_Someone_ should suffer--yes, of course--
For the depletion of my stocking;
But _Le Grand Français_? Bah! Remorse
Moves me to tears. It seems too shocking.
Get back my money? _Pas de chance_!
And then he is the pride of France!
I raged, I know, four years ago,
Against those Panama projectors.
The law seemed slack, inquiry slow;
How I denounced them, the Directors,
Including _him_--in some vague fashion;
But then--BONHOMME was in a passion!
And now to see the _gendarme's_ hand--
Half-shrinkingly--upon _his_ shoulder,
Our _Grand Français_--_so_ old, _so_ grand!
_Ma foi_, it palsies the beholder.
And will it lessen my large loss
To fix a stain on the Grand Cross?
Too sanguine? Too seductive? Yes!
But was it not such hopeful charming
That led him to his old success?
The thought is softening, and disarming;
O'er Suez and the Red Sea glance,
And see what he has done for France!
_Peste_ on this Panama affair!
Egyptian sands sucked not our savings
As did those swamps. Still I can't bear
To see _him_ suffer. 'Midst my cravings
For _la revanche_, I'd fain not touch
Our Greatest Frenchman--'tis too much!
* * * * *