The Works of Lord Byron Volume VI Part 68

(Or _beaten_, if you insist on grammar, though I never think about it in a heat,) But here I say the Turks were much mistaken, Who hating hogs, yet wished to save their bacon.

XLIII.

For, on the sixteenth, at full gallop, drew In sight two hors.e.m.e.n, who were deemed Cossacques For some time, till they came in nearer view: They had but little baggage at their backs, For there were but _three_ s.h.i.+rts between the two; But on they rode upon two Ukraine hacks, Till, in approaching, were at length descried In this plain pair, Suwarrow and his guide.[402]

XLIV.

"Great joy to London now!" says some great fool, When London had a grand illumination, Which to that bottle-conjuror, John Bull, Is of all dreams the first hallucination; So that the streets of coloured lamps are full, That sage (said John) surrenders at discretion[ho]

His purse, his soul, his sense, and even his nonsense, To gratify, like a huge moth, this _one_ sense.

XLV.

'T is strange that he should further "d.a.m.n his eyes,"

For they are d.a.m.ned; that once all-famous oath Is to the Devil now no further prize, Since John has lately lost the use of both.

Debt he calls Wealth, and taxes Paradise; And Famine, with her gaunt and bony growth, Which stare him in the face, he won't examine, Or swears that Ceres hath begotten Famine.

XLVI.

But to the tale;--great joy unto the camp!

To Russian, Tartar, English, French, Cossacque, O'er whom Suwarrow shone like a gas lamp, Presaging a most luminous attack; Or like a wisp along the marsh so damp, Which leads beholders on a boggy walk, He flitted to and fro a dancing light, Which all who saw it followed, wrong or right.

XLVII.

But, certes, matters took a different face; There was enthusiasm and much applause, The fleet and camp saluted with great grace, And all presaged good fortune to their cause.

Within a cannot-shot length of the place They drew, constructed ladders, repaired flaws In former works, made new, prepared fascines, And all kinds of benevolent machines.

XLVIII.

'T is thus the spirit of a single mind Makes that of mult.i.tudes take one direction, As roll the waters to the breathing wind, Or roams the herd beneath the bull's protection; Or as a little dog will lead the blind, Or a bell-wether form the flock's connection By tinkling sounds, when they go forth to victual; Such is the sway of your great men o'er little.

XLIX.

The whole camp rung with joy; you would have thought That they were going to a marriage feast (This metaphor, I think, holds good as aught, Since there is discord after both at least): There was not now a luggage boy but sought Danger and spoil with ardour much increased; And why? because a little--odd--old man, Stripped to his s.h.i.+rt, was come to lead the van.

L.

But so it was; and every preparation Was made with all alacrity: the first Detachment of three columns took its station, And waited but the signal's voice to burst Upon the foe: the second's ordination Was also in three columns, with a thirst For Glory gaping o'er a sea of Slaughter: The third, in columns two, attacked by water.[403]

LI.

New batteries were erected, and was held A general council, in which Unanimity, That stranger to most councils, here prevailed,[404]

As sometimes happens in a great extremity;[hp]

And every difficulty being dispelled, Glory began to dawn with due sublimity,[hq]

While Souvaroff, determined to obtain it, Was teaching his recruits to use the bayonet.[405]

LII.

It is an actual fact, that he, commander In chief, in proper person deigned to drill The awkward squad, and could afford to squander His time, a corporal's duty to fulfil; Just as you'd break a sucking salamander To swallow flame, and never take it ill:[hr]

He showed them how to mount a ladder (which Was not like Jacob's) or to cross a ditch.[406]

LIII.

Also he dressed up, for the nonce, fascines Like men with turbans, scimitars, and dirks, And made them charge with bayonet these machines, By way of lesson against actual Turks;[407]

And when well practised in these mimic scenes, He judged them proper to a.s.sail the works,-- (At which your wise men sneered in phrases witty),[hs]

He made no answer--but he took the city.

LIV.

Most things were in this posture on the eve Of the a.s.sault, and all the camp was in A stern repose; which you would scarce conceive; Yet men resolved to dash through thick and thin Are very silent when they once believe That all is settled:--there was little din, For some were thinking of their home and friends, And others of themselves and latter ends.[ht]

LV.

Suwarrow chiefly was on the alert, Surveying, drilling, ordering, jesting, pondering; For the man was, we safely may a.s.sert, A thing to wonder at beyond most wondering; Hero, buffoon, half-demon, and half-dirt, Praying, instructing, desolating, plundering--Now Mars, now Momus--and when bent to storm A fortress, Harlequin in uniform.[408]

LVI.

The day before the a.s.sault, while upon drill-- For this great conqueror played the corporal-- Some Cossacques, hovering like hawks round a hill, Had met a party towards the Twilight's fall, One of whom spoke their tongue--or well or ill, 'T was much that he was understood at all; But whether from his voice, or speech, or manner, They found that he had fought beneath their banner.

LVII.

Whereon immediately at his request They brought him and his comrades to head-quarters; Their dress was Moslem, but you might have guessed That these were merely masquerading Tartars, And that beneath each Turkish-fas.h.i.+oned vest Lurked Christianity--which sometimes barters Her inward grace for outward show, and makes It difficult to shun some strange mistakes.

LVIII.

Suwarrow, who was standing in his s.h.i.+rt Before a company of Calmucks, drilling, Exclaiming, fooling, swearing at the inert, And lecturing on the n.o.ble art of killing,-- For deeming human clay but common dirt This great philosopher was thus instilling His maxims,[409] which to martial comprehension Proved death in battle equal to a pension;--

LIX.

Suwarrow, when he saw this company Of Cossacques and their prey, turned round and cast Upon them his slow brow and piercing eye:-- "Whence come ye?"--"From Constantinople last, Captives just now escaped," was the reply.

"What are ye?"--"What you see us." Briefly pa.s.sed This dialogue; for he who answered knew To whom he spoke, and made his words but few.

LX.

"Your names?"--"Mine's Johnson, and my comrade's Juan; The other two are women, and the third Is neither man nor woman." The Chief threw on The party a slight glance, then said," I have heard _Your_ name before, the second is a new one: To bring the other three here was absurd: But let that pa.s.s:--I think I have heard your name In the Nikolaiew regiment?"--"The same."

LXI.

"You served at Widdin?"--"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.

LXII.

"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 hards.h.i.+ps 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 a.s.sault"--

LXIII.

"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 a.s.sault: I have vowed To several Saints, that shortly plough or harrow Shall pa.s.s o'er what was Ismail, and its tusk[410]