Page:Two Mock Epics (Hanuman and Tantum Religio), Lyrics, Post Meridian Verse, The Turret Captain's Toast and other Verses.pdf/54

 As to these eggs, I’ll eat them if I choose,

Why not? when pleasanter than figs’ fresh juices

Upon my palate melt their honied sluices,

And do me good. These yolks, sucked raw, all ages

Have prized beyond all sweets. The present’s page is

Just like the rest. If you chastise as penal

What all indulge in secret and think venal,

Though publicly they feign to loathe as poison,

Yourself with all your realm must off to prison:

Nay, folk do say—but what that vile tongue uttered.

Should scarce in closest confidence be muttered—

Only to sate the sight, the prince his rations

Has served of painted fishes and crustaceans,

And while amongst his guests he lauds the courses

Of chamois, quail and pheasant without truce,

Behind the Spanish wall restore his forces

The fresh and tender shoots of young bamboos.’”

Here Bhandragura toward the carpet carried

His bloodshot orbs, meanwhile the royal eyes

Above that sunset, twirled into the skies;

Thus long in mute embarrassment they tarried.

At length the minister resumed, impressive:

“Those treasonable words I fain had chided,

But lo! my ape rounds on me, sharp, aggressive;

And all the abandoned rabble with him sided,

The rascal shouted: “Cutting to the marrow

Were Vindragupta’s words which smote the prince’s

In full assembly with a Parthian arrow.

Let’s go to him. For still their truth convinces,

We lived in peace the life our sires had taught us,

On trees, devoid of care and gay as Persians,

Until the prince, a pack from Europe brought us