the history of john bull-第22节

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l　manage　Bull；　I'll　warrant　ye。

ESQUIRE　SOUTH。Let　me　kiss　thee；　dear　Nic。；　I　have　found　one　honest　man　among　a　thousand　at　last。

NIC。　FROG。If　it　were　possible；　your　honour　has　it　in　your　power　to　wed　me　still　closer　to　your　interest。

ESQUIRE　SOUTH。Tell　me　quickly；　dear　Nic。

NIC。　FROG。You　know　I　am　your　tenant；　the　difference　between　my　lease　and　an　inheritance　is　such　a　trifle　as　I　am　sure　you　will　not　grudge　your　poor　friend。　　That　will　be　an　encouragement　to　go　on；　besides；　it　will　make　Bull　as　mad　as　the　devil：　　you　and　I　shall　be　able　to　manage　him　then　to　some　purpose。

ESQUIRE　SOUTH。Say　no　more；　it　shall　be　done；　Nic。；　to　thy　heart's　content。

John　all　this　while　was　listening　to　this　comical　dialogue；　and　laughed　heartily　in　his　sleeve　at　the　pride　and　simplicity　of　the　Esquire；　and　the　sly　roguery　of　his　friend　Nic。　Then　of　a　sudden　bolting　into　the　room；　he　began　to　tell　them　that　he　believed　he　had　brought　Lewis　to　reasonable　terms；　if　they　would　please　to　hear　them。

Then　they　all　bawled　out　aloud；　〃No　composition：　　long　live　Esquire　South　and　the　Law！〃　　As　John　was　going　to　proceed；　some　roared；　some　stamped　with　their　feet；　others　stopped　their　ears　with　their　fingers。

〃Nay；　gentlemen；〃　quoth　John；　〃if　you　will　but　stop　proceeding　for　a　while；　you　shall　judge　yourselves　whether　Lewis's　proposals*　are　reasonable。〃

*　Proposals　for　cessation　of　arms　and　delivery　of　Dunkirk。

ALL。Very　fine；　indeed；　stop　proceeding；　and　so　lose　a　term。

JOHN　BULL。Not　so　neither；　we　have　something　by　way　of　advance：　　he　will　put　us　in　possession　of　his　Manor　and　Castle　of　Ecclesdown。

NIC。　FROG。What　dost　talk　of　us？　thou　meanest　thyself。

JOHN　BULL。When　Frog　took　possession　of　anything；　it　was　always　said　to　be　for　us；　and　why　may　not　John　Bull　be　us　as　well　as　Nic。　Frog　was　us？　　I　hope　John　Bull　is　no　more　confined　to　singularity　than　Nic。　Frog；　or；　take　it　so；　the　constant　doctrine　that　thou　hast　preached　up　for　many　years　was　that　thou　and　I　are　one；　and　why　must　we　be　supposed　two　in　this　case；　that　were　always　one　before？　　It's　impossible　that　thou　and　I　can　fall　out；　Nic。；　we　must　trust　one　another。　　I　have　trusted　thee　with　a　great　many　thingsprithee　trust　me　with　this　one　trifle。

NIC。　FROG。That　principle　is　true　in　the　main；　but　there　is　some　speciality　in　this　case　that　makes　it　highly　inconvenient　for　us　both。

JOHN　BULL。Those　are　your　jealousies；　that　the　common　enemies　sow　between　us：　　how　often　hast　thou　warned　me　of　those　rogues；　Nic。；　that　would　make　us　mistrustful　of　one　another！

NIC。　FROG。This　Ecclesdown　Castle　is　only　a　bone　of　contention。

JOHN　BULL。It　depends　upon　you　to　make　it　so；　for　my　part；　I　am　as　peaceable　as　a　lamb。

NIC。　FROG。But　do　you　consider　the　unwholesomeness　of　the　air　and　soil；　the　expenses　of　reparations　and　servants？　　I　would　scorn　to　accept　of　such　a　quagmire。

JOHN　BULL。You　are　a　great　man；　Nic。；　but　in　my　circumstances　I　must　be　e'en　content　to　take　it　as　it　is。

NIC。　FROG。And　you　are　really　so　silly　as　to　believe　the　old　cheating　rogue　will　give　it　you？

