238. power grown less and] little power grown 1844 etc. 242. come] twine 1855. 244. touching] soul-rich 1844 etc. 245-58. Byron marks this with a line in the margin, underlines 249-50, and comments' Beautiful'. For ll. 248-381, 1844 etc. have: Oh wretched sire! thy snare has yet but half been wrought. Love by the object lov'd is soon discern'd, Each, though they look'd not, felt they saw but each; And bliss was in two hearts, with misery strangely blent. Oh, now ye gentle hearts, now think awhile [1. 340] Who holds her heart the rightest heart undone. Where creeps the once frank wisdom of thine eyes? To meet e'en thus may cost her many a tear: 'Meet not at all!' cries Fate, to all who love and fear. A fop there was, rich, noble, well receiv'd, Watching his time one day, when the grim lord And giving her a kind, adoring glance, The coxcomb feign'd to press her hand by chance The Princess gaz'd a moment with calm eyes, Then bade him call the page that fann'd away the flies. For days, for weeks, the daring coward shook At dreams of daggers in the Prince's look, The lady's silence might itself be fear; What if there lurk'd some wondrous rival near? He watch'd. He watch'd all movements, looks, words, sighs, It chanc'd alas! that for some tax abhorr'd, Leaving his brother, who had been from home 1844 etc. One least surmise yet made the husband mad. 1844 only. Yet giv'n Giovanni one mistrusting thought. 1857, '60. He deem'd [thought 1844] his consort cold as wintriest night, For though he cloak'd his own unshapeliness, And thought to glorify his power, with dress, He held all virtues, not in his rough ken, But pickthank pedantries in handsome men. The Prince had will'd, however, that his wife 1844 etc. And then he would suppose her all his own, And dote on the sweet gaze, till ending with a groan. 1855 257. this world has got] in earthly lot 1855. 272. he... her] wishing could reverse no 1855. 280. If... its] Provided he kept close the 1855. 294. went-a-hawking] train'd her hawk 1832, '55. 295. talking] talk 1832, '55. 309-13. This sounds like a concetto, but yet it is too good to part with. -Byrcn. 315. succeeded] flew on 1832, '55. 317. Thus link'd in white and loving unison 1832, '55. 326-7. Superlative.'-Byron. 340. And] Ah 1832, '55, Oh 1844 etc. 344. still, within] in ye still 1855. 348. contemplation] thought require 1855. pair] hearts 1844 etc. 345. retrospective] recollected 1855. 349. Fresh mutual comfort, dangerous to desire 1855. 371. being in] yielding to 1855. 378. resolute] final 1832, '55. 383-7. Represented by eleven lines in the MS.: Part lately added from a neighbouring wood, With beds of flowers, and shrubs of odorous shade. The former was a turfy land of trees, In dell and upland varying by degrees, With spots of sunny opening, and with nooks Of amber twilight sloping into brooks, [cf. 419] Where at her drink you started the slim deer, [420] The other ground was flatter, and a scene 383. round with trees] and tree-girt 1844 etc. Between Il. 383-4. A small sweet house o'erlook'd it from a nest For ll. 386-94. Of pines all wood and garden with the rest, 1844 etc. 384. Indeed . . . leafy] Lawn, and green lane, and covert 1844 etc. With here and there a swan, the creature born To be the only graceful shape of scorn. The flower-beds all were liberal of delight: Roses in heaps were there, both red and white, Lilies angelical, and gorgeous glooms Of wall-flowers, and blue hyacinths, and blooms Hanging thick clusters from light boughs; in short, 1844 etc. 388-93. all good, but "lady lily" is perfection in expression.'—Byron. 396. perfumed] leafier 1844 etc. 397. citron [sweetbrier 1855] honeysuckle, and] red geraniums, and of 1844 etc. 398. With] And 1844 etc. 399. they'd] they Byron, 1832-60. 401. circling] darksome 1844 etc. For ll. 404-23 the MS. has sixteen lines: But 'twixt the wood and flowery walks, half way, With shelving shrubs, and rising by degrees [cf. 438] In larch and poplar, mixed with bushier trees, [cf. 439] In which the happy birds kept leafy house, [cf. 422] Or glance'd and gambol'd in and out the boughs. [cf. 423] A little stream to part it, clear and glad, That rose from out the shade, and on it's way Seem'd smiling with delight to feel the day. The ground within was lawn, heap'd here and there [cf. 444-5] Which gathering now and then upon the calm, Pass'd by you in a sweepy trail of balm : For ll. 404-5. 1844 etc. So now you stood to think what odours best Made the air happy in that lovely nest; And now you went beside the flowers, with eyes Earnest as bees, restless as butterflies; 405. white, azure, golden] purple and gold and 1855. 406. now. . . leafy] then... shadier 1844 etc. 407. lovers'] lover's 1844 etc. 412-13. At last you enter'd shades Broken with glens and pits, 420. started] startled 1844 etc. 432. slender] rugged 1832, 1844 etc. 438-9. 