IV

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IV

She cannot, quoth my uncle Toby, halting, when they had marchвАЩd up to within twenty paces of Mrs.¬†WadmanвАЩs doorвБ†вАФshe cannot, corporal, take it amiss.вБ†вЄЇвБ†

вЄЇвБ†She will take it, anвАЩ please your honour, said the corporal, just as the JewвАЩs widow at Lisbon took it of my brother Tom.вБ†вЄЇвБ†

вЄЇвБ†And how was that? quoth my uncle Toby, facing quite about to the corporal.

Your honour, replied the corporal, knows of TomвАЩs misfortunes; but this affair has nothing to do with them any further than this, That if Tom had not married the widowвБ†вЄЇвБ†or had it pleased God after their marriage, that they had but put pork into their sausages, the honest soul had never been taken out of his warm bed, and draggвАЩd to the inquisitionвБ†вЄЇвАЩTis a cursed placeвБ†вАФadded the corporal, shaking his head,вБ†вАФwhen once a poor creature is in, he is in, anвАЩ please your honour, forever.

вАЩTis very true; said my uncle Toby, looking gravely at Mrs.¬†WadmanвАЩs house, as he spoke.

Nothing, continued the corporal, can be so sad as confinement for lifeвБ†вАФor so sweet, anвАЩ please your honour, as liberty.

Nothing, TrimвБ†вЄЇвБ†said my uncle Toby, musingвБ†вЄЇвБ†

Whilst a man is free,вБ†вАФcried the corporal, giving a flourish with his stick thusвБ†вЄЇвБ†

A thousand of my fatherвАЩs most subtle syllogisms could not have said more for celibacy.

My uncle Toby lookвАЩd earnestly towards his cottage and his bowling-green.

The corporal had unwarily conjured up the Spirit of calculation with his wand; and he had nothing to do, but to conjure him down again with his story, and in this form of Exorcism, most un-ecclesiastically did the corporal do it.