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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