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)

Chapters

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

Reviews