." And then : — " Giovambattista o* the Battini, Fisc, Pompilia's patron by the chance of the hour,