"Better translate--"A Roman murder-case:
"Position of the entire criminal cause
"Of Guido Franceschini, nobleman,
"With certain Four the cutthroats in his pay,
"Tried, all five, and found guilty and put to death
"By heading or hanging as befitted ranks,
"At Rome on February Twenty-Two,
"Since our salvation Sixteen Ninety Eight:
"Wherein it is disputed if, and when,
"Husbands may kill adulterous wives, yet 'scape
'The customary forfeit.'"
(Excerpt from first chapter of The Ring and the Book.)
Note from reader: The main text I have read from follows the first edition; but there are some words or lines that do not make sense, either through copying mistakes or because they are difficult if not impossible to make sense of in the first edition. In such cases, I have relied upon an alternate text, found at archive.org and also in the public domain, that contains the wording of the later editions. --Tony Oliva
Chapters
1 Chapter 1 - The Ring and the Book: "Do you see this ring?" 10 min 2 Chapter 1. "Word for word, So ran the title-page" 8 min 3 Chapter 1. "So was the trial at end, do you suppose?" 12 min 4 Chapter 1. "Well, British Public, ye who like me not," 20 min 5 Chapter 1. "This was it from, my fancy with those facts," 8 min 6 Chapter 1. "Enough of me!" 10 min 7 Chapter 1. "Then, yet another day let come and go," 8 min 8 Chapter 1. "Also hear Caponsacchi who comes next," 7 min 9 Chapter 1. "Then, since a Trial ensued, a touch o' the same" 12 min 10 Chapter 1. "Then must speak Guido yet a second time," 8 min 11 Chapter 1. "Such, British Public, ye who like me not," 3 min 12 Chapter 2 - Half-Rome: "What, you, Sir, come too? (Just the man I'd meet.)" 6 min 13 Chapter 2. "From dawn till now that it is growing dusk," 7 min 14 Chapter 2. "These wretched Comparini were once gay" 8 min 15 Chapter 2. "He waited and learned waiting, thirty years;" 8 min 16 Chapter 2. "They went to Arezzo,--Pietro and his spouse," 7 min 17 Chapter 2. "I see the comment ready on your lip," 6 min 18 Chapter 2. "This makes the first act of the farce" 9 min 19 Chapter 2. "Leave it thus, and now revert" 9 min 20 Chapter 2. "So it went on and on till--who was right?" 7 min 21 Chapter 2. "Sir, what's the sequel?" 7 min 22 Chapter 2. "Therefore to Rome with the clear case" 10 min 23 Chapter 2. "The Canon Caponsacchi, then, was sent" 11 min 24 Chapter 2. "Come, here's the last drop does its worst to wound," 7 min 25 Chapter 2. "But with a certain issue: no dispute" 6 min 26 Chapter 3 - The Other Half-Rome: "Another day that finds her living yet" 6 min 27 Chapter 3. "Truth lies between: there's anyhow a child" 6 min 28 Chapter 3. "Adam-like, Pietro sighed and said no more" 7 min 29 Chapter 3. "So--giving now his great flap-hat a gloss" 8 min 30 Chapter 3. "Then with the great air did he kiss" 8 min 31 Chapter 3. "And faith here made the mountains move." 8 min 32 Chapter 3. "Who could gainsay this just and right award?" 8 min 33 Chapter 3. "In short, he also took the middle course" 13 min 34 Chapter 3. "This is why;" 6 min 35 Chapter 3. "When first, pursuant to his plan, there sprung" 8 min 36 Chapter 3. "All was determined and performed at once" 9 min 37 Chapter 3. "Guido's tale begins--" 8 min 38 Chapter 3. "So was the case concluded then and there" 7 min 39 Chapter 3. "The priest went to his relegation-place" 7 min 40 Chapter 3. "You, What would you answer?" 