Page:Hudibras - Volume 1 (Butler, Nash, Bohn; 1859).djvu/182

104 So did the Knight, and with one claw The trigger of his pistol draw. The gun went off; and as it was Still fatal to stout Hudibras, In all his feats of arms, when least He dreamt of it, to prosper best; So now he far'd: the shot let fly, At random, 'mong the enemy, Pierced Talgol's gaberdine, and grazing Upon his shoulder, in the passing Lodg'd in Magnano's brass habergeon, Who straight, A surgeon! cried—a surgeon! He tumbled down, and, as he fell. Did murder! murder! murder! yell. This startled their whole body so, That if the Knight had not let go His arms, but been in warlike plight, H' had won, the second time, the fight; As, if the Squire had but fall'n on, He had inevitably done. But he, diverted with the care Of Hudibras his wound, forbare To press th' advantage of his fortune, While danger did the rest dishearten. For he with Cerdon b'ing engag'd In close encounter, they both wag'd The fight so well, 'twas hard to say Which side was like to get the day. And now the busy work of death Had tir'd them so, they 'greed to breathe, Preparing to renew the fight, When th' hard disaster of the knight, And th' other party, did divert Their fell intent, and forc'd them part. Ralpho press'd up to Hudibras, And Cerdon where Magnano was,