444 BYRON’S

tXXu

Alas! I must leave undescribed the gibier,

The salmi, the consomme, the puree.

All which I use to mahg my rhymes run glibber,Than could roast beef in our rough John Bull way:

I must not introduce even a spare-rib here:

“ Bubble and squeak ” would spoil my liquid lay;But I have din'd, and must forego, alas:

The chaste description even of a “ becasse,”

LXXII.

And fruits, and ice, and all that art refinesFrom nature, for the service of tbe gofit-—

Taste or the gout ,—pronounce it as inclinesYour stomach: ere you dine, the French willdo;

But aftet\ there are sometimes certain signs■Which prove plain English truer of the two. .Hast ever had the gout ? I have not had it—

But I may have; and you, too, reader, dread it

IXXIIT.

The simple olives, best allies of wiue,

Must I pass over in my bill of fare 'lI must, although a favourite “ plat ” of mine.

In Spain , and Lucca, Athens, every where:

On them and bread 'twas oft my luck to dine,

The grass my table-cloth, in open air,

On Sunium or Hymettus, like Diogenes ,

Of whom half my philosophy the progeny is.

lxxiv.

Amidst this tumult of fish, flesh, and fowd,

And vegetables, all in masquerade,

The guests were placed according to their roll;

But various as the various meats display’d :

Don Juan sat next ‘*a l’Espagnole ”—

No damsel, but a dish, as hath been said;

But so far like a lady, that ‘twas drestSuperbly, and contain'd a world of zest.

LXXV.

By some odd chance, too, lie was plac'd betweenAurora and the Lady Adeline—

A situation difficult I ween,

For man therein, with eyes and heart, to dine-Also the conference which we have seen.

Was not such as to encourage him to shme;

For Adeline, addressing few words to him.

With two transcendent eyes seem'd to look throughhim.

LXXVI.

1 sometimes almost think that eyes have ears:

This much is sure, that, out of earshot, thingsAre somehow echoed to the pretty dears.

Of which I can't tell whence their knowledgesprings;

Like that same mystic music of the spheres,

Which no one hears, so loudly though it rings.

’Tis wonderful how oft the sex have heardLoug dialogues—which pass’d without a word!

LXXVIT.

Aurora sat with that indifference

Which piques a preux chevalier—as it ought:

Of all offences that's the worst offence.

Which seems to hint you are not worth athought

WORKS.

Now Juan, though no coxcomb in pretenefl,

Was not exactly pleased to be so caught,

Like a good ship entangled among ice,

And after so much excellent advice. *

LXXVIII.

To his gay nothings, nothing was replied.

Or something which was nothing, as urbanityRequir'd. Aurora scarcely look'd aside,

Nor even smil’d enough for any vanity.

The devil was in the girl I Could it he pride ?

Or modesty, or absence, or inanity ?

Heaven knows! But Adeline's malicious eyesSparkled with her successful prophecies,

LXXIX.

And look'd as much as if to say ’* I said it;”

A kind of triumph I’ll not recommend.

Because it sometimes, as 1 have seen or read L, ■Both, in the case of lover aud of friend,

Will pique a gentleman, for his own credit.

To bring what was a jest to a serious end :

For all men prophecy what is or icas;

And hate those who won’t let them come to pass.

LXXX.

Juan was drawn thus into some attentions. ,

Slight but Beleet, and just euough to express, ITo females of perspicuous comprehensions, |

That he would rather inako them more than less, iAurora, at the last (so history mentions.

Though probably much less a fact than guess)

So far relax'd her thoughts from their swestprison,

As once or twice to smile, if not to listen.

Lxxxr.

From answering, she began to question: thisWith her was rare ; and Adeline, who as \etThought her predictions went not much amiss,

Began to dread she’d thaw to a coquette—

So very difficult, they say, it isTo keep extremes from meeting, when once setIn motion; but she here too much refin’d—

Aurora's spirit was not of that kind.

LXXXII.

But Juan had a sort of winning way.

A proud humility, if such there be,

Which show’d such deference to what female*say,

As if each charming word were a decree. ,

His tact, too, temper'd him from grave to gay; tAnd taught him when to he reserv’d or free :

He had the art of drawing people out,

Without their seeing what he was about.

Lxxxnr.

Aurora, who. in her indifference,

Confounded him in common with the crowdOf ilatterers, though slio deem’d he had more sens® hThan whispering foplings, or than witling*loud—

Commenced (from such slight things will gre® 5commence)

To feel that flattery which attracts the proud,

Rather by deference than compliment,

And wins even by a delicate dissent.