The Complete Poetical Works of Rudyard Kipling (570+ Poems in One Edition). Редьярд Джозеф Киплинг

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      Delilah

       Table of Contents

      We have another viceroy now,—those days are dead and done

       Of Delilah Aberyswith and depraved Ulysses Gunne.

      Delilah Aberyswith was a lady—not too young—

       With a perfect taste in dresses and a badly-bitted tongue,

       With a thirst for information, and a greater thirst for praise,

       And a little house in Simla in the Prehistoric Days.

      By reason of her marriage to a gentleman in power,

       Delilah was acquainted with the gossip of the hour;

       And many little secrets, of the half-official kind,

       Were whispered to Delilah, and she bore them all in mind.

      She patronized extensively a man, Ulysses Gunne,

       Whose mode of earning money was a low and shameful one.

       He wrote for certain papers, which, as everybody knows,

       Is worse than serving in a shop or scaring off the crows.

      He praised her "queenly beauty" first; and, later on, he hinted

       At the "vastness of her intellect" with compliment unstinted.

       He went with her a-riding, and his love for her was such

       That he lent her all his horses and—she galled them very much.

      One day, THEY brewed a secret of a fine financial sort;

       It related to Appointments, to a Man and a Report.

       'Twas almost worth the keeping,—only seven people knew it—

       And Gunne rose up to seek the truth and patiently pursue it.

      It was a Viceroy's Secret, but—perhaps the wine was red—

       Perhaps an Aged Councillor had lost his aged head—

       Perhaps Delilah's eyes were bright—Delilah's whispers sweet—

       The Aged Member told her what 'twere treason to repeat.

      Ulysses went a-riding, and they talked of love and flowers;

       Ulysses went a-calling, and he called for several hours;

       Ulysses went a-waltzing, and Delilah helped him dance—

       Ulysses let the waltzes go, and waited for his chance.

      The summer sun was setting, and the summer air was still,

       The couple went a-walking in the shade of Summer Hill.

       The wasteful sunset faded out in Turkish-green and gold,

       Ulysses pleaded softly, and— that bad Delilah told!

      Next morn, a startled Empire learnt the all-important news;

       Next week, the Aged Councillor was shaking in his shoes.

       Next month, I met Delilah and she did not show the least

       Hesitation in affirming that Ulysses was a "beast."

      We have another Viceroy now, those days are dead and done—

       Of Delilah Aberyswith and most mean Ulysses Gunne!

What Happened

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      Hurree Chunder Mookerjee, pride of Bow Bazaar,

       Owner of a native press, "Barrishter-at-Lar,"

       Waited on the Government with a claim to wear

       Sabres by the bucketful, rifles by the pair.

      Then the Indian Government winked a wicked wink,

       Said to Chunder Mookerjee: "Stick to pen and ink.

       They are safer implements, but, if you insist,

       We will let you carry arms wheresoe'er you list."

      Hurree Chunder Mookerjee sought the gunsmith and

       Bought the tubes of Lancaster, Ballard, Dean, and Bland,

       Bought a shiny bowie-knife, bought a town-made sword,

       Jingled like a carriage-horse when he went abroad.

      But the Indian Government, always keen to please,

       Also gave permission to horrid men like these—

       Yar Mahommed Yusufzai, down to kill or steal,

       Chimbu Singh from Bikaneer, Tantia the Bhil;

      Killar Khan the Marri chief, Jowar Singh the Sikh,

       Nubbee Baksh Punjabi Jat, Abdul Huq Rafiq—

       He was a Wahabi; last, little Boh Hla-oo

       Took advantage of the Act—took a Snider too.

      They were unenlightened men, Ballard knew them not.

       They procured their swords and guns chiefly on the spot;

       And the lore of centuries, plus a hundred fights,

       Made them slow to disregard one another's rights.

      With a unanimity dear to patriot hearts

       All those hairy gentlemen out of foreign parts

       Said: "The good old days are back—let us go to war!"

       Swaggered down the Grand Trunk Road into Bow Bazaar,

      Nubbee Baksh Punjabi Jat found a hide-bound flail;

       Chimbu Singh from Bikaneer oiled his СКАЧАТЬ