the history of john bull-第21部分

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you　think　fit。

JOHN　BULL。Look　you；　Master　Baboon；　as　to　your　usage　of　your　neighbours；　you　had　best　not　dwell　too　much　upon　that　chapter。　　Let　it　suffice　at　present　that　you　have　been　met　with。　　You　have　been　rolling　a　great　stone　up…hill　all　your　life；　and　at　last　it　has　come　tumbling　down　till　it　is　like　to　crush　you　to　pieces。　　Plain…dealing　is　best。　　If　you　have　any　particular　mark；　Mr。　Baboon；　whereby　one　may　know　when　you　fib　and　when　you　speak　truth；　you　had　best　tell　it　me；　that　one　may　proceed　accordingly。　　But　since　at　present　I　know　of　none　such；　it　is　better　that　you　should　trust　me　than　that　I　should　trust　you。

LEWIS　BABOON。I　know　of　no　particular　mark　of　veracity　amongst　us　tradesmen　but　interest；　and　it　is　manifestly　mine　not　to　deceive　you　at　this　time。　　You　may　safely　trust　me；　I　can　assure　you。

JOHN　BULL。The　trust　I　give　is；　in　short；　this：　　I　must　have　something　in　hand　before　I　make　the　bargain；　and　the　rest　before　it　is　concluded。

LEWIS　BABOON。To　show　you　I　deal　fairly；　name　your　something。

JOHN　BULL。I　need　not　tell　thee；　old　boy；　thou　canst　guess。

LEWIS　BABOON。Ecclesdown　Castle；*　I'll　warrant　you；　because　it　has　been　formerly　in　your　family。　　Say　no　more；　you　shall　have　it。

*　Dunkirk。

JOHN　BULL。I　shall　have　it　to　my　own　self？

LEWIS　BABOON。To　thine　own　self。

JOHN　BULL。Every　wall；　gate；　room；　and　inch　of　Ecclesdown　Castle；　you　say？

LEWIS　BABOON。Just　so。

JOHN　BULL。Every　single　stone　of　Ecclesdown　Castle；　to　my　own　self；　speedily？

LEWIS　BABOON。When　you　please；　what　needs　more　words？

JOHN　BULL。But　tell　me；　old　boy；　hast　thou　laid　aside　all　thy　equivocals　and　mentals　in　this　case？

LEWIS　BABOON。There's　nothing　like　matter　of　fact；　seeing　is　believing。

JOHN　BULL。Now　thou　talkest　to　the　purpose；　let　us　shake　hands；　old　boy。　　Let　me　ask　thee　one　question　more；　what　hast　thou　to　do　to　meddle　with　the　affairs　of　my　family？　to　dispose　of　my　estate；　old　boy？

LEWIS　BABOON。Just　as　much　as　you　have　to　do　with　the　affairs　of　Lord　Strutt。

JOHN　BULL。Ay；　but　my　trade；　my　very　being　was　concerned　in　that。

LEWIS　BABOON。And　my　interest　was　concerned　in　the　other。　　But　let　us　drop　both　our　pretences；　for　I　believe　it　is　a　moot　point；　whether　I　am　more　likely　to　make　a　Master　Bull；　or　you　a　Lord　Strutt。

JOHN　BULL。Agreed；　old　boy；　but　then　I　must　have　security　that　I　shall　carry　my　broadcloth　to　market；　old　boy。

LEWIS　BABOON。That　you　shall：　　Ecclesdown　Castle！　　Ecclesdown！　Remember　that。　　Why　wouldst　thou　not　take　it　when　it　was　offered　thee　some　years　ago？

JOHN　BULL。I　would　not　take　it；　because　they　told　me　thou　wouldst　not　give　it　me。

LEWIS　BABOON。How　could　Monsieur　Bull　be　so　grossly　abused　by　downright　nonsense？　they　that　advised　you　to　refuse；　must　have　believed　I　intended　to　give；　else　why　would　they　not　make　the　experiment？　　But　I　can　tell　you　more　of　that　matter　than　perhaps　you　know　at　present。

JOHN　BULL。But　what　say'st　thou　as　to　the　Esquire；　Nic。　Frog；　and　the　rest　of　the　tradesmen？　　I　must　take　care　of　them。

