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 things--prithee 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