第51章

It teaches- Heaven knows only what it teaches, But sometimes it may mend, and often reaches.

Her first thought was to cut off Juan's head;

Her second, to cut only his- acquaintance;

Her third, to ask him where he had been bred;

Her fourth, to rally him into repentance;

Her fifth, to call her maids and go to bed;

Her sixth, to stab herself; her seventh, to sentence The lash to Baba:- but her grand resource Was to sit down again, and cry of course.

She thought to stab herself, but then she had The dagger close at hand, which made it awkward;

For Eastern stays are little made to pad, So that a poniard pierces if 't is stuck hard:

She thought of killing Juan- but, poor lad!

Though he deserved it well for being so backward, The cutting off his head was not the art Most likely to attain her aim- his heart.

Juan was moved; he had made up his mind To be impaled, or quarter'd as a dish For dogs, or to be slain with pangs refined, Or thrown to lions, or made baits for fish, And thus heroically stood resign'd, Rather than sin- except to his own wish:

But all his great preparatives for dying Dissolved like snow before a woman crying.

As through his palms Bob Acres' valour oozed, So Juan's virtue ebb'd, I know not how;

And first he wonder'd why he had refused;

And then, if matters could be made up now;

And next his savage virtue he accused, Just as a friar may accuse his vow, Or as a dame repents her of her oath, Which mostly ends in some small breach of both.

So he began to stammer some excuses;

But words are not enough in such a matter, Although you borrow'd all that e'er the muses Have sung, or even a Dandy's dandiest chatter, Or all the figures Castlereagh abuses;

Just as a languid smile began to flatter His peace was making, but before he ventured Further, old Baba rather briskly enter'd.

'Bride of the Sun! and Sister of the Moon!'

('T was thus he spake) 'and Empress of the Earth!

Whose frown would put the spheres all out of tune, Whose smile makes all the planets dance with mirth, Your slave brings tidings- he hopes not too soon-Which your sublime attention may be worth:

The Sun himself has sent me like a ray, To hint that he is coming up this way.'

'Is it,' exclaim'd Gulbeyaz, 'as you say?

I wish to heaven he would not shine till morning!

But bid my women form the milky way.

Hence, my old comet! give the stars due warning-And, Christian! mingle with them as you may, And as you 'd have me pardon your past scorning-'

Here they were interrupted by a humming Sound, and then by a cry, 'The Sultan 's coming!'

First came her damsels, a decorous file, And then his Highness' eunuchs, black and white;

The train might reach a quarter of a mile:

His majesty was always so polite As to announce his visits a long while Before he came, especially at night;

For being the last wife of the Emperour, She was of course the favorite of the four.

His Highness was a man of solemn port, Shawl'd to the nose, and bearded to the eyes, Snatch'd from a prison to preside at court, His lately bowstrung brother caused his rise;

He was as good a sovereign of the sort As any mention'd in the histories Of Cantemir, or Knolles, where few shine Save Solyman, the glory of their line.

He went to mosque in state, and said his prayers With more than 'Oriental scrupulosity;'

He left to his vizier all state affairs, And show'd but little royal curiosity:

I know not if he had domestic cares-No process proved connubial animosity;

Four wives and twice five hundred maids, unseen, Were ruled as calmly as a Christian queen.

If now and then there happen'd a slight slip, Little was heard of criminal or crime;