Special signs of physical strength maintained themselves until within a few hours of the end.On Wednesday,December 11,a consultation took place between Dr.Cini,Dr.da Vigna,and Dr.Minich;and the opinion was then expressed for the first time that recovery,though still possible,was not within the bounds of probability.Weakness,however,rapidly gained upon him towards the close of the following day.
Two hours before midnight of this Thursday,December 12,he breathed his last.
He had been a good patient.He took food and medicine whenever they were offered to him.Doctors and nurses became alike warmly interested in him.
His favourite among the latter was,I think,the Venetian,a widow,Margherita Fiori,a simple kindly creature who had known much sorrow.
To her he said,about five hours before the end,'I feel much worse.
I know now that I must die.'He had shown at intervals a perception,even conviction,of his danger;but the excitement of the brain,caused by exhaustion on the one hand and the necessary stimulants on the other,must have precluded all systematic consciousness of approaching death.He repeatedly assured his family that he was not suffering.
A painful and urgent question now presented itself for solution:
Where should his body find its last rest?He had said to his sister in the foregoing summer,that he wished to be buried wherever he might die:
if in England,with his mother;if in France,with his father;if in Italy,with his wife.Circumstances all pointed to his removal to Florence;but a recent decree had prohibited further interment in the English Cemetery there,and the town had no power to rescind it.
When this was known in Venice,that city begged for itself the privilege of retaining the illustrious guest,and rendering him the last honours.
For the moment the idea even recommended itself to Mr.Browning's son.
But he felt bound to make a last effort in the direction of the burial at Florence;and was about to despatch a telegram,in which he invoked the mediation of Lord Dufferin,when all difficulties were laid at rest by a message from the Dean of Westminster,conveying his assent to an interment in the Abbey.He had already telegraphed for information concerning the date of the funeral,with a view to the memorial service,which he intended to hold on the same day.Nor would the further honour have remained for even twenty-four hours ungranted,because unasked,but for the belief prevailing among Mr.Browning's friends that there was no room for its acceptance.
It was still necessary to provide for the more immediate removal of the body.
Local custom forbade its retention after the lapse of two days and nights;and only in view of the special circumstances of the case could a short respite be granted to the family.Arrangements were therefore at once made for a private service,to be conducted by the British Chaplain in one of the great halls of the Rezzonico Palace;and by two o'clock of the following day,Sunday,a large number of visitors and residents had assembled there.The subsequent passage to the mortuary island of San Michele had been organized by the city,and was to display so much of the character of a public pageant as the hurried preparation allowed.The chief municipal officers attended the service.When this had been performed,the coffin was carried by eight firemen (pompieri),arrayed in their distinctive uniform,to the massive,highly decorated municipal barge (Barca delle Pompe funebri)which waited to receive it.It was guarded during the transit by four 'uscieri'in 'gala'dress,two sergeants of the Municipal Guard,and two of the firemen bearing torches:the remainder of these following in a smaller boat.The barge was towed by a steam launch of the Royal Italian Marine.The chief officers of the city,the family and friends in their separate gondolas,completed the procession.
