VIII
The Story of Le Fever Continued
It was to my uncle TobyвАЩs eternal honour,вБ†вЄЇвБ†though I tell it only for the sake of those, who, when coopвАЩd in betwixt a natural and a positive law, know not, for their souls, which way in the world to turn themselvesвБ†вЄЇвБ†That notwithstanding my uncle Toby was warmly engaged at that time in carrying on the siege of Dendermond, parallel with the allies, who pressed theirs on so vigorously, that they scarce allowed him time to get his dinnerвБ†вЄЇвБ†that nevertheless he gave up Dendermond, though he had already made a lodgment upon the counterscarp;вБ†вАФand bent his whole thoughts towards the private distresses at the inn; and except that he ordered the garden gate to be bolted up, by which he might be said to have turned the siege of Dendermond into a blockade,вБ†вАФhe left Dendermond to itselfвБ†вАФto be relieved or not by the French king, as the French king thought good; and only considered how he himself should relieve the poor lieutenant and his son.
вЄЇвБ†That kind Being, who is a friend to the friendless, shall recompence thee for this.
Thou hast left this matter short, said my uncle Toby to the corporal, as he was putting him to bed,вБ†вЄЇвБ†and I will tell thee in what, Trim.вБ†вЄЇвБ†In the first place, when thou madest an offer of my services to Le Fever,вБ†вЄЇвБ†as sickness and travelling are both expensive, and thou knowest he was but a poor lieutenant, with a son to subsist as well as himself out of his pay,вБ†вАФthat thou didst not make an offer to him of my purse; because, had he stood in need, thou knowest, Trim, he had been as welcome to it as myself.вБ†вЄЇвБ†Your honour knows, said the corporal, I had no orders;вБ†вЄЇвБ†True, quoth my uncle Toby,вБ†вАФthou didst very right, Trim, as a soldier,вБ†вАФbut certainly very wrong as a man.
In the second place, for which, indeed, thou hast the same excuse, continued my uncle Toby,вБ†вЄЇвБ†when thou offeredst him whatever was in my house,вБ†вЄЇвБ†thou shouldst have offered him my house too:вБ†вЄЇвБ†A sick brother officer should have the best quarters, Trim, and if we had him with us,вБ†вАФwe could tend and look to him:вБ†вЄЇвБ†Thou art an excellent nurse thyself, Trim,вБ†вАФand what with thy care of him, and the old womanвАЩs, and his boyвАЩs, and mine together, we might recruit him again at once, and set him upon his legs.вБ†вЄї
вЄЇвБ†In a fortnight or three weeks, added my uncle Toby, smiling,вБ†вЄЇвБ†he might march.вБ†вЄЇвБ†He will never march; anвАЩ please your honour, in this world, said the corporal:вБ†вЄЇвБ†He will march; said my uncle Toby, rising up, from the side of the bed, with one shoe off:вБ†вЄЇвБ†AnвАЩ please your honour, said the corporal, he will never march but to his grave:вБ†вЄЇвБ†He shall march, cried my uncle Toby, marching the foot which had a shoe on, though without advancing an inch,вБ†вАФhe shall march to his regiment.вБ†вЄЇвБ†He cannot stand it, said the corporal;вБ†вЄЇвБ†He shall be supported, said my uncle Toby;вБ†вЄЇвБ†HeвАЩll drop at last, said the corporal, and what will become of his boy?вБ†вЄЇвБ†He shall not drop, said my uncle Toby, firmly.вБ†вЄЇвБ†A-well-oвАЩ-day,вБ†вАФdo what we can for him, said Trim, maintaining his point,вБ†вАФthe poor soul will die:вБ†вЄЇвБ†He shall not die, by GвБ†вЄЇ, cried my uncle Toby.
вАФThe accusing spirit, which flew up to heavenвАЩs chancery with the oath, blushвАЩd as he gave it in;вБ†вАФand the recording angel, as he wrote it down, droppвАЩd a tear upon the word, and blotted it out forever.