第68章

Just at this crisis up came Johnson too, Who had 'retreated,' as the phrase is when Men run away much rather than go through Destruction's jaws into the devil's den;

But Johnson was a clever fellow, who Knew when and how 'to cut and come again,'

And never ran away, except when running Was nothing but a valorous kind of cunning.

And so, when all his corps were dead or dying, Except Don Juan, a mere novice, whose More virgin valour never dreamt of flying From ignorance of danger, which indues Its votaries, like innocence relying On its own strength, with careless nerves and thews,-Johnson retired a little, just to rally Those who catch cold in 'shadows of Death's valley.'

And there, a little shelter'd from the shot, Which rain'd from bastion, battery, parapet, Rampart, wall, casement, house,- for there was not In this extensive city, sore beset By Christian soldiery, a single spot Which did not combat like the devil, as yet, He found a number of Chasseurs, all scatter'd By the resistance of the chase they batter'd.

And these he call'd on; and, what 's strange, they came Unto his call, unlike 'the spirits from The vasty deep,' to whom you may exclaim, Says Hotspur, long ere they will leave their home.

Their reasons were uncertainty, or shame At shrinking from a bullet or a bomb, And that odd impulse, which in wars or creeds Makes men, like cattle, follow him who leads.

By Jove! he was a noble fellow, Johnson, And though his name, than Ajax or Achilles, Sounds less harmonious, underneath the sun soon We shall not see his likeness: he could kill his Man quite as quietly as blows the monsoon Her steady breath (which some months the same still is):

Seldom he varied feature, hue, or muscle, And could be very busy without bustle;

And therefore, when he ran away, he did so Upon reflection, knowing that behind He would find others who would fain be rid so Of idle apprehensions, which like wind Trouble heroic stomachs. Though their lids so Oft are soon closed, all heroes are not blind, But when they light upon immediate death, Retire a little, merely to take breath.

But Johnson only ran off, to return With many other warriors, as we said, Unto that rather somewhat misty bourn, Which Hamlet tells us is a pass of dread.

To Jack howe'er this gave but slight concern:

His soul (like galvanism upon the dead)

Acted upon the living as on wire, And led them back into the heaviest fire.

Egad! they found the second time what they The first time thought quite terrible enough To fly from, malgre all which people say Of glory, and all that immortal stuff Which fills a regiment (besides their pay, That daily shilling which makes warriors tough)-They found on their return the self-same welcome, Which made some think, and others know, a hell come.

They fell as thick as harvests beneath hail, Grass before scythes, or corn below the sickle, Proving that trite old truth, that life 's as frail As any other boon for which men stickle.

The Turkish batteries thrash'd them like a flail, Or a good boxer, into a sad pickle Putting the very bravest, who were knock'd Upon the head, before their guns were cock'd.

The Turks, behind the traverses and flanks Of the next bastion, fired away like devils, And swept, as gales sweep foam away, whole ranks:

However, Heaven knows how, the Fate who levels Towns, nations, worlds, in her revolving pranks, So order'd it, amidst these sulphury revels, That Johnson and some few who had not scamper'd, Reach'd the interior talus of the rampart.

First one or two, then five, six, and a dozen, Came mounting quickly up, for it was now All neck or nothing, as, like pitch or rosin, Flame was shower'd forth above, as well 's below, So that you scarce could say who best had chosen, The gentlemen that were the first to show Their martial faces on the parapet, Or those who thought it brave to wait as yet.

But those who scaled, found out that their advance Was favour'd by an accident or blunder:

The Greek or Turkish Cohorn's ignorance Had palisado'd in a way you 'd wonder To see in forts of Netherlands or France (Though these to our Gibraltar must knock under)-Right in the middle of the parapet Just named, these palisades were primly set:

So that on either side some nine or ten Paces were left, whereon you could contrive To march; a great convenience to our men, At least to all those who were left alive, Who thus could form a line and fight again;

And that which farther aided them to strive Was, that they could kick down the palisades, Which scarcely rose much higher than grass blades.

Among the first,- I will not say the first, For such precedence upon such occasions Will oftentimes make deadly quarrels burst Out between friends as well as allied nations:

The Briton must be bold who really durst Put to such trial John Bull's partial patience, As say that Wellington at Waterloo Was beaten- though the Prussians say so too;-And that if Blucher, Bulow, Gneisenau, And God knows who besides in 'au' and 'ow,'

Had not come up in time to cast an awe Into the hearts of those who fought till now As tigers combat with an empty craw, The Duke of Wellington had ceased to show His orders, also to receive his pensions, Which are the heaviest that our history mentions.

But never mind;- 'God save the king!' and kings!

For if he don't, I doubt if men will longer-I think I hear a little bird, who sings The people by and by will be the stronger:

The veriest jade will wince whose harness wrings So much into the raw as quite to wrong her Beyond the rules of posting,- and the mob At last fall sick of imitating Job.

At first it grumbles, then it swears, and then, Like David, flings smooth pebbles 'gainst a giant;

At last it takes to weapons such as men Snatch when despair makes human hearts less pliant.

Then comes 'the tug of war;'- 't will come again, I rather doubt; and I would fain say 'fie on 't,'

If I had not perceived that revolution Alone can save the earth from hell's pollution.