Had he and I but met<br>By some old ancient inn,<br>We should have sat us down to wet<br>Right many a nipperkin!<br><br>But ranged as infantry,<br>And staring face to face,<br>I shot at him as he at me,<br>And killed him in his place.<br><br>I shot him dead because--<br>Because he was my foe,<br>Just so: my foe of course he was;<br>That's clear enough; although<br><br>He thought he

Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy