my wife,
The nearest, dearest part of all men's honour,
Left a base slur to pass from mouth to mouth 160
Of loose mechanics, with all coarse foul comments,
And villainous jests, and blasphemies obscene;
While sneering nobles, in more polished guise,
Whispered the tale, and smiled upon the lie
Which made me look like them--a courteous wittol,
Patient--aye--proud, it may be, of dishonour.
The nearest, dearest part of all men's honour,
Left a base slur to pass from mouth to mouth 160
Of loose mechanics, with all coarse foul comments,
And villainous jests, and blasphemies obscene;
While sneering nobles, in more polished guise,
Whispered the tale, and smiled upon the lie
Which made me look like them--a courteous wittol,
Patient--aye--proud, it may be, of dishonour.
Byron
But thou say'st well--we must be humble now.
_Ber. F. _ My princely Uncle! you are too much moved;--
I grant it was a gross offence, and grossly
Left without fitting punishment: but still
This fury doth exceed the provocation,
Or any provocation: if we are wronged,
We will ask justice; if it be denied,
We'll take it; but may do all this in calmness--
Deep Vengeance is the daughter of deep Silence. 140
I have yet scarce a third part of your years,
I love our house, I honour you, its Chief,
The guardian of my youth, and its instructor--
But though I understand your grief, and enter
In part of your disdain, it doth appal me
To see your anger, like our Adrian waves,
O'ersweep all bounds, and foam itself to air.
_Doge_. I tell thee--_must_ I tell thee--what thy father
Would have required no words to comprehend?
Hast thou no feeling save the external sense 150
Of torture from the touch? hast thou no soul--
No pride--no passion--no deep sense of honour?
_Ber. F. _ 'Tis the first time that honour has been doubted,
And were the last, from any other sceptic.
_Doge_. You know the full offence of this born villain,
This creeping, coward, rank, acquitted felon,
Who threw his sting into a poisonous libel,[db]
And on the honour of--Oh God!
my wife,
The nearest, dearest part of all men's honour,
Left a base slur to pass from mouth to mouth 160
Of loose mechanics, with all coarse foul comments,
And villainous jests, and blasphemies obscene;
While sneering nobles, in more polished guise,
Whispered the tale, and smiled upon the lie
Which made me look like them--a courteous wittol,
Patient--aye--proud, it may be, of dishonour.
_Ber. F. _ But still it was a lie--you knew it false,
And so did all men.
_Doge_. Nephew, the high Roman
Said, "Caesar's wife must not even be suspected,"[387]
And put her from him.
_Ber. F. _ True--but in those days---- 170
_Doge_. What is it that a Roman would not suffer,
That a Venetian Prince must bear? old Dandolo[dc]
Refused the diadem of all the Caesars,[388]
And wore the ducal cap _I_ trample on--
Because 'tis now degraded.
_Ber. F. _ 'Tis even so.
_Doge_. It is--it is;--I did not visit on
The innocent creature thus most vilely slandered
Because she took an old man for her lord,
For that he had been long her father's friend
And patron of her house, as if there were 180
No love in woman's heart but lust of youth
And beardless faces;--I did not for this
Visit the villain's infamy on her,
But craved my country's justice on his head,
The justice due unto the humblest being
Who hath a wife whose faith is sweet to him,
Who hath a home whose hearth is dear to him--
Who hath a name whose honour's all to him,
When these are tainted by the accursing breath
Of Calumny and Scorn.
