the history of john bull-第10部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


se　she　is。



CHAPTER　IV。　　How　the　relations　reconciled　John　and　his　sister　Peg；　and　what　return　Peg　made　to　John's　message。*

*　The　Treaty　of　Union。　　Reason　of　it：　　the　Succession　not　being　settled　in　Scotland。　　Fears　for　the　Presbyterian　Church　Government；　and　of　being　burdened　with　the　English　National　Debts。

John　Bull；　otherwise　a　good…natured　man；　was　very　hard…hearted　to　his　sister　Peg；　chiefly　from　an　aversion　he　had　conceived　in　his　infancy。　　While　he　flourished；　kept　a　warm　house；　and　drove　a　plentiful　trade；　poor　Peg　was　forced　to　go　hawking　and　peddling　about　the　streets　selling　knives；　scissors；　and　shoe…buckles；　now　and　then　carried　a　basket　of　fish　to　the　market；　sewed；　spun；　and　knit　for　a　livelihood；　till　her　fingers'　ends　were　sore；　and　when　she　could　not　get　bread　for　her　family；　she　was　forced　to　hire　them　out　at　journey…work　to　her　neighbours。　　Yet　in　these　her　poor　circumstances　she　still　preserved　the　air　and　mien　of　a　gentlewoman…　…a　certain　decent　pride　that　extorted　respect　from　the　haughtiest　of　her　neighbours。　　When　she　came　in　to　any　full　assembly；　she　would　not　yield　the　pas　to　the　best　of　them。　　If　one　asked　her；　〃Are　not　you　related　to　John　Bull？〃　　〃Yes；〃　says　she；　〃he　has　the　honour　to　be　my　brother。〃　　So　Peg's　affairs　went　till　all　the　relations　cried　out　shame　upon　John　for　his　barbarous　usage　of　his　own　flesh　and　blood；　that　it　was　an　easy　matter　for　him　to　put　her　in　a　creditable　way　of　living；　not　only　without　hurt；　but　with　advantage　to　himself；　seeing　she　was　an　industrious　person；　and　might　be　serviceable　to　him　in　his　way　of　business。　　〃Hang　her；　jade；〃　quoth　John；　〃I　can't　endure　her　as　long　as　she　keeps　that　rascal　Jack's　company。〃　　They　told　him　the　way　to　reclaim　her　was　to　take　her　into　his　house；　that　by　conversation　the　childish　humours　of　their　younger　days　might　be　worn　out。　　These　arguments　were　enforced　by　a　certain　incident。　　It　happened　that　John　was　at　that　time　about　making　his　will*　and　entailing　his　estate；　the　very　same　in　which　Nic。　Frog　is　named　executor。　　Now；　his　sister　Peg's　name　being　in　the　entail；　he　could　not　make　a　thorough　settlement　without　her　consent。　　There　was；　indeed；　a　malicious　story　went　about　as　if　John's　last　wife　had　fallen　in　love　with　Jack　as　he　was　eating　custard　on　horseback；**　that　she　persuaded　John　to　take　his　sister　into　the　house　the　better　to　drive　on　the　intrigue　with　Jack；　concluding　he　would　follow　his　mistress　Peg。　　All　I　can　infer　from　this　story　is　that　when　one　has　got　a　bad　character　in　the　world　people　will　report　and　believe　anything　of　them；　true　or　false。　　But　to　return　to　my　story。　　When　Peg　received　John's　message　she　huffed　and　stormed：　　〃My　brother　John；〃　quoth　she；　〃is　grown　wondrous　kind…hearted　all　of　a　sudden；　but　I　meikle　doubt　whether　it　be　not　mair　for　their　own　conveniency　than　for　my　good；　he　draws　up　his　writs　and　his　deeds；　forsooth；　and　I　must　set　my　hand　to　them；　unsight；　unseen。　　I　like　the　young　man　he　has　settled　upon　well　enough；　but　I　think　I　ought　to　have　a　valuable　consideration　for　my　consent。　　He　wants　my　poor　little　farm　because　it　makes　a　nook　in　his　park…wall。　　Ye　may　e'en　tell　him　he　has　mair　than　he　makes　good　use　of；　he　gangs　up　and　down　drinking；　roaring；　and　quarrelling；　through　all　the　country　markets；　making　foolish　bargains　in　his　cups；　which　he　repents　when　he　is　sober；　like　a　thriftless　wretch；　spending　the　goods　and　gear　that　his　forefathers　won　with　the　sweat　of　their　brows：　　light　come；　light　go；　he　cares　not　a　farthing。　　But　why　should　I　stand　surety　for　his　contracts？　　The　little　I　have　is　free；　and　I　can　call　it　my　awn　hame's　hame；　let　it　be　never　so　hamely。　　I　ken　him　well　enough；　he　could　never　abide　me；　and　when　he　has　his　ends　he'll　e'en　use　me　as　he　did　before。　　I'm　sure　I　shall　be　treated　like　a　poor　drudgeI　shall　be　set　to　tend　the　bairns；　darn　the　hose；　and　mend　the　linen。　Then　there's　no　living　with　that　old　carline　his　mother；　she　rails　at　Jack；　and　Jack's　an　honester　man　than　any　of　her　kin：　　I　shall　be　plagued　with　her　spells　and　her　Paternosters；　and　silly　old　world　ceremonies；　I　mun　never　pare　my　nails　on　a　Friday；　nor　begin　a　journey　on　Childermas　Day；　and　I　mun　stand　beeking　and　binging　as　I　gang　out　and　into　the　hall。　　Tell　him　he　may　e'en　gang　his　get；　I'll　have　nothing　to　do　with　him；　I'll　stay　like　the　poor　country　mouse；　in　my　awn　habitation。〃　　So　Peg　talked；　but　for　all　that；　by　the　interposition　of　good　friends；　and　by　many　a　bonny　thing　that　was　sent；　and　many　more　that　were　promised　Peg；　the　matter　was　concluded；　and　Peg　taken　into　the　house　upon　certain　articles：***　one　of　which　was　that　she　might　have　the　freedom　of　Jack's　conversation；　and　might　take　him　for　better　and　for　worse　if　she　pleased：　　provided　always　he　did　not　come　into　the　house　at　unseasonable　hours　and　disturb　the　rest　of　the　old　woman；　John's　mother。