JOHN　BULL。I　believe　nothing　but　matter　of　fact；　I　stand　and　fall　by　that。　　I　am　resolved　to　put　him　to　it。

NIC。　FROG。And　so　relinquish　the　hopefullest　cause　in　the　world：　　a　claim　that　will　certainly　in　the　end　make　thy　fortune　for　ever。

JOHN　BULL。Wilt　thou　purchase　it；　Nic。？　thou　shalt　have　a　lumping　pennyworth；　nay；　rather　than　we　should　differ；　I'll　give　thee　something　to　take　it　off　my　hands。

NIC。　FROG。If　thou　wouldst　but　moderate　that　hasty；　impatient　temper　of　thine；　thou　shouldst　quickly　see　a　better　thing　than　all　that。　　What　shouldst　thou　think　to　find　old　Lewis　turned　out　of　his　paternal　estates　and　mansion…house　of　Claypool？*　　Would　not　that　do　thy　heart　good；　to　see　thy　old　friend；　Nic。　Frog；　Lord　of　Claypool？　Then　thou　and　thy　wife　and　children　should　walk　in　my　gardens；　buy　toys；　drink　lemonade；　and　now　and　then　we　should　have　a　country　dance。

*　Claypool；　ParisLutetia。

JOHN　BULL。I　love　to　be　plain：　　I'd　as　lief　see　myself　in　Ecclesdown　Castle　as　thee　in　Claypool。　　I　tell　you　again；　Lewis　gives　this　as　a　pledge　of　his　sincerity；　if　you　won't　stop　proceeding　to　hear　him；　I　will。



CHAPTER　XXI。　　The　rest　of　Nic。's　fetches　to　keep　John　out　of　Ecclesdown　Castle。*

*　Attempts　to　hinder　the　cessation；　and　taking　possession　of　Dunkirk。

When　Nic。　could　not　dissuade　John　by　argument；　he　tried　to　move　his　pity；　he　pretended　to　be　sick　and　like　to　die；　that　he　should　leave　his　wife　and　children　in　a　starving　condition；　if　John　did　abandon　him；　that　he　was　hardly　able　to　crawl　about　the　room；　far　less　capable　to　look　after　such　a　troublesome　business　as　this　lawsuit；　and　therefore　begged　that　his　good　friend　would　not　leave　him。　　When　he　saw　that　John　was　still　inexorable；　he　pulled　out　a　case…knife；　with　which　he　used　to　snicker…snee；　and　threatened　to　cut　his　own　throat。　　Thrice　he　aimed　the　knife　to　his　windpipe　with　a　most　determined　threatening　air。　　〃What　signifies　life；〃　quoth　he；　〃in　this　languishing　condition？　　It　will　be　some　pleasure　that　my　friends　will　revenge　my　death　upon　this　barbarous　man　that　has　been　the　cause　of　it。〃　　All　this　while　John　looked　sedate　and　calm；　neither　offering　in　the　least　to　snatch　the　knife；　nor　stop　his　blow；　trusting　to　the　tenderness　Nic。　had　for　his　own　person。　　When　he　perceived　that　John　was　immovable　in　his　purpose；　he　applied　himself　to　Lewis。

〃Art　thou；〃　quoth　he；　〃turned　bubble　in　thy　old　age；　from　being　a　sharper　in　thy　youth？　　What　occasion　hast　thou　to　give　up　Ecclesdown　Castle　to　John　Bull？　　His　friendship　is　not　worth　a　rush。　　Give　it　me；　and　I'll　make　it　worth　thy　while。　　If　thou　dislikest　that　proposition；　keep　it　thyself；　I'd　rather　thou　shouldst　have　it　than　he。　　If　thou　hearkenest　not　to　my　advice；　take　what　follows；　Esquire　South　and　I　will　go　on　with　our　lawsuit　in　spite　of　John　Bull's　teeth。〃

LEWIS　BABOON。Monsieur　Bull　has　used　me　like　a　gentleman；　and　I　am　resolved　to　make　good　my　promise；　and　trust　him　for　the　consequences。

