CHAP.XI.
How this letter was received byJohn.
Margaret certainly did her brother wrong, if she supposed that he had ever refused her the privilege of defending herself, or that he was in any degree averse, to give his consent to whatever might be necessary for that purpose. The fact was, that he had forgot her altogether, and never once thought of the question, whether she should be put upon the same footing with himself in this particular.
When John Bull acted from his own temper, and without reflection, he neverdiscovered any remains of distrust or antipathy to his sister: but when any matter came to be seriously considered, and friends, as John expressed himself, were consulted, then he had, indeed, some unfavourable maxims relating to her, which he had retained from his youth, without having ever examined them since; and any ill-disposed person, putting him in mind of a bit of custard or cheese-cake, which she had snatched from him in the nursery, could have revived all his antient prejudices; and then, indeed, from his manner of talking, you would imagine that his pockets were in perpetual danger. And speaking of his sister and her family, you would imagine that he had got a nest of gypsies whom he could not dislodge from his barn, that their fingerswere perfect fish-hooks or harpies claws, perpetually sticking in his back. There were people enow who found it of use, to put him in this mood, and they were sure never to neglect it, when any of Peg’s people whom they did not like, came about the house to sell trinkets, or asking for service. Then they would ask John, whether he meant to bring the itch into his family, or go to bed in perpetual fear of having his throat cut? But if any body came, who was in the use of flattering, lying, or pimping for themselves, then a lousy fellow who had been kicked out of Peg’s house, was the most valuable person in the world, and John could not do too much for him.
You may believe, that if Hubble-bubble or the nurse, had been warnedof a person’s coming with a letter from Peg on this occasion, they would not have failed to have called, Stop Thief; but by good luck the letter was delivered into their master’s own hands, and they durst not for their lives say a word more on the subject at that time. John had got some bumpers that afternoon; his watermen had met with Lewis Baboon’s people, and he was gone abroad with Jowler, to see some boats that had been taken from Lewis, and wrecks that had been driven on shore. When he had read Peg’s letter: “Ah!” says he, “poor sister here is mightily afraid indeed. Here is a spot of work now, Jowler. She is not so much afraid either, but she wants that her young men should be armed as well as mine.”“Signify to her,” says Jowler, “that the greatness and importance of the affairs, in which you are now engaged, must throw all domestic details into a season of more leisure.” “Ay, ay,” says John, “tell her we are drinking Lewis Baboon’s dirge here, the fellow’s joints are stiff by this time; tell her to open a new tap for her boys, let them be merry, that’s all. She shall not see Lewis Baboon this twelvemonth, I warrant her. However, as to the affair of getting guns in her house, if my wife and she can agree about it, I have no objections.”