Of the great joy that John expressed when he got possession of Ecclesdown.*
* Dunkirk.
When John had got into his castle he seemed like Ulysses upon his plank after he had been well soused in salt water, who, as Homer says, was as glad as a judge going to sit down to dinner after hearing a long cause upon the bench. I daresay John Bull's joy was equal to that of either of the two; he skipped from room to room, ran up-stairs and down-stairs, from the kitchen to the garrets, and from the garrets to the kitchen; he peeped into every cranny; sometimes he admired the beauty of the architecture and the vast solidity of the mason's work; at other times he commended the symmetry and proportion of the rooms. He walked about the gardens; he bathed himself in the canal, swimming, diving, and beating the liquid element like a milk-white swan. The hall resounded with the sprightly violin and the martial hautbois. The family tripped it about, and capered like hailstones bounding from a marble floor. Wine, ale, and October flew about as plentifully as kennel-water. Then a frolic took John in the head to call up some of Nic. Frog's pensioners that had been so mutinous in his family.
JOHN BULL.--Are you glad to see your master in Ecclesdown Castle?
ALL.--Yes, indeed, sir.
JOHN BULL.--Extremely glad?
ALL.--Extremely glad, sir.
JOHN BULL.--Swear to me that you are so.
Then they began to sink their souls to the lowest pit if any person in the world rejoiced more than they did.
JOHN BULL.--Now hang me if I don't believe you are a parcel of perjured rascals; however, take this bumper of October to your master's health.
Then John got upon the battlements, and looking over he called to Nic. Frog.--
"How d'ye do, Nic.? D'ye see where I am, Nic.? I hope the cause goes on swimmingly, Nic. When dost thou intend to go to Claypool, Nic.? Wilt thou buy there some high heads of the newest cut for my daughters? How comest thou to go with thy arm tied up? Has old Lewis given thee a rap over thy fingers' ends? Thy weapon was a good one when I wielded it, but the butt-end remains in my hands. I am so busy in packing up my goods that I have no time to talk with thee any longer. It would do thy heart good to see what wagon-l I am preparing for market. If thou wantest any good office of mine, for all that has happened I will use thee well, Nic. B'ye, Nic."
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。