XXXV

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XXXV

A delusive, delicious consultation or two of this kind, betwixt my uncle Toby and Trim, upon the demolition of Dunkirk,вБ†вАФfor a moment rallied back the ideas of those pleasures, which were slipping from under him:вБ†вЄЇвБ†stillвБ†вАФstill all went on heavilyвБ†вЄЇвБ†the magic left the mind the weakerвБ†вАФStillness, with Silence at her back, entered the solitary parlour, and drew their gauzy mantle over my uncle TobyвАЩs head;вБ†вЄЇвБ†and Listlessness, with her lax fibre and undirected eye, sat quietly down beside him in his armchair.вБ†вЄЇвБ†No longer Amberg and Rhinberg, and Limbourg, and Huy, and Bonn, in one year,вБ†вАФand the prospect of Landen, and Trerebach, and Drusen, and Dendermond, the next,вБ†вАФhurried on the blood:вБ†вАФNo longer did saps, and mines, and blinds, and gabions, and palisadoes, keep out this fair enemy of manвАЩs repose:вБ†вЄЇвБ†No more could my uncle Toby, after passing the French lines, as he eat his egg at supper, from thence break into the heart of France,вБ†вАФcross over the Oyes, and with all Picardie open behind him, march up to the gates of Paris, and fall asleep with nothing but ideas of glory:вБ†вЄЇвБ†No more was he to dream he had fixed the royal standard upon the tower of the Bastile, and awake with it streaming in his head.

вЄЇвБ†Softer visions,вБ†вАФgentler vibrations stole sweetly in upon his slumbers;вБ†вАФthe trumpet of war fell out of his hands,вБ†вАФhe took up the lute, sweet instrument! of all others the most delicate! the most difficult!вБ†вЄЇвБ†how wilt thou touch it, my dear uncle Toby?