Page:Hudibras - Volume 1 (Butler, Nash, Bohn; 1859).djvu/225

CANTO I.] It did belong t' a worthy Knight, Howe'er this goblin is come by't. When Hudibras the lady heard, Discoursing thus upon his beard. And speak with such respect and honour, Both of the beard and the beard's owner, He thought it best to set as good A face upon it as he could, And thus he spoke: Lady, your bright And radiant eyes are in the right; The beard's th' identique beard you knew, The same numerically true: Nor is it worn by fiend or elf, But its proprietor himself. O heavens! quoth she, can that be true? I do begin to fear 'tis you; Not by your individual whiskers, But by you dialect and discourse, That never spoke to man or beast, In notions vulgarly exprest: But what malignant star, alas! Has brought you both to this sad pass? Quoth he. The fortune of the war, Which I am less afflicted for,