Xxiii

‘“But half in his arms, and half at his stirrup, he bore me right forth, And pitched me among my old comrades: before I could tell south from north, He caught my hand up, and kissed it! Don’t ever let any man speak A word against Frenchmen, I near him! I can’t find his name, tho’ I seek. But French, and a General, surely he was, and, God bless him! thro’ him I’ve learnt to love a whole nation.”’ The ancient man paused, winking dim.