The Ring and the Book

"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 (26 hr 7 min)

Chapitres

Chapter 1 - The Ring and the Book: "Do you see this ring?"	9:31	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 1. "Word for word, So ran the title-page"	7:32	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 1. "So was the trial at end, do you suppose?"	11:47	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 1. "Well, British Public, ye who like me not,"	19:56	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 1. "This was it from, my fancy with those facts,"	7:45	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 1. "Enough of me!"	9:41	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 1. "Then, yet another day let come and go,"	7:56	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 1. "Also hear Caponsacchi who comes next,"	6:45	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 1. "Then, since a Trial ensued, a touch o' the same"	12:27	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 1. "Then must speak Guido yet a second time,"	8:10	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 1. "Such, British Public, ye who like me not,"	3:05	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 2 - Half-Rome: "What, you, Sir, come too? (Just the man I'd meet.)"	5:48	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 2. "From dawn till now that it is growing dusk,"	7:01	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 2. "These wretched Comparini were once gay"	7:31	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 2. "He waited and learned waiting, thirty years;"	8:09	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 2. "They went to Arezzo,--Pietro and his spouse,"	6:40	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 2. "I see the comment ready on your lip,"	6:25	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 2. "This makes the first act of the farce"	9:23	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 2. "Leave it thus, and now revert"	8:42	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 2. "So it went on and on till--who was right?"	6:32	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 2. "Sir, what's the sequel?"	7:13	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 2. "Therefore to Rome with the clear case"	10:07	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 2. "The Canon Caponsacchi, then, was sent"	10:57	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 2. "Come, here's the last drop does its worst to wound,"	7:23	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 2. "But with a certain issue: no dispute"	5:52	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3 - The Other Half-Rome: "Another day that finds her living yet"	6:21	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. "Truth lies between: there's anyhow a child"	6:19	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. "Adam-like, Pietro sighed and said no more"	7:12	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. "So--giving now his great flap-hat a gloss"	8:04	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. "Then with the great air did he kiss"	8:08	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. "And faith here made the mountains move."	7:48	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. "Who could gainsay this just and right award?"	7:41	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. "In short, he also took the middle course"	12:52	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. "This is why;"	6:05	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. "When first, pursuant to his plan, there sprung"	7:36	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. "All was determined and performed at once"	9:20	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. "Guido's tale begins--"	8:16	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. "So was the case concluded then and there"	7:26	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. "The priest went to his relegation-place"	7:16	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. "You, What would you answer?"	7:39	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 3. ""Come in," bade poor Violante cheerfully"	5:11	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 4 - Tertium Quid: "True, Excellency--as his Highness says"	7:30	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 4. "What's his resource? He asks and straight obtains"	7:22	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 4. "Accordingly, when time was come about"	9:21	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 4. "Indeed the prize was simply full to a fault"	9:54	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 4. "Said and done."	7:36	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 4. "On the other hand "Not so!" Guido retorts"	8:47	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 4. "On the other hand, so much is easily said"	11:28	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 4. "But then this is the wife's--Pompilia's tale"	7:59	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 4. "Then, look into his own account o' the case!"	6:36	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 4. "Guido rejoins--"Did the other end o' the tale"	15:41	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 4. "Is it settled so far?"	8:31	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 4. "And, as they left by one door,"	9:06	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 4. "At this discrepancy of judgments--mad"	8:44	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5 - Count Guido Franceschini: "Thanks, Sir, but, should it please the …	10:26	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5. "I am representative of a great line"	7:38	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5. "So I was."	14:17	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5. "Now, Paul's advice was weighty: priests should know:"	12:36	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5. "So much for them so far: now for myself"	15:42	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5. "Such was the starting; now of the further step."	13:39	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5. ""Far from that! No, you took the opposite course,"	8:59	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5. "So much For the terrible effect of threatening, Sirs!"	9:51	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5. "Oh, but we did not write a single word!"	11:10	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5. "I played the man as I best might, bade friends"	8:11	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5. "Now,--I see my lords Shift in their seat"	8:33	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5. ""Nay," said the letter, "but you have just that!"	8:50	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5. "Festive bells--everywhere the Feast o' the Babe"	13:40	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5. "But now Health is returned, and sanity of soul"	9:34	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 5. "Then I proceed a step, come with clean hands"	15:00	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6 - Giuseppe Caponsacchi: "Answer you, Sirs? Do I understand aright?"	7:28	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "Men, for the last time, what do you want with me?"	8:37	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "I begin."	8:20	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "So I became a priest: those terms changed all"	8:16	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "Sirs, ere the week was out,"	8:27	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "I questioned--lifting half the woman's mask"	7:37	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "So, I went: crossed street and street: "The next street's turn,"	12:34	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "I answered, "It shall be when it can be."	6:29	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "I' the grey of dawn it was I found myself"	6:42	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "There she stood--leaned there, for the second time,"	7:41	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "For the first hour We both were silent in the night, I know"	7:18	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "We did go on all night; but at its close"	7:00	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "Suddenly I saw The old tower"	8:14	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "She started up, stood erect, face to face"	7:41	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "When we were parted,--shall I go on there?"	