XV
In popped Corporal Trim with Stevinus:вБ†вАФBut вАЩtwas too late,вБ†вАФall the discourse had been exhausted without him, and was running into a new channel.вБ†вАФYou may take the book home again, Trim, said my uncle Toby, nodding to him.
But prithee, Corporal, quoth my father, drolling,вБ†вАФlook first into it, and see if thou canst spy aught of a sailing chariot in it.
Corporal Trim, by being in the service, had learned to obey,вБ†вАФand not to remonstrate;вБ†вАФso taking the book to a side-table, and running over the leaves; AnвАЩ please your Honour, said Trim, I can see no such thing;вБ†вАФhowever, continued the Corporal, drolling a little in his turn, IвАЩll make sure work of it, anвАЩ please your Honour;вБ†вАФso taking hold of the two covers of the book, one in each hand, and letting the leaves fall down, as he bent the covers back, he gave the book a good sound shake.
There is something falling out, however, said Trim, anвАЩ please your Honour;вБ†вАФbut it is not a chariot, or anything like one:вБ†вАФPrithee, Corporal, said my father, smiling, what is it then?вБ†вАФI think, answered Trim, stooping to take it up,вБ†вЄЇвАЩtis more like a sermon,вБ†вЄїfor it begins with a text of scripture, and the chapter and verse;вБ†вАФand then goes on, not as a chariot, but like a sermon directly.
The company smiled.
I cannot conceive how it is possible, quoth my uncle Toby, for such a thing as a sermon to have got into my Stevinus.
I think вАЩtis a sermon, replied Trim;вБ†вАФbut if it please your Honours, as it is a fair hand, I will read you a page;вБ†вАФfor Trim, you must know, loved to hear himself read almost as well as talk.
I have ever a strong propensity, said my father, to look into things which cross my way, by such strange fatalities as these;вБ†вАФand as we have nothing better to do, at least till Obadiah gets back, I shall be obliged to you, brother, if Dr.¬†Slop has no objection to it, to order the Corporal to give us a page or two of it,вБ†вАФif he is as able to do it, as he seems willing. AnвАЩ please your Honour, quoth Trim, I officiated two whole campaigns, in Flanders, as clerk to the chaplain of the regiment.вБ†вЄЇвБ†He can read it, quoth my uncle Toby, as well as I can.вБ†вЄЇвБ†Trim, I assure you, was the best scholar in my company, and should have had the next halberd, but for the poor fellowвАЩs misfortune. Corporal Trim laid his hand upon his heart, and made an humble bow to his master;вБ†вАФthen laying down his hat upon the floor, and taking up the sermon in his left hand, in order to have his right at liberty,вБ†вЄЇвБ†he advanced, nothing doubting, into the middle of the room, where he could best see, and be best seen by his audience.