I

   Of the million or two, more or less

   I rule and possess,

   One man, for some cause undefined,

   Was least to my mind.

   II

   I struck him, he grovelled of course—

   For, what was his force?

   I pinned him to earth with my weight

   And persistence of hate:

   And he lay, would not moan, would not curse,

   As his lot might be worse.                                     10

   III

   "Were the object less mean, would he stand

   At the swing of my hand!

   For obscurity helps him and blots

   The hole where he squats."

   So, I set my five wits on the stretch

   To inveigle the wretch.

   All in vain! Gold and jewels I threw,

   Still he couched there perdue;

   I tempted his blood and his flesh,

   Hid in roses my mesh,                                          20

   Choicest cates and the flagon's best spilth:

   Still he kept to his filth.

   IV

   Had he kith now or kin, were access

   To his heart, did I press:

   Just a son or a mother to seize!

   No such booty as these.

   Were it simply a friend to pursue

   'Mid my million or two,

   Who could pay me in person or pelf

   What he owes me himself!                                       30

   No: I could not but smile through my chafe:

   For the fellow lay safe

   As his mates do, the midge and the nit,

   —Through minuteness, to wit.

   V

   Then a humour more great took its place

   At the thought of his face,

   The droop, the low cares of the mouth,

   The trouble uncouth

   'Twixt the brows, all that air one is fain

   To put out of its pain.                                        40

   And, "no!" I admonished myself,

   "Is one mocked by an elf,

   Is one baffled by toad or by rat?

   The gravamen's in that!

   How the lion, who crouches to suit

   His back to my foot,

   Would admire that I stand in debate!

   But the small turns the great

   If it vexes you, that is the thing!

   Toad or rat vex the king?                                      50

   Though I waste half my realm to unearth

   Toad or rat, 'tis well worth!"

   VI

   So, I soberly laid my last plan

   To extinguish the man.

   Round his creep-hole, with never a break

   Ran my fires for his sake;

   Over-head, did my thunder combine

   With my underground mine:

   Till I looked from my labour content

   To enjoy the event.                                            60

   VII

   When sudden... how think ye, the end?

   Did I say "without friend"?

   Say rather, from marge to blue marge

   The whole sky grew his targe

   With the sun's self for visible boss,

   While an Arm ran across

   Which the earth heaved beneath like a breast

   Where the wretch was safe prest!

   Do you see? Just my vengeance complete,

   The man sprang to his feet,                                    70

   Stood erect, caught at God's skirts, and prayed!

   —So, I was afraid!

   NOTES:

   "Instans Tyrannus" is a despot's confession of one of his

   own experiences which showed him the inviolability of the

   weakest man who is in the right and who can call the

   spiritual force of good to his aid against the utmost violence

   or cunning.—"Instans Tyrannus," or the threatening tyrant,

   suggested by Horace, third Ode in Book III:

                     "Justum et tenacem proposti vlrum,

                 Non civium ardor prava jubentium,

                         Non vultus instantis tyranni,"  etc.

   [The just man tenacious of purpose is not to be turned

   aside by the heat of the populace nor the brow of the

   threatening tyrant.]