I must remember to add, that as soon as the wedding is over
We shall be off, I believe, in a hurry, and travel to Milan,
There to meet friends of Papa’s, I am told, at the Croce di Malta;
Then I cannot say whither, but not at present to England.
XIII.—CLAUDE TO EUSTACE.
Yes, on Montorio’s height for a
last farewell of the city,—
So it appears; though then I was quite
uncertain about it.
So, however, it was. And now to explain
the proceeding.
I was to go, as I told you,
I think, with the people to Florence.
Only the day before, the foolish family
Vernon
Made some uneasy remarks, as we walked
to our lodging together,
As to intentions, forsooth, and so forth.
I was astounded,
Horrified quite; and obtaining just then,
as it chanced, an offer
(No common favor) of seeing the great
Ludovisi collection,
Why, I made this a pretence, and wrote
that they must excuse me.
How could I go? Great Heaven! to
conduct a permitted flirtation
Under those vulgar eyes, the observed
of such observers!
Well, but I now, by a series of fine diplomatic
inquiries,
Find from a sort of relation, a good and
sensible woman,
Who is remaining at Rome with a brother
too ill for removal,
That it was wholly unsanctioned, unknown,—not,
I think, by Georgina:
She, however, ere this,—and
that is the best of the story,—
She and the Vernon, thank Heaven, are
wedded and gone—honey-mooning.
So—on Montorio’s height
for a last farewell of the city.
Tibur I have not seen, nor the lakes that
of old I had dreamt of;
Tibur I shall not see, nor Anio’s
waters, nor deep en-
Folded in Sabine recesses the valley and
villa of Horace;
Tibur I shall not see;—but
something better I shall see.
Twice I have tried before,
and failed in getting the horses;
Twice I have tried and failed: this
time it shall not be a failure.
* * * * *
Therefore farewell, ye hills, and
ye, ye envineyarded ruins!
Therefore farewell, ye walls, palaces, pillars,
and domes!
Therefore farewell, far seen, ye peaks of the mythic
Albano,
Seen from Montorio’s height, Tibur and Aesula’s
hills!
Ah, could we once, ere we go, could we stand, while,
to ocean
descending,
Sinks o’er the yellow dark plain slowly
the yellow broad sun,
Stand, from the forest emerging at sunset, at once
in the champaign,
Open, but studded with trees, chestnuts umbrageous
and old,
E’en in those fair open fields that incurve
to thy beautiful hollow,
Nemi, imbedded in wood, Nemi, inurned in the hill!—
Therefore farewell, ye plains, and ye hills, and
the City Eternal!
Therefore farewell! We depart, but to behold
you again!
[To be continued.]