A SOUL'S TRAGEDY.

ACT FIRST,

BEING WHAT WAS CALLED THE POETRY OF CHIAPPINO'S LIFE: AND ACT SECOND, ITS PROSE.

PERSONS.

LUITOLFO and EULALIA, betrothed lovers.

CHIAPPINO, their friend.

OGNIBEN, the Pope's Legate.

Citizens of Faenza.

TIME, 15- PLACE, Faenza.

A SOUL'S TRAGEDY.

1846.

ACT I.

SCENE.—Inside LUITOLFO's house. CHIAPPINO, EULALIA.

Eulalia. What is it keeps Luitolfo? Night's fast fall

Sounded before he sought the Provost's house?
I think not: all he had to say would take
Few minutes, such a very few, to say!
How do you think, Chiappino? If our lord
The Provost were less friendly to your friend
Than everybody here professes him,

I should begin to tremble-should not you?
Why are you silent when so many times
I turn and speak to you?

Chiappino.

Eulalia.

That's good!

You laugh!

Chiappino. Yes. I had fancied nothing that bears price

In the whole world was left to call my own;

And, may be, felt a little pride thereat.

Up to a single man's or woman's love,

Down to the right in my own flesh and blood,
There's nothing mine, I fancied,―till you spoke :
-Counting, you see, as "nothing" the permission
To study this peculiar lot of mine

In silence: well, go silence with the rest

Of the world's good! What can I say, shall serve ? Eulalia. This, lest you, even more than needs, embitter

Our parting: say your wrongs have cast, for once,
A cloud across your spirit!

Chiappino.

How a cloud?

Eulalia. No man nor woman loves you, did you say?

Chiappino. My God, were 't not for thee!:

Were 't not for God, I mean, what hope of truth—
Speaking truth, hearing truth, would stay with man?
I, now the homeless friendless penniless
Proscribed and exiled wretch who speak to you,—
Ought to speak truth, yet could not, for my death,
(The thing that tempts me most) help speaking lies