“A beggar-child” (let’s hear this third!)
“Sat on a quay’s edge:  like a bird
Sang to herself at careless play,
And fell into the stream.  ’Dismay! 
Help, you the standers-by!’ None stirred.

“Bystanders reason, think of wives
And children ere they risk their lives. 
Over the balustrade has bounced
A mere instinctive dog, and pounced
Plumb on the prize.  ’How well he dives! 20

“’Up he comes with the child, see, tight
In mouth, alive too, clutched from quite
A depth of ten feet—­twelve, I bet! 
Good dog!  What, off again?  There’s yet
Another child to save?  All right!

“’How strange we saw no other fall! 
It’s instinct in the animal. 
Good dog!  But he’s a long while under: 
If he got drowned I should not wonder—­
Strong current, that against the wall! 30

“’Here he comes, holds in mouth this time
—­What may the thing be?  Well, that’s prime! 
Now, did you ever?  Reason reigns
In man alone, since all Tray’s pains
Have fished—­the child’s doll from the slime!’

“And so, amid the laughter gay,
Trotted my hero off,—­old Tray,—­
Till somebody, prerogatived
With reason, reasoned:  ’Why he dived,
His brain would show us, I should say. 40

“’John, go and catch—­or, if needs be,
Purchase that animal for me! 
By vivisection, at expense
Of half-an-hour and eighteen pence,
How brain secretes dog’s soul, we’ll see!’”

* * * * *

INCIDENT OF THE FRENCH CAMP

You know, we French stormed Ratisbon deg.:  deg.1
  A mile or so away
On a little mound, Napoleon
  Stood on our storming-day;
With neck out-thrust, you fancy how,
  Legs wide, arms locked behind,
As if to balance the prone brow
  Oppressive with its mind.

Just as perhaps he mused “My plans
  That soar, to earth may fall, 10
Let once my army-leader Lannes deg. deg.11
  Waver at yonder wall”—­
Out ’twixt the battery-smokes there flew
  A rider, bound on bound
Full-galloping; nor bridle drew
  Until he reached the mound,

Then off there flung in smiling joy,
  And held himself erect
By just his horse’s mane, a boy: 
  You hardly could suspect deg.—­ deg.20
(So tight he kept his lips compressed. 
  Scarce any blood came through)
You looked twice ere you saw his breast
  Was all but shot in two.

“Well,” cried he, “Emperor, by God’s grace
  We’ve got you Ratisbon! 
The Marshal’s in the market-place,
  And you’ll be there anon
To see your flag-bird flap his vans
  Where I, to heart’s desire, 30
Perched him!” The chief’s eye flashed; his plans
  Soared up again like fire.