*　The　Act　of　Succession。　**　A　Presbyterian　Lord　Mayor。　***　The　Act　of　Toleration。



CHAPTER　V。　　Of　some　Quarrels　that　happened　after　Peg　was　taken　into　the　Family。*

*Quarrels　about　some　of　the　Articles　of　Union；　particularly　the　peerage。

It　is　an　old　observation　that　the　quarrels　of　relations　are　harder　to　reconcile　than　any　other；　injuries　from　friends　fret　and　gall　more；　and　the　memory　of　them　is　not　so　easily　obliterated。　　This　is　cunningly　represented　by　one　of　your　old　sages　called　Aesop；　in　the　story　of　the　bird　that　was　grieved　extremely　at　being　wounded　with　an　arrow　feathered　with　his　own　wing；　as　also　of　the　oak　that　let　many　a　heavy　groan　when　he　was　cleft　with　a　wedge　of　his　own　timber。

There　was　no　man　in　the　world　less　subject　to　rancour　than　John　Bull；　considering　how　often　his　good　nature　has　been　abused；　yet　I　don't　know　but　he　was　too　apt　to　hearken　to　tattling　people　that　carry　tales　between　him　and　his　sister　Peg；　on　purpose　to　sow　jealousies　and　set　them　together　by　the　ears。　　They　say　that　there　were　some　hardships　put　upon　Peg　which　had　been　better　let　alone；　but　it　was　the　business　of　good　people　to　restrain　the　injuries　on　one　side　and　moderate　the　resentments　on　the　othera　good　friend　acts　both　parts；　the　one　without　the　other　will　not　do。

The　purchase…money　of　Peg's　farm　was　ill　paid；*　then　Peg　loved　a　little　good　liquor；　and　the　servants　shut　up　the　wine…cellar；　but　for　that　Peg　found　a　trick；　for　she　made　a　false　key。**　　Peg's　servants　complained　that　they　were　debarred　from　all　manner　of　business；　and　never　suffered　to　touch　the　least　thing　within　the　house；　if　they　offered　to　come　into　the　warehouse；　then　straight　went　the　yard　slap　over　their　noddle；　if　they　ventured　into　the　counting…room　a　fellow　would　throw　an　ink…bottle　at　their　head；　if　they　came　into　the　best　apartment　to　set　anything　there　in　order；　they　were　saluted　with　a　broom；　if　they　meddled　with　anything　in　the　kitchen　it　was　odds　but　the　cook　laid　them　over　the　pate　with　a　ladle；　one　that　would　have　got　into　the　stables　was　met　by　two　rascals；　who　fell　to　work　with　him　with　a　brush　and　a　curry…comb；　some　climbing　up　into　the　coachbox；　were　told　that　one　of　their　companions　had　been　there　before　that　could　not　drive；　then　slap　went　the　long　whip　about　their　ears。

