Boththeloversbelievedthatanimmediatemarriagewould，fromeverypointofview，bebest。Itwasnotadvisablethatitshouldbelongdelayed，iftohappenatall，forthehealthofMissBarrettwassopoorthatanotherwinterinLondonmight，probablywould，meanirretrievableharm。
SometimebeforethisshehadbecomeacquaintedwithMrs。Jameson，theeminentart-writer。Theregard，whichquicklydevelopedtoanaffectionateesteem，wasmutual。OneSeptembermorningMrs。Jamesoncalled，andafterhavingdweltonthegloomandperilofanotherwinterinLondon，dweltonthemagicofItaly，andconcludedbyinvitingMissBarretttoaccompanyherinherownimminentdepartureforabroad。Thepoetwastouchedandgrateful，but，pointingtoherinvalidsofa，andgentlyemphasisingherenfeebledhealthandotherdifficultcircumstances，excusedherselffromacceptanceofMrs。Jameson’sgenerousoffer。
Inthe“MemoirsofMrs。Jameson“thatlady’sniece，Mrs。Macpherson，relateshowontheeveofherandheraunt’sdeparture，alittlenoteoffarewellarrivedfromMissBarrett，“deploringthewriter’sinabilitytocomeinpersonandbidherfriendgood-bye，asshewas`forcedtobesatisfiedwiththesofaandsilence。’“
Itiseasytounderstand，therefore，withwhatamazementMrs。Jameson，shortlyafterherarrivalinParis，receivedaletterfromRobertBrowningtotheeffectthatheANDHISWIFEhadjustcomefromLondon，ontheirwaytoItaly。“Myaunt’ssurprisewassomethingalmostcomical，“
writesMrs。Macpherson，“sostartlingandentirelyunexpectedwasthenews。“
Anddulymarriedindeedthetwopoetshadbeen!
FromthemomentthematterwasmootedtoMr。Barrett，heevincedhisrepugnancetotheidea。Tohimeventhemostfoolishassertionofhisownwasasacredpledge。Hecalledit“prideinhisword“：othersrecogniseditastheveryarroganceofobstinacy。Herefusedtocountenancethemarriageinanyway，refusedtohaveBrowning’snamementionedinhispresence，andevenwhenhisdaughtertoldhimthatshehaddefinitelymadeuphermind，heflatlydeclinedtoacknowledgeasevenpossiblewhatwasindeedveryimminent。
Nordidheeverstepdownfromhisridiculouspinnacleofwoundedself-love。
Favouritedaughterthoughshehadbeen，Mr。Barrettneverforgaveher，heldnocommunicationwithherevenwhenshebecameamother，anddidnotmentionherinhiswill。Itisneedlesstosayanythingmoreuponthissubject。WhatMr。andMrs。Browningwereinvariablyreticentuponcanwellbepassedoverwithmerementionofthefacts。
Atthelastmomenttherehadbeengreathurryandconfusion。
Butnevertheless，ontheforenoonofthe12thofSeptember1846，RobertBrowningandElizabethBarretthadunceremoniouslysteppedintoSt。Mary-le-boneChurchandtherebeenmarried。
SosecrethadthematterbeenkeptthatevensucholdfriendsasRichardHengistHorneandMr。Kenyonwereinignoranceoftheeventforsometimeafterithadactuallyoccurred。
Mrs。JamesonmadeallhastetothehotelwheretheBrowningswere，andultimatelypersuadedthemtoleavethehotelforthequieter`pension’
intheRueVilled’Eveque，wheresheandMrs。Macphersonwerestaying。
Thereafteritwasagreedthat，assoonasafortnighthadgoneby，theyshouldjourneytoItalytogether。
Trulyenough，asMrs。Macphersonsays，thejourneymusthavebeen“enchanting，madeinsuchcompanionship。“BeforedepartingfromParis，Mrs。Jameson，inwritingtoafriend，alludedtoherunexpectedcompanions，andadded，“Bothexcellent：butGodhelpthem!forIknownothowthetwopoetheadsandpoetheartswillgetonthroughthisprosaicworld。“
Thiskindlyfriendwasnottheonlypersonwhoexperiencedsimilardoubts。
Oneacquaintance，nootherthanthePoet-Laureate，Wordsworth，added：
“So，RobertBrowningandElizabethBarretthavegoneofftogether!
Well，Ihopetheymayunderstandeachothernobodyelsecould!“
Asamatteroffacttheydid，andtosuchgoodintentthattheyseemnevertohavehadonehourofdissatisfaction，neveronejarinthemusicoftheirlives。
WhatahappywayfaringthroughFrancethatmusthavebeen!
