XV.

"Pray, sir," said Juan, "if I may presume, _What_ brought you here?"--"Oh! nothing very rare-- Six Tartars and a drag-chain----"--"To this doom But what conducted, if the question 's fair, Is that which I would learn."--"I served for some Months with the Russian army here and there; And taking lately, by Suwarrow's bidding, A town, was ta'en myself instead of Widdin."[275]