*　The　equivalent　not　paid。　**　Run　wine。

On　the　other　hand；　it　was　complained　that　Peg's　servants　were　always　asking　for　drink…money；　that　they　had　more　than　their　share　of　the　Christmas…box。*　　To　say　the　truth；　Peg's　lads　bustled　pretty　hard　for　that；　for　when　they　were　endeavouring　to　lock　it　up　they　got　in　their　great　fists　and　pulled　out　handfuls　of　halfcrowns；　shillings；　and　sixpences。　　Others　in　the　scramble　picked　up　guineas　and　broad…pieces。　　But　there　happened　a　worse　thing　than　all　this：　　it　was　complained　that　Peg's　servants　had　great　stomachs；　and　brought　so　many　of　their　friends　and　acquaintance　to　the　table　that　John's　family　was　like　to　be　eaten　out　of　house　and　home。　　Instead　of　regulating　this　matter　as　it　ought　to　be；　Peg's　young　men　were　thrust　away　from　the　table；　then　there　was　the　devil　and　all　to　do　spoons；　plates；　and　dishes　flew　about　the　room　like　mad；　and　Sir　Roger；　who　was　now　Majordomo；　had　enough　to　do　to　quiet　them。　　Peg　said　this　was　contrary　to　agreement；　whereby　she　was　in　all　things　to　be　treated　like　a　child　of　the　family。　　Then　she　called　upon　those　that　had　made　her　such　fair　promises；　and　undertook　for　her　brother　John's　good　behaviour；　but；　alas！　to　her　cost　she　found　that　they　were　the　first　and　readiest　to　do　her　the　injury。　　John　at　last　agreed　to　this　regulation：　　that　Peg's　footmen　might　sit　with　his　book…keeper；　journeymen；　and　apprentices；　and　Peg's　better　sort　of　servants　might　sit　with　his　footmen　if　they　pleased。**

*　Endeavoured　to　get　their　share　of　places。　**　Articles　of　Union；　whereby　they　could　make　a　Scot's　commoner；　but　not　a　lord　a　peer。

Then　they　began　to　order　plum…porridge　and　minced　pies　for　Peg's　dinner。　　Peg　told　them　she　had　an　aversion　to　that　sort　of　food；　that　upon　forcing　down　a　mess　of　it　some　years　ago　it　threw　her　into　a　fit　till　she　brought　it　up　again。　　Some　alleged　it　was　nothing　but　humour；　that　the　same　mess　should　be　served　up　again　for　supper；　and　breakfast　next　morning；　others　would　have　made　use　of　a　horn；　but　the　wiser　sort　bid　let　her　alone；　and　she　might　take　to　it　of　her　own　accord。



CHAPTER　VI。　　The　conversation　between　John　Bull　and　his　wife。*

*　The　history　of　the　Partition　Treaty；　suspicions　at　that　time　that　the　French　King　intended　to　take　the　whole；　and　that　he　revealed　the　secret　to　the　Court　of　Spain。


MRS。　BULL。Though　our　affairs；　honey；　are　in　a　bad　condition；　I　have　a　better　opinion　of　them　since　you　seemed　to　be　convinced　of　the　ill　course　you　have　been　in；　and　are　resolved　to　submit　to　proper　remedies。　　But　when　I　consider　your　immense　debts；　your　foolish　bargains；　and　the　general　disorder　of　your　business；　I　have　a　curiosity　to　know　what　fate　or　chance　has　brought　you　into　this　condition。

JOHN　BULL。I　wish　you　would　talk　of　some　other　subject；　the　thoughts　of　it　makes　me　mad；　our　family　must　have　their　run。

MRS。　BULL。But　such　a　strange　thing　as　this　never　happened　to　any　of　your　family　before：　　they　have　had　lawsuits；　but；　though　they　spent　the　income；　they　never　mortgaged　the　stock。　　Sure；　you　must　have　some　of　the　Norman　or　the　Norfolk　blood　in　you。