At that time Gerbert was upon the track
Of his advancement to Ravenna's see;
And much he sought for instruments to back
In every way his widespread policy:
For he abroad capacious nets had laid,
And held in thought e'en now the papacy.
But they who seek from others to have aid
The higher that they rise, the scarcer find
Men to fulfil their great requirements made.
He therefore, having Otho well inclined
(Who had upraised him) for his furtherance,
Had fixed on Mano in his secret mind,
Knowing the valour of the Norman lance,
And the knight's fame in war, deeming that he
Above all else his projects might advance.
Wherefore to his return to Italy
He looked with hope, that he might be the plough
To break the rigid powers from sea to sea,
That Greek and Saracen to him might bow,
Spreading his even power along the land,
And rival counts and dukes his head allow
These arts lord Gerbert well might understand,
Who held the whole world under scrutiny,
And upon every engine laid his hand
He now in Rouen in much privacy
With Robert the archbishop there conversed
Concerning matters of necessity;
That Robert 'twas, whom Robert the accursed
I name; for to the heart in sordid greed,
To the lips was he in luxury immersed,
And overhead in blood and cruel deed,
Though Richard's brother; whom in truth to be
The better churchman nature had decreed
Much marvelled Gerbert, when his face to see
A damsel craved, and asked his ear alone;
And lo! Joanna entered presently:
Who told him of her love to Mano flown,
Of her great sorrow, of her travel sore,
And that her love was to the knight unknown.
Then Mano's love to Blanche she set before
His questioning gaze; and how the more to gain
Her mind he strove, he was but mocked the more:
And told him (but the telling was in vain
Since this he knew) that Blanche loved but Giroie,
And trothfast being to him, would so remain.
— " Receive thou then what bitterest annoy,
What bitterest annoy and ceaseless pain
Hath ravaged and made boot on peace and joy.
" Mark what compulsion doth my soul constrain,
Against the modesty which maidens owe,
To break reserve, and unto thee complain. "
Then Gerbert said, " Sweet daughter, even so
As a sick dove flies from her pined nest,
And nestles to her master in her woe,
" So comest thou to me, by love distressed: —
But that same dove, being hurt unto the death,
Would never seek to any human breast;
" She in her cote would breathe her failing breath,
And in like manner, if thou seek to me,
Bitter, but yet not mortal is thy scaith.
" I think, if I shall thy physician be,
That scorn to have been scorned, as I divine,
In man's proud mind with love doth ill agree:
" And this with Mano worketh to decline
New proffered love, though sweet and gentle thou:
He for his foredone love will rather pine. "
But she returned, " Nay, thou mayst tell him now
That for Giroie if Blanche have him denied,
Love of Giroie I once did disallow,
" And sent him filled with anger from my side,
When first on me his thoughts were rather turned,
Than on the fairer one, when both he eyed. " —
" Then equal stand ye, " said he, " spurned for spurned: "
He smiled, " and that may comfort Mano's heart
Daughter, thy tender shrift success hath earned.
" For if with him be wanting but my part,
With him shall I deal gravely in this case,
Sith worthy of my careful mind thou art.
" But now I bid thee hence to speed thy chase,
Unto a house which well is known to me,
Yclept Beyond Four Rivers: a fair place:
" There for the nonce shalt thou in safety be,
And I shall give thee letters unto those
Who there abide in closest nunnery:
" And likewise this, which thou shalt not unclose
(So secret is the thing) before the day
That thou shalt hear me done with mortal woes,
" Or that I bid thee break the seal away.
Which whensoe'er it happen, thou shalt know
That I of kindness made no vain delay. "
This said he: and Joanna thanks to owe
Not doubting, and in mind much comforted,
Forth from the palace on new quest did go.
But scarcely thence her timid steps were sped,
When Mano in his turn to Gerbert came,
And told the love that he still cherished,
And all of Blanche, that fair denying dame
Which Gerbert hearing was in doubtful mind
To show or hide Joanna's trembling flame
But, casting much about, at last did find
That it were better now the same to hide,
Because of those great deeds which he designed:
Lest Mano should from fame be turned aside
Wherefore he kept the thing in secrecy,
And with Sir Mano now began to chide:
Why on one woman still his mind should be,
When there were many in the world as fair:
And with long speech he gave love's history: —
How many hopeful men had known despair,
And wasted all for love: how waymenting
Came in joy's place, and sorrow and dark care,
When Love on wretches made his harrying.
All which moved Mano nought, and from his heart
Lightened the inner raging not a thing
Whereat the other, " Of love's poisoned dart
I see the deadly working, O my son;
Yea, fatal love possesseth every part:
" The dreadful power that mortal natures own,
The infection of the world! Yet not the less
Shall I expel the tyrant from his throne,
" If not by reason, then by strange distress.
For know thou that the hour which now is night
(As each day's orb doth twelve twin hours compress),
" This hour, weeks gone, beheld in sunny light
Blanche and Giroie before the altar stand,
And I was priest to do the marriage rite:
" I joined the knight and lady hand in hand
Wherefore behold, too late I find thee here
Entangled thus in love's constraining band. "
Then Mano said, " To whom for counsel clear
I looked midst all, that man to me hath shown
The thirling point of Fortune's fatal spear,
And by her hand upon it lays his own. "