440-I. 408. now] then 1844 etc. and glades far-view'd 1844 etc. Of sloping orchards,-fig, and almond trees, (You saw it not, but heard) there gush'd a rill, 1844-60. 444. plots of fruits and 1844 etc. 446. about] with bay 1832, '55. 445. and with] half of 1844 etc. 447. With bay and . . . out] And . . . to the day 1832, '55. 446-7. And in the middle of those golden trees, Half seen amidst the globy oranges, 1844 etc. 448. Lurk'd a rare summer-house, a lovely sight,-1844 etc. 49. mellowy] creamy 1844 etc. 451. orange] bay-tree 1844 etc. 458. most] some 1832, 1844 etc. 450. With yellow] Its top with 1844 etc. 455. with] by 1844 etc. 467. reverent 1855, '60, reverend MSS. (two), 1816-44, '57, '60, 470-71. And round about ran, on a line with this, In like relief, a world of pagan bliss, 1832-60. 474. water sporting] stream at play 1844 etc. For ll. 475-9. Some pelting the young Fauns with buds of May, 1844 etc. 480. sidelong-eyed] half-asleep 1844 etc. 482-3. While from their careless urns, lying aside In the long grass, the straggling waters slide [glide 1844 etc.] 1832-60. Between Il. 485-6. The furniture within, as you'll have guessed, But not to tire you, this shall be pass'd by. Here might you sit for hours, with calm vague eye, Or the small dash the distant fountain made, Or new and then two doves that haunted there, Ah, happy place! balm of regrets and fears, E'en when thy very loveliness drew tears! The time is coming, when to hear thee nam'd Will be to make Love, Guilt, Revenge's self asham'd. 1844 etc. 486. green garden . . . shade, and] sweet range, wood . . . grassy 1844 etc. 491. with grateful] often with 1844 etc. For ll. 492-3. More sorrowful by far, yet sweeter too; Sometimes with firmer comfort, which she drew From meek self-pitying mixtures of extremes Of hope and soft despair, and child-like dreams, 1844 etc. 493. summer] vernal 1832, '55. Between II. 503-4. Oh weak old man! 498. gentle] sweet, rich 1844 etc. Love, saintliest life, and she, together, but for thee. 1844-60. 504. a summer afternoon] a gentle [an early 1855] autumn noon 1844–60. 505-6. When the cicale cease to mar the tune Of birds and brooks, and morning work is [was 1844, has 1855] done 1844-60. 505. Note in 1855. The cicala (cicale in the plural,-the cicada of Virgil and tettix of Anacreon) might be called the tree-cricket, from the noise which it makes, if science warranted the term. 521. Yet how it was she knew not, but that day 1832-60. 531. snatching] turning 1832-60. fields] trees 1844-60. 535. a bright romance] a high romance MS. (rough draft) alt. a tale of yore 536. Of love and war, lately sprung out of France MS. (rought draft) alt. Which she had enter'd on the day before young pulses] the spirits 1855. 543. In hopes King Arthur might resent his wrong; 1844 etc. 544. at distance] ere long 1844 etc. 557. pities] pitied 1832-60. 546. far] calm 1844 etc. 564. inmate] pupil 1844 etc. 561. Like stone thereat the mother stood, alas! 1844 etc. 562. that] the 1844 etc. 573-4. 569, 570. And here, such interest in the tale she took, 1844 etc. Twice linger'd, and convers'd, and grown long friends; But not till now where no one else attends.- 1844 etc. 588. was] were 1832-60. 585. apt] wont 1832-60. 590. this they sat. . . to the] this sat... to read the 1844 etc. 594. Leaned] Came 1844-60. 601-8 on a leaf missing from the MS. Near the top of the facing page Leigh Hunt has written in ink : Byron replied in pencil (filling up the page): Why not? unless you can make it better, and this will not be done easily. With the whole since my last pencil marks in the first pages, I have no fault to find, but many more beauties than there is time or place to express here. 604. kissed... to mouth] in his arms she wept 1855. Oh then she wept,-the poor Francesca wept ; With claim from none.-That day they read no more. 1844 etc. 605-6. Om. in 1855. 607-8. The world . . . the joy] Oh thou unhappy father! Woes in store Await thy craft 1855. CANTO IV ARGUMENT.-The lovers are betrayed to the Prince. He slays them, and sends their bodies in one hearse to Ravenna. 1-16. Om. in 1832. For ll. 1-427 1844 etc. have: 1844 etc. BUT other thoughts, on other wings than theirs, His eyes at work to pay his anger's debt,— Just then encamp'd with loss, a shame his soul abhorr’d. Pale first, then red, his eyes upon the stretch, Liar and madman! thou art he was seen And at the word, with his huge fist he smote Like iron on the place, then seized him all, And dash'd in swoon against the bleeding wall. 'Twas dusk -he 'summon'd an old chieftain stern, Giving him charge of all till his return, And with one servant got to horse and rode All night, until he reached a lone abode Not far from the green bower. Next day at noon, Through a bye-way, free to himself alone, Alone he rode, yet ever in disguise, His hat pull'd over his assassin eyes, And coming through the wood, there left his horse, |