8 min 41 Chapter 3. ""Come in," bade poor Violante cheerfully" 5 min 42 Chapter 4 - Tertium Quid: "True, Excellency--as his Highness says" 8 min 43 Chapter 4. "What's his resource? He asks and straight obtains" 7 min 44 Chapter 4. "Accordingly, when time was come about" 9 min 45 Chapter 4. "Indeed the prize was simply full to a fault" 10 min 46 Chapter 4. "Said and done." 8 min 47 Chapter 4. "On the other hand "Not so!" Guido retorts" 9 min 48 Chapter 4. "On the other hand, so much is easily said" 11 min 49 Chapter 4. "But then this is the wife's--Pompilia's tale" 8 min 50 Chapter 4. "Then, look into his own account o' the case!" 7 min 51 Chapter 4. "Guido rejoins--"Did the other end o' the tale" 16 min 52 Chapter 4. "Is it settled so far?" 9 min 53 Chapter 4. "And, as they left by one door," 9 min 54 Chapter 4. "At this discrepancy of judgments--mad" 9 min 55 Chapter 5 - Count Guido Franceschini: "Thanks, Sir, but, should it please the reverend Court" 10 min 56 Chapter 5. "I am representative of a great line" 8 min 57 Chapter 5. "So I was." 14 min 58 Chapter 5. "Now, Paul's advice was weighty: priests should know:" 13 min 59 Chapter 5. "So much for them so far: now for myself" 16 min 60 Chapter 5. "Such was the starting; now of the further step." 14 min 61 Chapter 5. ""Far from that! No, you took the opposite course," 9 min 62 Chapter 5. "So much For the terrible effect of threatening, Sirs!" 10 min 63 Chapter 5. "Oh, but we did not write a single word!" 11 min 64 Chapter 5. "I played the man as I best might, bade friends" 8 min 65 Chapter 5. "Now,--I see my lords Shift in their seat" 9 min 66 Chapter 5. ""Nay," said the letter, "but you have just that!" 9 min 67 Chapter 5. "Festive bells--everywhere the Feast o' the Babe" 14 min 68 Chapter 5. "But now Health is returned, and sanity of soul" 10 min 69 Chapter 5. "Then I proceed a step, come with clean hands" 15 min 70 Chapter 6 - Giuseppe Caponsacchi: "Answer you, Sirs? Do I understand aright?" 7 min 71 Chapter 6. "Men, for the last time, what do you want with me?" 9 min 72 Chapter 6. "I begin." 8 min 73 Chapter 6. "So I became a priest: those terms changed all" 8 min 74 Chapter 6. "Sirs, ere the week was out," 8 min 75 Chapter 6. "I questioned--lifting half the woman's mask" 8 min 76 Chapter 6. "So, I went: crossed street and street: "The next street's turn," 13 min 77 Chapter 6. "I answered, "It shall be when it can be." 6 min 78 Chapter 6. "I' the grey of dawn it was I found myself" 7 min 79 Chapter 6. "There she stood--leaned there, for the second time," 8 min 80 Chapter 6. "For the first hour We both were silent in the night, I know" 7 min 81 Chapter 6. "We did go on all night; but at its close" 7 min 82 Chapter 6. "Suddenly I saw The old tower" 8 min 83 Chapter 6. "She started up, stood erect, face to face" 8 min 84 Chapter 6. "When we were parted,--shall I go on there?" 8 min 85 Chapter 6. "And I was just set down to study these" 8 min 86 Chapter 6. "I have done with being judged." 7 min 87 Chapter 6. "Why, Sirs, what's this? Why, this is sorry and strange!" 8 min 88 Chapter 6. "Sirs, I am quiet again. You see, we are" 3 min 89 Chapter 7 - Pompilia: "I am just seventeen years and five months old" 8 min 90 Chapter 7. "On second thoughts, I hope he will regard" 8 min 91 Chapter 7. "Six days ago when it was New Year's-day" 11 min 92 Chapter 7. "There was a fancy came" 8 min 93 Chapter 7. "When I saw nothing more, the next three weeks" 8 min 94 Chapter 7. "All since is one blank" 11 min 95 Chapter 7. "I felt there was just one thing Guido claimed" 9 min 96 Chapter 7. "So, home I did go; so, the worst befell" 8 min 97 Chapter 7. "I had been miserable three drear years" 8 min 98 Chapter 7. "There may have elapsed a week" 7 min 99 Chapter 7. "I returned," 7 min 100 Chapter 7. "Now, understand here, by no means mistake!" 8 min 101 Chapter 7. "Off she went--"May he not refuse, that's all" 7 min 102 Chapter 7. "And this man, men call sinner? Jesus Christ!" 