7:49	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "And I was just set down to study these"	7:43	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "I have done with being judged."	7:06	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "Why, Sirs, what's this? Why, this is sorry and strange!"	8:15	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 6. "Sirs, I am quiet again. You see, we are"	3:28	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7 - Pompilia: "I am just seventeen years and five months old"	8:20	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "On second thoughts, I hope he will regard"	8:27	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "Six days ago when it was New Year's-day"	11:04	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "There was a fancy came"	7:51	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "When I saw nothing more, the next three weeks"	7:32	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "All since is one blank"	10:39	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "I felt there was just one thing Guido claimed"	9:19	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "So, home I did go; so, the worst befell"	7:40	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "I had been miserable three drear years"	7:44	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "There may have elapsed a week"	7:16	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "I returned,"	6:49	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "Now, understand here, by no means mistake!"	8:14	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "Off she went--"May he not refuse, that's all"	7:24	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "And this man, men call sinner? Jesus Christ!"	11:38	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "You see, I will not have the service fail!"	9:35	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 7. "Well, and there is more! Yes, my end of breath"	6:11	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 8 - Dominus Hyacinthus de Archangelis Pauperum Procurator: "Ah, my Gi…	9:27	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 8. "Whew!"	13:13	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 8. "Yet what do I name "little and a leak?"	10:05	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 8. "So, doubtless, had I needed argue here"	11:58	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 8. "May Gigia have remembered, nothing stings"	11:33	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 8. "Have I proved"	13:37	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 8. "Pause and breathe!"	10:12	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 8. "And now, sea widens and the coast is clear."	9:19	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 8. "Here fall to be considered those same six"	9:26	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 8. "Third aggravation: that our act was done--"	8:32	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 8. "But wait awhile!"	10:48	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 8. "Talking of which flea"	8:35	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 8. "And now, thou excellent the Governor!"	13:04	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 9 - Juris Doctor Johannes-Baptista Bottinius: "Had I God's leave, how…	8:28	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 9. "End we exordium, Phaebus plucks my ear!"	9:35	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 9. "For lo, advancing Hymen and his pomp!"	12:08	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 9. "Enough! Prepare,"	7:53	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 9. "From all which, I deduce--the lady here"	9:29	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 9. "Thus Would I defend the step,--were the thing true"	9:06	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 9. "Fit place, methinks,"	10:56	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 9. "And so he was contented--one must do"	8:01	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 9. "It happened once,--begins this foolish Jew,"	9:40	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 9. "Forgive me this digression--that I stand"	10:51	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 9. "Yet doubt he dares!"	8:40	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 9. "Your "this," friend, is extraneous to the law,"	9:51	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10 - The Pope: "Like to Ahasuerus, that shrewd prince,"	11:19	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10. "But, after John, came Sergius, reaffirmed"	12:10	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10. "O pale departure, dim disgrace of day!"	10:24	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10. "This is why Guido is found reprobate."	10:34	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10. "He purposes this marriage, I remark,"	10:28	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10. "Whereby the man so far attains his end"	10:58	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10. "So is the murder managed, sin conceived"	13:25	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10. "Nay, more i' the background, yet? Unnoticed forms"	9:25	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10. "And surely not so very much apart"	10:40	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10. "So do I see, pronounce on all and some"	6:14	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10. "O Thou,--as represented here to me"	9:02	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10. "Neither does this astonish at the end,"	14:23	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10. "And is this little all that was to be?"	12:31	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10. "How should I answer this Euripides?"	12:50	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 10. "Still, I stand here, not off the stage though close"	13:45	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11 - Guido: "You are the Cardinal Acciaiuoli, and you,"	10:37	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "Life!"	13:06	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "That's Nature's way of loosing cord!--but Art,"	15:44	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "I say that, long ago, when things began,"	9:23	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "And the Pope breaks talk with ambassador,"	9:22	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "Enough of the hypocrites. But you, Sirs, you--"	10:48	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "Yes, presently...what hour is fleeting now?"	13:52	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "Why must your nephews begin breathing spice"	10:28	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "Panciatichi!"	10:13	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "All which just means,"	9:54	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "'Tis I preach while the hour-glass runs and runs!"	9:01	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "Just this immaculate official stares,"	8:43	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "And then my Trial,--'tis my Trial that bites"	11:30	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "Thus The time's arrived when, ancient Roman-like,"	9:56	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "So, let death atone!"	13:13	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 11. "You too are petrifactions of a kind:"	15:05	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 12 - The Book and the Ring: "Here were the end, had anything an end:"	7:34	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 12. "Now for the thing; no sooner the decree"	10:54	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 12. "And so forth,--follow name and place and date:"	10:29	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 12. "I looked that Rome should have the natural gird"	11:53	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 12. "For me, the weary and the worn, who prompt"	10:05	Lu par Tony Oliva
Chapter 12. "Alack, Bottini, what is my next word"	8:42	Lu par Tony Oliva

Critiques