Thetravellinghadtobeslow，andwithfrequentinterruptions，onaccountofMrs。Browning’shealth：yetshesteadilyimproved，andwasalmostfromthestartabletotakemoreexercise，andtobelongerintheopenairthanhadforlongbeenherwont。
Theypassedsouthward，andaftersomenovelexperiencesin`diligences’，reachedAvignon，wheretheyrestedforacoupleofdays。
Thencealittleexpedition，apoeticalpilgrimage，wasmadetoVaucluse，sacredtothememoryofPetrarchandLaura。There，asMrs。Macphersonhastoldus，attheverysourceofthe“chiare，frescheedolceacque，“
Browningtookhiswifeupinhisarms，and，carryingheracrossthroughtheshallowcurlingwaters，seatedheronarockthatrosethrone-likeinthemiddleofthestream。Thus，indeed，didloveandpoetrytakeanewpossessionofthespotimmortalisedbyPetrarch’slovingfancy。
ThreeweekspassedhappilybeforePisa，theBrownings’destination，wasreached。Buteventhenthefriendswereunwillingtopart，andMrs。Jamesonandhernieceremainedinthedesertedoldcityforascoreofdayslonger。SowonderfulwasthechangewroughtinMrs。Browningbyhappiness，andbyalltheenfranchisementhermarriagemeantforher，that，asherfriendwrotetoMissMitford，“sheisnotmerelyimprovedbuttransformed。“Inthenewsunshinewhichhadcomeintoherlife，sheblossomedlikeaflower-budlongdelayedbygloomandchill。Herheart，intruth，waslikealarkwhenwaftedskywardbythefirstspring-wind。
Atlasttohertherehadcomesomethingofthatpeaceshehadlongedfor，andthough，inthejoyofhernewlife，hergenius“likeanArabbirdsleptfloatinginthewind，“itwaswiththatrestfulhushwhichprecedesthecreativestorm。Thereissomethingdeeplypatheticinherconsciousjoy。Solittleactualexperienceoflifehadbeenhersthatinmanyrespectsshewasasachild：andshehadallthechild’syearningforthoseunsulliedhoursthatnevercomewhenoncetheyaremissed。
Butitwasnottillloveunfastenedtheinnerchambersofherheartandbrainthatsherealisedtothefull，whatshehadoftendoubted，howsupremeathingmerelifeis。Itwasinsomesuchmoodthatshewrotethelovelyforty-secondofthe“SonnetsfromthePortuguese“，closingthus
“LetusstayRatheronearth，Beloved，wheretheunfitContrariousmoodsofmenrecoilawayAndisolatepurespirits，andpermitAplacetostandandloveinforaday，Withdarknessandthedeath-hourroundingit。“
AsforBrowning’slovetowardshiswife，nothingmoretenderandchivalroushaseverbeentoldofidealloversinanidealromance。
Itissobeautifulastorythatoneoftenprefersittothesweetestorloftiestpoemthatcamefromthelipsofeither。
Thatloveknewnosoilureinthepassageoftheyears。
Liketheflameoforientallegend，itwasperenniallyincandescentthoughfednototherwisethanbysunlightandmoonshine。
Ifitalonesurvive，itmayresolvethepoeticfameofeitherintooneimperishable，luminousrayofwhitelight：astheutteredsongfusedinthedeathlesspassionofSapphogleamsstar-likedownthecenturiesfromthehighsteepofLeucadoe。
Itwashere，inPisa，Ihavebeentoldonindubitableauthority，thatBrowningfirstsawinmanuscriptthose“SonnetsfromthePortuguese“
whichnopoetofPortugalhadeverwritten，whichnomancouldhavewritten，whichnootherwomanthanhiswifecouldhavecomposed。
Fromthetimewhenithadfirstdawneduponherthatlovewastobehers，andthatthelaurelofpoetrywasnottobehersolecoronal，shehadfoundexpressionforherexquisitetroubleintheseshortpoems，whichshethinlydisguisedfrom`innerpublicity’whensheissuedthemas“fromthePortuguese“。
Itispleasanttothinkoftheshydelightwithwhichthedelicate，flower-like，almostetherealpoet-wife，inthosememorablePisanevenings
withthewindblowingsoundinglyfromthehillsofCarrara，orquiescentinadeepautumnalcalmbrokenonlybytheslowwashofArnoalongthesea-mossedlong-desertedquaysshowedherlove-poemstoherhusband。Withwhatloveandpridehemusthavereadthoseoutpouringsofthemostsensitiveandbeautifulnaturehehadevermet，vialsoflovelythoughtandlovelieremotion，allstoredagainstthecomingofagoldenday。
“HowdoIlovethee？Letmecounttheways。
IlovetheetothedepthandbreadthandheightMysoulcanreach，whenfeelingoutofsightFortheendsofBeingandidealGrace。
Ilovetheetothelevelofeveryday’sMostquietneed，bysunandcandlelight。
Ilovetheefreely，asmenstriveforRight；
Ilovetheepurely，astheyturnfromPraise。
IlovetheewiththepassionputtouseInmyoldgriefs，andwithmychildhood’sfaith。
IlovetheewithaloveIseemedtoloseWithmylostsaints，Ilovetheewiththebreath，Smiles，tears，ofallmylife!and，ifGodchoose，IshallbutlovetheebetterafterDeath!“
Evensuchheart-musicasthiscannothavethrilledhimmorethanthesetwoexquisitelines，withtheirtruthalmosttoopoignanttopermitofserenejoy