LEWIS　BABOON。Thou　hast　but　small　obligations　to　Nic。　to　my　certain　knowledge：　　he　has　not　used　me　like　a　gentleman。

JOHN　BULL。Nic。　indeed　is　not　very　nice　in　your　punctilios　of　ceremony；　he　is　clownish；　as　a　man　may　say：　　belching　and　calling　of　names　have　been　allowed　him　time　out　of　mind；　by　prescription：　　but；　however；　we　are　engaged　in　one　common　cause；　and　I　must　look　after　him。

LEWIS　BABOON。All　matters　that　relate　to　him；　and　the　rest　of　the　plaintiff's　in　this　lawsuit；　I　will　refer　to　your　justice。



CHAPTER　XIX。　　Nic。　Frog's　letter　to　John　Bull：　　wherein　he　endeavours　to　vindicate　all　his　conduct；　with　relation　to　John　Bull　and　the　lawsuit。

Nic。　perceived　now　that　his　Cully　had　eloped；　that　John　intended　henceforth　to　deal　without　a　broker；　but　he　was　resolved　to　leave　no　stone　unturned　to　cover　his　bubble。　　Amongst　other　artifices　he　wrote　a　most　obliging　letter；　which　he　sent　him　printed　in　a　fair　character。

〃DEAR　FRIEND；When　I　consider　the　late　ill…usage　I　have　met　with　from　you；　I　was　reflecting　what　it　was　that　could　provoke　you　to　it；　but　upon　a　narrow　inspection　into　my　conduct；　I　can　find　nothing　to　reproach　myself　with　but　too　partial　a　concern　for　your　interest。　You　no　sooner　set　this　composition　afoot　but　I　was　ready　to　comply；　and　prevented　your　very　wishes；　and　the　affair　might　have　been　ended　before　now；　had　it　not　been　for　the　greater　concerns　of　Esquire　South　and　the　other　poor　creatures　embarked　in　the　same　common　cause；　whose　safety　touches　me　to　the　quick。　　You　seemed　a　little　jealous　that　I　had　dealt　unfairly　with　you　in　money…matters；　till　it　appeared　by　your　own　accounts　that　there　was　something　due　to　me　upon　the　balance。　　Having　nothing　to　answer　to　so　plain　a　demonstration；　you　began　to　complain　as　if　I　had　been　familiar　with　your　reputation；　when　it　is　well　known　not　only　I；　but　the　meanest　servants　in　my　family；　talk　of　you　with　the　utmost　respect。　　I　have　always；　as　far　as　in　me　lies；　exhorted　your　servants　and　tenants　to　be　dutiful；　not　that　I　any　way　meddle　in　your　domestic　affairs；　which　were　very　unbecoming　for　me　to　do。　　If　some　of　your　servants　express　their　great　concern　for　you　in　a　manner　that　is　not　so　very　polite；　you　ought　to　impute　it　to　their　extraordinary　zeal；　which　deserves　a　reward　rather　than　a　reproof。　　You　cannot　reproach　me　for　want　of　success　at　the　'Salutation；'　since　I　am　not　master　of　the　passions　and　interests　of　other　folks。　　I　have　beggared　myself　with　this　lawsuit；　undertaken　merely　in　complaisance　to　you；　and　if　you　would　have　had　but　a　little　patience；　I　had　still　greater　things　in　reserve；　that　I　intended　to　have　done　for　you。　　I　hope　what　I　have　said　will　prevail　with　you　to　lay　aside　your　unreasonable　jealousies；　and　that　we　may　have　no　more　meetings　at　the　'Salutation；'　spending　our　time　and　money　to　no　purpose。　My　concern　for　your　welfare　and　prosperity　almost　makes　me　mad。　　You　may　be　assured　I　will　continue　to　be　　　　　　〃Your　affectionate　　　　　　　　　　　〃Friend　and　Servant；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Nic。　Frog。〃*