NIC。　FROG。Then　I　tell　thee　thou　art　an　old　doating　fool。With　that　Nic。　bounced　up　with　a　spring　equal　to　that　of　one　of　your　nimblest　tumblers　or　rope…dancers；　and　fell　foul　upon　John　Bull；　to　snatch　the　cudgel*　he　had　in　his　hand；　that　he　might　thwack　Lewis　with　it：　　John　held　it　fast　so　that　there　was　no　wrenching　it　from　him。　　At　last　Squire　South　buckled　to；　to　assist　his　friend　Nic。：　John　hauled　on　one　side；　and　they　two　on　the　other。　　Sometimes　they　were　like　to　pull　John　over；　then　it　went　all　of　a　sudden　again　on　John's　side；　so　they　went　see…sawing　up　and　down；　from　one　end　of　the　room　to　the　other。　　Down　tumbled　the　tables；　bottles；　glasses；　and　tobacco…pipes；　the　wine　and　the　tobacco　were　all　spilt　about　the　room；　and　the　little　fellows　were　almost　trod　under　foot；　till　more　of　the　tradesmen　joining　with　Nic。　and　the　Squire；　John　was　hardly　able　to　pull　against　then　all；　yet　would　he　never　quit　hold　of　his　trusty　cudgel：　　which　by　the　contrary　force　of　two　so　great　powers　broke　short　in　his　hands。**　　Nic。　seized　the　longer　end；　and　with　it　began　to　bastinado　old　Lewis；　who　had　slunk　into　a　corner；　waiting　the　event　of　this　squabble。　　Nic。　came　up　to　him　with　an　insolent　menacing　air；　so　that　the　old　fellow　was　forced　to　scuttle　out　of　the　room；　and　retire　behind　a　dung…cart。　　He　called　to　Nic。；　〃Thou　insolent　jackanapes；　time　was　when　thou　durst　not　have　used　me　so；　thou　now　takest　me　unprovided；　but；　old　and　infirm　as　I　am；　I　shall　find　a　weapon　by…and…by　to　chastise　thy　impudence。〃

*　The　army。　**　The　separation　of　the　army。

When　John　Bull　had　recovered　his　breath；　he　began　to　parley　with　Nic。：　　〃Friend　Nic。；　I　am　glad　to　find　thee　so　strong　after　thy　great　complaints；　really　thy　motions；　Nic。；　are　pretty　vigorous　for　a　consumptive　man。　　As　for　thy　worldly　affairs；　Nic。；　if　it　can　do　thee　any　service；　I　freely　make　over　to　thee　this　profitable　lawsuit；　and　I　desire　all　these　gentlemen　to　bear　witness　to　this　my　act　and　deed。　　Yours　be　all　the　gain；　as　mine　has　been　the　charges。　I　have　brought　it　to　bear　finely：　　however；　all　I　have　laid　out　upon　it　goes　for　nothingthou　shalt　have　it　with　all　its　appurtenances；　I　ask　nothing　but　leave　to　go　home。〃

NIC。　FROG。The　counsel　are　fee'd；　and　all　things　prepared　for　a　trial；　thou　shalt　be　forced　to　stand　the　issue；　it　shall　be　pleaded　in　thy　name　as　well　as　mine。　　Go　home　if　thou　canst；　the　gates　are　shut；　the　turnpikes　locked；　and　the　roads　barricaded。*

*　Difficulty　of　the　march　of　part　of　the　army　to　Dunkirk。

JOHN　BULL。Even　these　very　ways；　Nic。；　that　thou　toldest　me　were　as　open　to　me　as　thyself；　if　I　can't　pass　with　my　own　equipage；　what　can　I　expect　for　my　goods　and　wagons？　　I　am　denied　passage　through　those　very　grounds　that　I　have　purchased　with　my　own　money。　However；　I　am　glad　I　have　made　the　experiment；　it　may　serve　me　in　some　stead。

John　Bull　was　so　overjoyed　that　he　was　going　to　take　possession　of　Ecclesdown；　that　nothing　could　vex　him。　　〃Nic。；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　am　just　a…going　to　leave　thee；　cast　a　kind　look　upon　me　at　parting。〃

Nic。　looked　sour　and　glum；　and　would　not　open　his　mouth。

JOHN　BULL。I　wish　thee　all　the　success　that　thy　heart　can　desire；　and　that　these　honest　gentlemen　of　the　long　robe　may　have