from Canto VII

61

“You served at Widin?”—”Yes.”—”You led the attack?”
     “I did.”—”What next?”—”I really hardly know.”
“You were the first i’ the breach?”—”I was not slack
     At least to follow those who might be so.”
“What followed?”—”A shot laid me on my back,
     And I became a prisoner to the foe.”—
“You shall have vengeance, for the town surrounded
Is twice as strong as that where you were wounded.

62

“Where will you serve?”—”Where’er you please.”—”I know
     You like to be the hope of the forlorn,
And doubtless would be foremost on the foe
     After the hardships you’ve already borne.
And this young fellow? say what can he do?
    He with the beardless chin and garments torn?”
“Why, General, if he hath no greater fault
In war than love, he had better lead the assault.”

63

“He shall if that he dare.” Here Juan bowed
     Low as the compliment deserved. Suwarrow
Continued: “Your old regiment’s allowed,
     By special providence, to lead to-morrow,
Or it may be, to-night, the assault; I have vowed
     To several saints, that shortly plough or harrow
Shall pass o’er what was Ismail, and its tusk
Be unimpeded by the proudest Mosque.

64

“So now, my lads, for Glory!”—Here he turned
     And drilled away in the most classic Russian,
Until each high, heroic bosom burned
     For cash and conquest, as if from a cushion
A preacher had held forth (who nobly spurned
     All earthly goods save tithes) and bade them push on
To slay the Pagans, who resisted battering
The armies of the Christian Empress Catherine.

65

Johnson, who knew by this long colloquy
     Himself a favourite, ventured to address
Suwarrow, though engaged with accents high
     In his resumed amusement. “I confess
My debt in being thus allowed to die
     Among the foremost; but if you’d express
Explicitly our several posts, my friend
And self would know what duty to attend.”

66

“Right! I was busy, and forgot. Why, you
     Will join your former regiment, which should be
Now under arms. Ho! Katskoff, take him to—”
     (Here he called up a Polish orderly)
“His post I mean, the regiment Nikolaiew.
     The stranger stripling may remain with me;
He’s a fine boy. The women may be sent
To the other baggage, or to the sick tent.”

67

But here a sort of scene began to ensue;
     The ladies,—who by no means had been bred
To be disposed of in a way so new,
    Although their haram education led
Doubtless to that of doctrines the most true,
     Passive obedience,—now raised up the head,
With flashing eyes and starting tears, and flung
Their arms, as hens their wings about their young,

68

O’er the promoted couple of brave men
    Who were thus honoured by the greatest Chief
That ever peopled hell with heroes slain,
     Or plunged a province or a realm in grief.
Oh, foolish mortals! Always taught in vain!
     Oh, glorious laurel! since for one sole leaf
Of thine imaginary deathless tree,
Of blood and tears must flow the unebbing sea.

69

Suwarrow, who had small regard for tears,
     And not much sympathy for blood, surveyed
The women with their hair about their ears
     And natural agonies, with a slight shade
Of feeling; for however habit sears
     Men’s hearts against whole millions, when their trade
Is butchery, sometimes a single sorrow
Will touch even Heroes, and such was Suwarrow.

70

He said,—and in the kindest Calmuck tone,—
     “Why, Johnson, what the devil do you mean
By bringing women here? They shall be shown
     All the attention possible, and seen
In safety to the waggons, where alone
     In fact they can be safe. You should have been
Aware this kind of baggage never thrives;
Save wed a year, I hate recruits with wives.”