XXXVII
The description of the siege of Jericho itself, could not have engaged the attention of my uncle Toby more powerfully than the last chapter;вБ†вАФhis eyes were fixed upon my father throughout it;вБ†вАФhe never mentioned radical heat and radical moisture, but my uncle Toby took his pipe out of his mouth, and shook his head; and as soon as the chapter was finished, he beckoned to the corporal to come close to his chair, to ask him the following question,вБ†вАФaside.вБ†вЄЇвБ†* * * * * * * * * It was at the siege of Limerick, anвАЩ please your honour, replied the corporal, making a bow.
The poor fellow and I, quoth my uncle Toby, addressing himself to my father, were scarce able to crawl out of our tents, at the time the siege of Limerick was raised, upon the very account you mention.вБ†вЄЇвБ†Now what can have got into that precious noddle of thine, my dear brother Toby? cried my father, mentally.вБ†вЄЇвБ†By Heaven! continued he, communing still with himself, it would puzzle an Oedipus to bring it in point.вБ†вЄЇвБ†
I believe, anвАЩ please your honour, quoth the corporal, that if it had not been for the quantity of brandy we set fire to every night, and the claret and cinnamon with which I plyed your honour off;вБ†вАФAnd the geneva, Trim, added my uncle Toby, which did us more good than allвБ†вЄЇвБ†I verily believe, continued the corporal, we had both, anвАЩ please your honour, left our lives in the trenches, and been buried in them too.вБ†вЄЇвБ†The noblest grave, corporal! cried my uncle Toby, his eyes sparkling as he spoke, that a soldier could wish to lie down in.вБ†вЄЇвБ†But a pitiful death for him! anвАЩ please your honour, replied the corporal.
All this was as much Arabick to my father, as the rites of the Colchi and Troglodites had been before to my uncle Toby; my father could not determine whether he was to frown or to smile.вБ†вЄЇвБ†
My uncle Toby, turning to Yorick, resumed the case at Limerick, more intelligibly than he had begun it,вБ†вАФand so settled the point for my father at once.