From Casa Guidi windows I looked out, Again looked, and beheld a different sight. The Duke had fled before the people's shout "Long live the Duke!" A people, to speak right, Must speak as soft as courtiers, lest a doubt Should curdle brows of gracious sovereigns, white. Moreover that same dangerous shouting meant Some gratitude for future favours, which Were only promised, the Constituent Implied, the whole being subject to the hitch In "motu proprios," very incident To all these Czars, from Paul to Paulovitch. Whereat the people rose up in the dust Of the ruler's flying feet, and shouted still And loudly; only, this time, as was just, Not "Live the Duke," who had fled for good or ill, But "Live the People," who remained and must, The unrenounced and unrenounceable. Long live the people! How they lived! and boiled And bubbled in the cauldron of the street: How the young blustered, nor the old recoiled, And what a thunderous stir of tongues and feet Trod flat the palpitating bells and foiled The joy-guns of their echo, shattering it! How down they pulled the Duke's arms everywhere! How up they set new cafe-signs, to show Where patriots might sip ices in pure air-- (The fresh paint smelling somewhat)! To and fro How marched the civic guard, and stopped to stare When boys broke windows in a civic glow! How rebel songs were sung to loyal tunes, And bishops cursed in ecclesiastic metres: How all the Circoli grew large as moons, And all the speakers, moonstruck,--thankful greeters Of prospects which struck poor the ducal boons, A mere free Press, and Chambers!--frank repeaters Of great Guerazzi's praises--"There's a man, The father of the land, who, truly great, Takes off that national disgrace and ban, The farthing tax upon our Florence-gate, And saves Italia as he only can!" How all the nobles fled, and would not wait, Because they were most noble,--which being so, How Liberals vowed to burn their palaces, Because free Tuscans were not free to go! How grown men raged at Austria's wickedness, And smoked,--while fifty striplings in a row Marched straight to Piedmont for the wrong's redress! You say we failed in duty, we who wore Black velvet like Italian democrats, Who slashed our sleeves like patriots, nor forswore The true republic in the form of hats? We chased the archbishop from the Duomo door, We chalked the walls with bloody caveats Against all tyrants. If we did not fight Exactly, we fired muskets up the air To show that victory was ours of right. We met, had free discussion everywhere (Except perhaps i' the Chambers) day and night. We proved the poor should be employed, ... that's fair,-- And yet the rich not worked for anywise,-- Pay certified, yet payers abrogated,-- Full work secured, yet liabilities To overwork excluded,--not one bated