Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 8.djvu/39

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THE GRAND QUESTION.
29

Pray, how does my lady?' — 'My wife's at your service.' —
I think I have seen her picture by Jervas.' —
Goodmorrow, good captain.' 'I'll wait on you down.' —
You sha'n't stir a foot.' — 'You'll think me a clown.'
For all the world, captain' 'Not half an inch farther.' —
You must be obey'd!' — 'Your servant, sir Arthur!
My humble respects to my lady unknown.' —
I hope you will use my house as your own.'
"Go bring me my smock, and leave off your prate,
Thou hast certainly gotten a cup in thy pate."
"Pray, madam, be quiet; what was it I said?
You had like to have put it quite out of my head.
Next day, to be sure, the captain will come,
At the head of his troops, with trumpet and drum.
Now, madam, observe how he marches in state:
The man with the kettledrum enters the gate:
Dub, dub, adub, dub. The trumpeters follow,
Tantara, tantara; while all the boys holla.
See now comes the captain all daub'd with gold lace:
O la! the sweet gentleman! look in his face;
And see how he rides like a lord of the land,
With the fine flaming sword that he holds in his hand;
And his horse, the dear creter, it prances and rears;

With ribbons in knots at its tail and its ears:

"At