the accident, in reaching over for his tobacco-box, to throw down his compasses, and in stooping to take the compasses up, with his sleeve he threw down his case of instruments and snuffers;—and as the dice took a run against him, in his endeavouring to catch the snuffers in falling,⸺he thrust Monsieur Blondel off the table, and Count de Pagan o’top of him.
’Twas to no purpose for a man, lame as my uncle Toby was, to think of redressing these evils by himself,—he rung his bell for his man Trim ;⸻ Trim , quoth my uncle Toby , prithee see what confusion I have here been making—I must have some better contrivance, Trim .⸺Can’st not thou take my rule, and measure the length and breadth of this table, and then go and bespeak me one as big again?⸺Yes, an’ please your Honour, replied Trim , making a bow; but I hope your Honour will be soon well enough to get down to your country-seat, where,—as your Honour takes so much pleasure in fortification, we could manage this matter to a T.
I must here inform you, that this servant of my uncle Toby’s , who went by the name of Trim , had been a corporal in my uncle’s own company,—his real name was James Butler ,—but having got the nickname of Trim in the regiment, my uncle Toby , unless when he happened to be very angry with him, would never call him by any other name.
The poor fellow had been disabled for the service, by a wound on his left knee by a musket-bullet, at the battle of Landen , which was two years before the affair of Namur ;—and as the fellow was well-beloved in the regiment, and a handy fellow into the bargain, my uncle Toby took him for his servant; and of an excellent use was he, attending my uncle Toby in the camp and in his quarters as a valet, groom, barber, cook, sempster, and nurse; and indeed, from first to last, waited upon him and served him with great fidelity and affection.