| |
| THE CHANCELLOR mused as he nibbled his pen | |
| (Sure no Minister ever looked wiser), | |
| And said, “I can summon a million of men | |
| To fight for their country and Kaiser; | |
| |
| “While that shallow charlatan ruling o’er France, | 5 |
| Who deems himself deeper than Merlin, | |
| Thinks he and his soldiers have only to dance | |
| To the tune of the Can-can to Berlin. | |
| |
| “But as soon as he gets to the bank of the Rhine, | |
| He’ll be met by the great German army.” | 10 |
| Then the Chancellor laughed, and he said, “I will dine, | |
| For I see nothing much to alarm me.” | |
| |
| Yet still as he went out he paused by the door | |
| (For his mind was in truth heavy laden), | |
| And he saw a stout fellow, equipped for the war, | 15 |
| Embracing a fair-haired young maiden. | |
| |
| “Ho! ho!” said the Chancellor, “this will not do, | |
| For Mars to be toying with Venus, | |
| When these Frenchmen are coming—a rascally crew!— | |
| And the Rhine only flowing between us.” | 20 |
| |
| So the wary old fox, just in order to hear, | |
| Strode one or two huge paces nearer; | |
| And he heard the youth say, “More than life art thou dear; | |
| But, O loved one, the Fatherland’s dearer.” | |
| |
| Then the maid dried her tears and looked up in his eyes, | 25 |
| And she said, “Thou of loving art worthy: | |
| When all are in danger no brave man e’er flies, | |
| And thy love should spur on—not deter thee.” | |
| |
| The Chancellor took a cigar, which he lit, | |
| And he muttered, “Here ’s naught to alarm me; | 30 |
| By Heaven! I swear they are both of them fit | |
| To march with the great German army.” | |
| |
