And welcom'd him, as he might say:
He ask'd him whence he came, and whither
Their bus'ness lay? Quoth Ralpho, Hither.
Did you not lose? Quoth Ralpho, Nay.
Quoth Whachum, Sir, I meant your way!
Your Knight-Quoth Ralpho, is a lover,
And pains intolerable doth suffer:

For lovers' hearts are not their own hearts,
Nor lights, nor lungs, and so forth downwards.
What time? Quoth Ralpho, Sir, too long;
Three years it off and on has hung -

Quoth he, I meant what time o' th' day 'tis.
Quoth Ralpho, Between seven and eight 'tis.
Why then (quoth Whachum) my small art
Tells me the dame has a hard heart,

Or great estate-Quoth Ralph, A jointure,
Which makes him have so hot a mind t' her.
Meanwhile the Knight was making water,
Before he fell upon the matter;
Which having done, the wizard steps in,
To give him suitable reception;

But kept his bus'ness at a bay

Till Whachum put him in the way;
Who having now, by Ralpho's light,
Expounded th' errand of the Knight,

Lui demande pour quelle affaire,
La route qu'il venait de faire.
W. Depuis quand êtes-vous parti ?
Où vouliez-vous aller? R. Ici. (150)
W. Monsieur aura perdu sans doute....
R. Non pas. W. Je veux dire la route,
Plusieurs s'y trompent. Votre preux....
R. Il est tout des plus amoureux,
Jour et nuit souffre le martyre,

Bercé de ce cruel délire.

W. Quel temps.... R. C'est depuis très-long-temps,
Au moins, je crois, depuis trois ans.

W. Quel temps du jour pourrait-il être
J'entends. R. Ce que j'en puis connaître,
Il peut être entre sept et huit.

W. Eh bien, monsieur, je suis instruit
Par mon art que la demoiselle,
Ou dame, a l'ame fort cruelle;
Qu'elle a beaucoup de bien en fond.

R. Non pas, mais un douaire très-bon,
Pour lequel mon maître l'adore

Plus que pour sa personne encore.
Hudibras était à pisser,

Et Sidrophel à s'avancer,
Pour recevoir sa compagnie
De la façon la plus polie;

Mais en matière avant d'entrer,

De Whachum voulait s'informer,

And what he came to know, drew near,
To whisper in the conj'rer's ear,

Which he prevented thus: What was't,
Quoth he, that I was saying last,
Before these gentlemen arriv'd?
Quoth Whachum, Venus you retriev'd,
In opposition with Mars,

And no benign friendly stars
T'allay the effect. Quoth Wizard, So!
In Virgo? Ha! quoth Whachum, No.
Has Saturn nothing to do in it?

One tenth of's circle to a minute.

'Tis well, quoth he.-Sir, you'll excuse
This rudeness I am forc'd to use:
It is a scheme and face of heaven,
As th' aspects are dispos'd this even,
I was contemplating upon

When

you arriv'd; but now I've done.