The heart, both of the master and the man, were alike subject to sudden overflowings;⸺a short silence ensued.
Besides, said the corporal, resuming the discourse—but in a gayer accent⸺if it had not been for that single shot, I had never, an’ please your honour, been in love⸻
So, thou wast once in love, Trim! said my uncle Toby , smiling⸺
Souse! replied the corporal—over head and ears! an’ please your honour. Prithee when? where?—and how came it to pass?⸺I never heard one word of it before; quoth my uncle Toby :⸺I dare say, answered Trim , that every drummer and serjeant’s son in the regiment knew of it⸺It’s high time I should⸺said my uncle Toby .
Your honour remembers with concern, said the corporal, the total rout and confusion of our camp and army at the affair of Landen ; everyone was left to shift for himself; and if it had not been for the regiments of Wyndham , Lumley , and Galway , which covered the retreat over the bridge of Neerspeeken , the king himself could scarce have gained it⸺he was press’d hard, as your honour knows, on every side of him⸺
Gallant mortal! cried my uncle Toby , caught up with enthusiasm—this moment, now that all is lost, I see him galloping across me, corporal, to the left, to bring up the remains of the English horse along with him to support the right, and tear the laurel from Luxembourg’s brows, if yet ’tis possible⸺I see him with the knot of his scarfe just shot off, infusing fresh spirits into poor Galway’s regiment—riding along the line—then wheeling about, and charging Conti at the head of it⸺Brave! brave, by heaven! cried my uncle Toby —he deserves a crown⸺As richly, as a thief a halter; shouted Trim .