*　Substance　of　the　States　letter。

John　received　this　with　a　good　deal　of　sang…froid；　〃Transeat；〃　quoth　John；　〃cum　caeteris　erroribus。〃　　He　was　now　at　his　ease；　he　saw　he　could　now　make　a　very　good　bargain　for　himself；　and　a　very　safe　one　for　other　folks。　　〃My　shirt；〃　quoth　he；　〃is　near　me；　but　my　skin　is　nearer。　　Whilst　I　take　care　of　the　welfare　of　other　folks；　nobody　can　blame　me　to　apply　a　little　balsam　to　my　own　sores。　　It's　a　pretty　thing；　after　all；　for　a　man　to　do　his　own　business；　a　man　has　such　a　tender　concern　for　himself；　there's　nothing　like　it。　　This　is　somewhat　better；　I　trow；　than　for　John　Bull　to　be　standing　in　the　market；　like　a　great　dray…horse；　with　Frog's　paws　upon　his　head。　What　will　you　give　me　for　this　beast？　　Serviteur　Nic。　Frog；　though　John　Bull　has　not　read　your　Aristotles；　Platos；　and　Machiavels；　he　can　see　as　far　into　a　mill…stone　as　another。〃　　With　that　John　began　to　chuckle　and　laugh　till　he　was　like　to　have　burst　his　sides。



CHAPTER　XX。　　The　discourse　that　passed　between　Nic。　Frog　and　Esquire　South；　which　John　Bull　overheard。*

*　Negotiations　between　the　Emperor　and　the　Dutch　for　continuing　the　war；　and　getting　the　property　of　Flanders。

John　thought　every　minute　a　year　till　he　got　into　Ecclesdown　Castle；　he　repairs　to　the　〃Salutation〃　with　a　design　to　break　the　matter　gently　to　his　partners。　　Before　he　entered　he　overheard　Nic。　and　the　Esquire　in　a　very　pleasant　conference。

ESQUIRE　SOUTH。Oh；　the　ingratitude　and　injustice　of　mankind！　　That　John　Bull；　whom　I　have　honoured　with　my　friendship　and　protection　so　long；　should　flinch　at　last；　and　pretend　that　he　can　disburse　no　more　money　for　me！　that　the　family　of　the　Souths；　by　his　sneaking　temper；　should　be　kept　out　of　their　own！

NIC。　FROG。An't　like　your　worship；　I　am　in　amaze　at　it；　I　think　the　rogue　should　be　compelled　to　his　duty。

ESQUIRE　SOUTH。That　he　should　prefer　his　scandalous　pelf；　the　dust　and　dregs　of　the　earth；　to　the　prosperity　and　grandeur　of　my　family！

NIC。　FROG。Nay；　he　is　mistaken　there；　too；　for　he　would　quickly　lick　himself　whole　again　by　his　vails。　　It's　strange　he　should　prefer　Philip　Baboon's　custom　to　Esquire　South's。

ESQUIRE　SOUTH。As　you　say；　that　my　clothier；　that　is　to　get　so　much　by　the　purchase；　should　refuse　to　put　me　in　possession；　did　you　ever　know　any　man's　tradesman　serve　him　so　before？

NIC。　FROG。No；　indeed；　an't　please　your　worship；　it　is　a　very　unusual　proceeding；　and　I　would　not　have　been　guilty　of　it　for　the　world。　　If　your　honour　had　not　a　great　stock　of　moderation　and　patience；　you　would　not　bear　it　so　well　as　you　do。

ESQUIRE　SOUTH。It　is　most　intolerable；　that's　certain；　Nic。；　and　I　will　be　revenged。

NIC。　FROG。Methinks　it　is　strange　that　Philip　Baboon's　tenants　do　not　all　take　your　honour's　part；　considering　how　good　and　gentle　a　master　you　are。

ESQUIRE　SOUTH。True；　Nic。；　but　few　are　sensible　of　merit　in　this　world。　　It　is　a　great　comfort　to　have　so　faithful　a　friend　as　thyself　in　so　critical　a　juncture。

NIC。　FROG。If　all　the　world　should　forsake　you；　be　assured　Nic。　Frog　never　will；　let　us　stick　to　our　point；　and　we'll　manage　Bull；　I'll　warrant　ye。

ESQUIRE　SOUTH。Let　me　kiss　thee；　dear　Nic。；　I　have　found　one　hones