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and censers … Rochets and dalmatics。
This quandary Vexed the fairy … Flew she down to Ealing。 〃GEORGIE；
stop it！ Pray you； drop it； Hark to my appealing： To this foolish Papal rule…
ish Twaddle put an ending； This a swerve is From our Service Plain and
unpretending。〃
He； replying； Answered； sighing； Hawing； hemming； humming； 〃It's a
pity … They're so pritty； Yet in mode becoming； Mother tender； I'll
surrender … I'll be unaffected … 〃 But his Bishop Into HIS shop Entered
unexpected！
〃Who is this； sir； … Ballet miss； sir？〃 Said the Bishop coldly。 〃'T is my
mother； And no other；〃 GEORGIE answered boldly。 〃Go along； sir！ You
are wrong； sir； You have years in plenty； While this hussy （Gracious
mussy！） Isn't two and twenty！〃
（Fairies clever Never； never Grow in visage older； And the fairy； All
unwary； Leant upon his shoulder！） Bishop grieved him； Disbelieved him；
GEORGE the point grew warm on； Changed religion； Like a pigeon； （14）
And became a Mormon！
96
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
A MAIDEN sat at her window wide； Pretty enough for a Prince's bride；
Yet nobody came to claim her。 She sat like a beautiful picture there； With
pretty bluebells and roses fair； And jasmine…leaves to frame her。 And why
she sat there nobody knows； But this she sang as she plucked a rose； The
leaves around her strewing： 〃I've time to lose and power to choose； 'T is
not so much the gallant who woos； But the gallant's WAY of wooing！〃
A lover came riding by awhile； A wealthy lover was he； whose smile
Some maids would value greatly … A formal lover； who bowed and bent；
With many a high…flown compliment； And cold demeanour stately；
〃You've still；〃 said she to her suitor stern； 〃The 'prentice…work of your
craft to learn； If thus you come a…cooing。 I've time to lose and power to
choose； 'T is not so much the gallant who woos； As the gallant's WAY of
wooing！〃
A second lover came ambling by … A timid lad with a frightened eye
And a colour mantling highly。 He muttered the errand on which he'd come；
Then only chuckled and bit his thumb； And simpered； simpered shyly。
〃No；〃 said the maiden； 〃go your way； You dare but think what a man
would say； Yet dare to come a…suing！ I've time to lose and power to choose；
'T is not so much the gallant who woos； As the gallant's WAY of wooing！〃
A third rode up at a startling pace … A suitor poor； with a homely face No
doubts appeared to bind him。 He kissed her lips and he pressed her
waist； And off he rode with the maiden； placed On a pillion safe behind
him。 And she heard the suitor bold confide This golden hint to the priest
who tied The knot there's no undoing； With pretty young maidens who can
choose； 'T is not so much the gallant who woos； As the gallant's WAY of
wooing！〃
97
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
THE sun was setting in its wonted west； When HONGREE； Sub…
Lieutenant of Chassoores； Met MAHRY DAUBIGNY； the Village Rose；
Under the Wizard's Oak … old trysting…place Of those who loved in rosy
Aquitaine。
They thought themselves unwatched； but they were not； For
HONGREE； Sub…Lieutenant of Chassoores； Found in LIEUTENANTCOLONEL
JOOLES DUBOSC A rival； envious and unscrupulous； Who
thought it not foul scorn to dodge his steps； And listen； unperceived； to all
that passed Between the simple little Village Rose And HONGREE； Sub…
Lieutenant of Chassoores。
A clumsy barrack…bully was DUBOSC； Quite unfamiliar with the
well…bred tact That animates a proper gentleman In dealing with a girl of
humble rank。 You'll understand his coarseness when I say He would have
married MAHRY DAUBIGNY； And dragged the unsophisticated girl Into
the whirl of fashionable life； For which her singularly rustic ways； Her
breeding （moral； but extremely rude）； Her language （chaste； but
ungrammatical）； Would absolutely have unfitted her。 How different to this
unreflecting boor Was HONGREE； Sub…Lieutenant of Chassoores。
Contemporary with the incident Related in our opening paragraph；
Was that sad war 'twixt Gallia and ourselves That followed on the treaty
signed at Troyes； And so LIEUTENANT…COLONEL JOOLES DUBOSC
（Brave soldier； he； with all his faults of style） And HONGREE； Sub…
Lieutenant of Chassoores； Were sent by CHARLES of France against the
lines Of our Sixth HENRY （Fourteen twenty…nine）； To drive his legions
out of Aquitaine。
When HONGREE； Sub…Lieutenant of Chassoores； Returned；
suspecting nothing； to his camp； After his meeting with the Village Rose；
98
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
〃Young HONGREE； Sub…Lieutenant of Chassoores； This night we
shall attack the English camp： Be the 'forlorn hope' yours … you'll lead it；
sir； And lead it too with credit； I've no doubt。 As every man must certainly
be killed （For you are twenty 'gainst two thousand men）； It is not likely
that you will return。 But what of that？ you'll have the benefit Of knowing
that you die a soldier's death。〃
Obedience was young HONGREE'S strongest point； But he imagined
that he only owed Allegiance to his MAHRY and his King。 〃If MAHRY
bade me lead these fated men； I'd lead them …but I do not think she would。
If CHARLES； my King； said； 'Go； my son； and die；' I'd go； of course … my
duty would be clear。 But MAHRY is in bed asleep； I hope； And
CHARLES； my King； a hundred leagues from this。 As for LIEUTENANTCOLONEL
JOOLES DUBOSC； How know I that our monarch would
approve The order he has given me to…night？ My King I've sworn in all
things to obey … I'll only take my orders from my King！〃 Thus HONGREE；
Sub…Lieutenant of Chassoores； Interpreted the terms of his commission。
And HONGREE； who was wise as he was good； Disguised himself
that night in ample cloak； Round flapping hat； and vizor mask of black；
And made； unnoticed； for the English camp。 He passed the unsuspecting
sentinels （Who little thought a man in this disguise Could be a proper
object of suspicion）； And ere the curfew bell had boomed 〃lights out；〃 He
found in audience Bedford's haughty Duke。
〃Your Grace；〃 he said； 〃start not … be not alarmed； Although a
Frenchman stands before your eyes。 I'm HONGREE； Sub…Lieutenant of
Chassoores。 My Colonel will attack your camp to…night； And orders me to
lead the hope forlorn。 Now I am sure our excellent KING CHARLES
Would not approve of this； but he's away A hundred leagues； and rather
more than that。 So； utterly devoted to my King； Blinded by my attachment
to the throne； And having but its interest at heart； I feel it is my duty to
disclose All schemes that emanate from COLONEL JOOLES； If I believe
that they are not the kind Of schemes that our good monarch would
99
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
〃But how；〃 said Bedford's Duke； 〃do you propose That we should
overthrow your Colonel's scheme？〃 And HONGREE； Sub…Lieutenant of
Chassoores；