XXV
My uncle Toby had scarce turned the corner of his yew hedge, which separated his kitchen-garden from his bowling-green, when he perceived the corporal had begun the attack without him.вБ†вЄї
Let me stop and give you a picture of the corporalвАЩs apparatus; and of the corporal himself in the height of his attack, just as it struck my uncle Toby, as he turned towards the sentry-box, where the corporal was at work,вБ†вЄЇвБ†for in nature there is not such another,вБ†вЄЇвБ†nor can any combination of all that is grotesque and whimsical in her works produce its equal.
The corporalвБ†вЄї
вЄЇвБ†Tread lightly on his ashes, ye men of genius,вБ†вЄЇвБ†for he was your kinsman:
Weed his grave clean, ye men of goodness,вБ†вАФfor he was your brother.вБ†вАФOh corporal! had I thee, but now,вБ†вАФnow, that I am able to give thee a dinner and protection,вБ†вАФhow would I cherish thee! thou shouldвАЩst wear thy Montero-cap every hour of the day, and every day of the week,вБ†вАФand when it was worn out, I would purchase thee a couple like it:вБ†вЄЇвБ†But alas! alas! alas! now that I can do this in spite of their reverencesвБ†вАФthe occasion is lostвБ†вАФfor thou art gone;вБ†вАФthy genius fled up to the stars from whence it came;вБ†вАФand that warm heart of thine, with all its generous and open vessels, compressed into a clod of the valley!
вЄЇвБ†But whatвБ†вЄЇвБ†what is this, to that future and dreaded page, where I look towards the velvet pall, decorated with the military ensigns of thy masterвБ†вАФthe firstвБ†вАФthe foremost of created beings;вБ†вЄЇвБ†where, I shall see thee, faithful servant! laying his sword and scabbard with a trembling hand across his coffin, and then returning pale as ashes to the door, to take his mourning horse by the bridle, to follow his hearse, as he directed thee;вБ†вЄЇвБ†whereвБ†вАФall my fatherвАЩs systems shall be baffled by his sorrows; and, in spite of his philosophy, I shall behold him, as he inspects the lackered plate, twice taking his spectacles from off his nose, to wipe away the dew which nature has shed upon themвБ†вЄЇвБ†When I see him cast in the rosemary with an air of disconsolation, which cries through my ears,вБ†вЄЇвБ†O Toby! in what corner of the world shall I seek thy fellow?
вЄЇвБ†Gracious powers! which erst have opened the lips of the dumb in his distress, and made the tongue of the stammerer speak plainвБ†вЄЇвБ†when I shall arrive at this dreaded page, deal not with me, then, with a stinted hand.