Unto his protégée; while hers, transfix'd XCVII. Up came John Johnson (I will not say “Jack," For that were vulgar, cold, and common-place On great occasions, such as an attack On cities, as hath been the present case): Up Johnson came, with hundreds at his back, Exclaiming :- "Juan! Juan! On, boy! brace Your arm, and I'll bet Moscow to a dollar That you and I will win St. George's collar. (1) XCVIII. "The Seraskier is knock'd upon the head, Our kill'd, already piled up to the chin, XCIX. "Then up with me!"-But Juan answer'd, "Look (1) A Russian military order. And I am with you."— Whereon Johnson took A glance around—and shrugg'd-and twitch'd his sleeve And black silk neckcloth-and replied, "You're right; Poor thing! what's to be done? I'm puzzled quite." C. Said Juan- "Whatsoever is to be Done, I'll not quit her till she seems secure Of present life a good deal more than we.". Quoth Johnson-" Neither will I quite ensure; But at the least you may die gloriously." Juan replied "At least I will endure Whate'er is to be borne-but not resign This child, who is parentless, and therefore mine." CI. Johnson said "Juan, we've no time to lose; Will serve when there is plunder in a city ;- CII. But Juan was immoveable; until Johnson, who really loved him in his way, Pick'd out amongst his followers with some skill Such as he thought the least given up to prey; And swearing if the infant came to ill That they should all be shot on the next day; But if she were deliver'd safe and sound, They should at least have fifty rubles round, CIII. And all allowances besides of plunder In fair proportion with their comrades ;—then Juan consented to march on through thunder, Which thinn'd at every step their ranks of men: And yet the rest rush'd eagerly-no wonder, For they were heated by the hope of gain, A thing which happens every where each day— No hero trusteth wholly to half pay. CIV. And such is victory, and such is man! At least nine tenths of what we call so;-God May have another name for half we scan As human beings, or his ways are odd. But to our subject: a brave Tartar khan Or "sultan," as the author (to whose nod In prose I bend my humble verse) doth call This chieftain-somehow would not yield at all: CV. But flank'd by five brave sons, (such is polygamy, While courage clung but to a single twig.— Am I Describing Priam's, Peleus', or Jove's son? Neither but a good, plain, old, temperate man, Who fought with his five children in the van. (1) CVI. To take him was the point. The truly brave, CVII. But he would not be taken, and replied As obstinate as Swedish Charles at Bender. (2) (1) ["Le sultan périt dans l'action en brave homme, digne d'un meilleur destin; ce fut lui qui rallia les Turcs lorsque l'ennemi pénétra dans le place: ce sultan, d'une valeur éprouvée, surpassait en générosité les plus civilisés de sa nation; cinq de ses fils combattaient à ses côtés, il les encourageait par son exemple.” — Hist. de la N. R. tom. iii. p. 215.] (2) " At Bender, after the fatal battle of Pultawa, Charles gave a proof of that unreasonable obstinacy, which occasioned all his misfortunes in Turkey. When advised to write to the grand vizier, according to the custom of the Turks, he said it was beneath his dignity. The same obstinacy placed him necessarily at variance with all the ministers of the Porte." VOLTAIRE.] CVIII. And spite of Johnson and of Juan, who He hew'd away, like doctors of theology CIX. Nay, he had wounded, though but slightly, both And pour'd upon him and his sons like rain, CX. That drinks and still is dry. At last they perish'd- His third was sabred; and the fourth, most cherish'd |