Sans L'amour et sans ses charmes,
Tout languit dans l'univers. (_Exit_)
(_Enter_ WILDFIRE _and_ FOXCHASE)
_Wildfire._ Ha! My Boy Jack! Give us your hand you queer Son of a Bitch.
_Foxchase._ How dost my Boy? I'm glad to see thee.
_Jack._ Pardie voila la mode d'Angleterre! St. Louis, did you not say
that two coachmen wanted to speak with me?
_St. Louis._ Pardonnez moi, Monsieur--me no know dat Gentlemen dress
like coachman in dis Country.
_Jack._ Let Roger attend the Door for the future--I'll keep him as a
Valet de place.
_Wildfire._ Ram my Eyes, the same comical Son of a Bitch he ever
was--mimicking the French--Scoundrels. Come speak to me, or I'll have
you in the Mark.
_Jack._ I thought, Sir, the bruising Amphithea[t]re had been shut
up--but your English Gazettes are always telling abominable Lyes.
_Wildfire._ Come, my Boy, how do you do?
_Jack._ Pardie! Voila toujours, how do you do?
_Wildfire._ Well, but Jack, did you see Buck in Paris?
_Jack._ Who, Sir?
_Foxchase._ Buck.
_Jack._ I know very little of the Gentleman, Sir. I saw him once where I
happened to be upon a Visit, and mentioned that I should come over and
shew the advantages of Travel, and display to all our Beaux and pretty
Gentlemen, an Englishman return'd from Paris; and so whip and Spur, away
he set out, that he might make the first Impression, and I hear in his
Empressment his Post-chaise broke down on the road.
_Wildfire._ Well, but you, I was at the old Place last night--about went
the Bottle like a Windmill in a Storm. At length we sallied forth, and
smash went the Lamp into a thousand Shatters, and the watch cower'd
before us like so many Midnight Rascals; at last two or three of 'em
stood their ground and [they][12] dealt their Poles about our Ears--but
soon we clos'd in upon 'em made their old lanthorn Jaws rattle again,
stretched 'em in the Kennel, and so we got clear off. (_Lolls on Jack's
Shoulder_)
[12] The manuscript has "we."
_Foxchase._ I am just come smoaking hot from Epsom; I was after the
hounds all day yesterday, the rarest Sport in Nature--away swept the
Dogs, and old Reynard before 'em like a cunning son of a bitch as he
was, led us a Devil's Dance after his old rank Tail--Silverlocks and I
perform'd Wonders. Hillo! Ho! Cleared everything. (_Lolls on his other
Shoulder_)
_Jack._ Nay, but Gentlemen--
_Foxchase._ I'll tell you who was our Party--you know Bob Nankeen--there
was he--and Jack Oakstir--and Billy Thachm, and Harry Lappelle, and
myself, and so we drank like Souls all night, and then I scamper'd up to
Town like Lightning--
_Jack._ Gentlemen, I think I have read in one of your English Gazettes
of a Dancing School for grown People. I cou'd wish Gentlemen you wou'd
both profit of the Occasion.
_Wildfire._ Come, you've kept the Farce up long enough. Shall we dine
together?
_Jack._ I am to dine in particular today.
_St. Louis._ I put on your Wig, Sir.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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