Page:Divine Comedy (Longfellow 1867) v1.djvu/222

202 "Living I am, and dear to thee it may be,"

Was my response, "if thou demandest fame,

That 'mid the other notes thy name I place."

And he to me: "For the reverse I long;

Take thyself hence, and give me no more trouble;

For ill thou knowest to flatter in this hollow."

Then by the scalp behind I seized upon him,

And said: "It must needs be thou name thyself,

Or not a hair remain upon thee here."

Whence he to me: "Though thou strip off my hair,

I will not tell thee who I am, nor show thee,

If on my head a thousand times thou fall."

I had his hair in hand already twisted,

And more than one shock of it had pulled out,

He barking, with his eyes held firmly down,

When cried another: "What doth ail thee, Bocca?

Is 't not enough to clatter with thy jaws,

But thou must bark? what devil touches thee?"

"Now," said I, "I care not to have thee speak,

Accursed traitor; for unto thy shame

I will report of thee veracious news."

"Begone," replied he, "and tell what thou wilt,

But be not silent, if thou issue hence,

Of him who had just now his tongue so prompt;