12 min 103 Chapter 7. "You see, I will not have the service fail!" 10 min 104 Chapter 7. "Well, and there is more! Yes, my end of breath" 6 min 105 Chapter 8 - Dominus Hyacinthus de Archangelis Pauperum Procurator: "Ah, my Giacinto, he's no ruddy rogue," 9 min 106 Chapter 8. "Whew!" 13 min 107 Chapter 8. "Yet what do I name "little and a leak?" 10 min 108 Chapter 8. "So, doubtless, had I needed argue here" 12 min 109 Chapter 8. "May Gigia have remembered, nothing stings" 12 min 110 Chapter 8. "Have I proved" 14 min 111 Chapter 8. "Pause and breathe!" 10 min 112 Chapter 8. "And now, sea widens and the coast is clear." 9 min 113 Chapter 8. "Here fall to be considered those same six" 9 min 114 Chapter 8. "Third aggravation: that our act was done--" 9 min 115 Chapter 8. "But wait awhile!" 11 min 116 Chapter 8. "Talking of which flea" 9 min 117 Chapter 8. "And now, thou excellent the Governor!" 13 min 118 Chapter 9 - Juris Doctor Johannes-Baptista Bottinius: "Had I God's leave, how I would alter things!" 8 min 119 Chapter 9. "End we exordium, Phaebus plucks my ear!" 10 min 120 Chapter 9. "For lo, advancing Hymen and his pomp!" 12 min 121 Chapter 9. "Enough! Prepare," 8 min 122 Chapter 9. "From all which, I deduce--the lady here" 9 min 123 Chapter 9. "Thus Would I defend the step,--were the thing true" 9 min 124 Chapter 9. "Fit place, methinks," 11 min 125 Chapter 9. "And so he was contented--one must do" 8 min 126 Chapter 9. "It happened once,--begins this foolish Jew," 10 min 127 Chapter 9. "Forgive me this digression--that I stand" 11 min 128 Chapter 9. "Yet doubt he dares!" 9 min 129 Chapter 9. "Your "this," friend, is extraneous to the law," 10 min 130 Chapter 10 - The Pope: "Like to Ahasuerus, that shrewd prince," 11 min 131 Chapter 10. "But, after John, came Sergius, reaffirmed" 12 min 132 Chapter 10. "O pale departure, dim disgrace of day!" 10 min 133 Chapter 10. "This is why Guido is found reprobate." 11 min 134 Chapter 10. "He purposes this marriage, I remark," 10 min 135 Chapter 10. "Whereby the man so far attains his end" 11 min 136 Chapter 10. "So is the murder managed, sin conceived" 13 min 137 Chapter 10. "Nay, more i' the background, yet? Unnoticed forms" 9 min 138 Chapter 10. "And surely not so very much apart" 11 min 139 Chapter 10. "So do I see, pronounce on all and some" 6 min 140 Chapter 10. "O Thou,--as represented here to me" 9 min 141 Chapter 10. "Neither does this astonish at the end," 14 min 142 Chapter 10. "And is this little all that was to be?" 13 min 143 Chapter 10. "How should I answer this Euripides?" 13 min 144 Chapter 10. "Still, I stand here, not off the stage though close" 14 min 145 Chapter 11 - Guido: "You are the Cardinal Acciaiuoli, and you," 11 min 146 Chapter 11. "Life!" 13 min 147 Chapter 11. "That's Nature's way of loosing cord!--but Art," 16 min 148 Chapter 11. "I say that, long ago, when things began," 9 min 149 Chapter 11. "And the Pope breaks talk with ambassador," 9 min 150 Chapter 11. "Enough of the hypocrites. But you, Sirs, you--" 11 min 151 Chapter 11. "Yes, presently...what hour is fleeting now?" 14 min 152 Chapter 11. "Why must your nephews begin breathing spice" 10 min 153 Chapter 11. "Panciatichi!" 10 min 154 Chapter 11. "All which just means," 10 min 155 Chapter 11. "'Tis I preach while the hour-glass runs and runs!" 9 min 156 Chapter 11. "Just this immaculate official stares," 9 min 157 Chapter 11. "And then my Trial,--'tis my Trial that bites" 12 min 158 Chapter 11. "Thus The time's arrived when, ancient Roman-like," 10 min 159 Chapter 11. "So, let death atone!" 13 min 160 Chapter 11. "You too are petrifactions of a kind:" 15 min 161 Chapter 12 - The Book and the Ring: "Here were the end, had anything an end:" 8 min 162 Chapter 12. "Now for the thing; no sooner the decree" 11 min 163 Chapter 12. "And so forth,--follow name and place and date:" 10 min 164 Chapter 12. "I looked that Rome should have the natural gird" 12 min 165 Chapter 12. "For me, the weary and the worn, who prompt" 10 min 166 Chapter 12. "Alack, Bottini, what is my next word" 9 min