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 seesawing 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 them 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[1]. 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 skuttle out of the room, and retire behind a dungcart. 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."
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.
- ↑ The separation of the army.
