XIV. When Juan answered "Spanish!" he replied, "I thought, in fact, you could not be a Greek; "Those servile dogs are not so proudly eyed: "Fortune has played you here a pretty freak, "But that's her way with all men till they're tried; "But never mind,—she'll turn, perhaps, next week; "She has served me also much the same as you, 66 Except that I have found it nothing new." XV. "Pray, Sir," said Juan, " if I may presume, "What brought you here?"-" Oh! nothing very rare "But what conducted, if the question's fair, "Is that which I would learn."-" I served for some "Months with the Russian army here and there, "And taking lately, by Suwarrow's bidding, "A town, was ta'en myself instead of Widin." XVI. 66 "Have you no friends ?”—“ I had—but, by God's blessing, "Have not been troubled with them lately. Now “I have answered all your questions without pressing, "And you an equal courtesy should show."— "Alas!" said Juan, " 't were a tale distressing, "And long besides."-" Oh! if 'tis really so, "You're right on both accounts to hold your tongue; “A sad tale saddens doubly when 't is long. XVII. "But droop not: Fortune at your time of life, 66 Although a female moderately fickle, "Will hardly leave you (as she's not your wife) "To strive too with our fate were such a strife "Men are the sport of circumstances, when XVIII. " "Tis not," said Juan, " for my present doom A moment, and then dropped; "but to resume, ""Tis not my present lot, as I have said, "Which I deplore so much; for I have borne "Hardships which have the hardiest overworn, XIX. "On the rough deep. But this last blow—” and here 66 He stopped again, and turned away his face. Ay," quoth his friend, "I thought it would appear "That there had been a lady in the case; "And these are things which ask a tender tear, "Such as I too would shed if in your place : "I cried upon my first wife's dying day, "And also when my second ran away: XX. "My third-"-"Your third!" quoth Juan, turning round; "You scarcely can be thirty: have you "No-only two at present above ground: 66 Surely 'tis nothing wonderful to see three ?" "One person thrice in holy wedlock bound!" "Well, then, your third," said Juan; "what did she? "She did not run away, too, did she, sir?” “No, faith.”—“ What then?”—“ I ran away from her." XXI. "You take things coolly, sir," said Juan. "Why,' Replied the other, "what can a man do? "There still are many rainbows in your sky, 99 "But mine have vanished. All, when life is new, "Commence with feelings warm and prospects high; "But time strips our illusions of their hue, "And one by one in turn, some grand mistake "Casts off its bright skin yearly like the snake. L XXII. "'Tis true, it gets another bright and fresh, "Or fresher, brighter; but the year gone through, "This skin must go the way too of all flesh, "Or sometimes only wear a week or two;— "Love's the first net which spreads its deadly mesh; "Ambition, Avarice, Vengeance, Glory, glue "The glittering lime-twigs of our latter days, "Where still we flutter on for pence or praise." XXIII. "All this is very fine, and may be true," 66 Knowledge, at least, is gained; for instance, now, "We know what slavery is, and our disasters 66 May teach us better to behave when masters." |