Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 17.djvu/228

222 as well inclined as I, we shall quickly come to the upshot of our affair." And so pointing to Frog to say something, to the great surprise of all the company, Frog was seized with the dead palsy in the tongue. John began to ask him some plain questions, and whooped and hollowed in his ear. "Let's come to the point, Nic! Who wouldest thou have to be lord Strutt? Wouldest thou have Philip Baboon?" Nic. shook his head, and said nothing. "Wilt thou then have esquire South to be lord Strutt?" Nic. shook his head a second time. "Then who the devil wilt thou have? say something or another." Nic. opened his mouth, and pointed to his tongue, and cried, " A, a, a, a!" which was as much as to say, he could not speak. John Bull. — "Shall I serve Philip Baboon with broad-cloth, and accept of the composition that he offers, with the liberty of his parks and fish-ponds?" Then Nic. roared like a bull, " O, o, o, o!" John Bull. — "If thou wilt not let me have them, wilt thou take them thyself?" Then Nic. grinned, cackled, and laughed, till he was like to kill himself, and seemed to be so pleased, that he fell a frisking and dancing about the room. John Bull. — "Shall I leave all this matter to thy management, Nic. and go about my business?" Then Nic. got up a glass, and drank to John, shaking him by the hand, till he had like to have shook his shoulder out of joint. John Bull. — "I understand thee, Nic. but I shall make thee speak before I go." Then Nic. put his finger in his cheek, and made it cry Buck; which was as much as to say, I care not a farthing for thee. John Bull. — "I have done, Nic. if thou wilt not speak, I'll make my own terms with old Lewis here." Then