CHAPTER X

Whether _Susannah_, by taking her hand too suddenly from off the corporal’s shoulder (by the whisking about of her passions)----broke a little the chain of his reflexions----

Or whether the corporal began to be suspicious, he had got into the doctor’s quarters, and was talking more like the chaplain than himself------

Or whether - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Or whether----for in all such cases a man of invention and parts may with pleasure fill a couple of pages with suppositions----which of all these was the cause, let the curious physiologist, or the curious anybody determine----’tis certain, at least, the corporal went on thus with his harangue.

For my own part, I declare it, that out of doors, I value not death at all: --not this ... added the corporal, snapping his fingers, --but with an air which no one but the corporal could have given to the sentiment. --In battle, I value death not this . . . and let him not take me cowardly, like poor _Joe Gibbins_, in scouring his gun --What is he? A pull of a trigger--a push of a bayonet an inch this way or that--makes the difference. --Look along the line--to the right--see! _Jack’s_ down! well, --’tis worth a regiment of horse to him. --No--’tis _Dick_. Then _Jack’s_ no worse. --Never mind which, --we pass on, --in hot pursuit the wound itself which brings him is not felt, --the best way is to stand up to him, --the man who flies, is in ten times more danger than the man who marches up into his jaws. --I’ve look’d him, added the corporal, an hundred times in the face, --and know what he is. --He’s nothing, _Obadiah_, at all in the field. --But he’s very frightful in a house, quoth _Obadiah_. ----I never mind it myself, said _Jonathan_, upon a coach-box. --It must, in my opinion, be most natural in bed, replied _Susannah_. --And could I escape him by creeping into the worst calf’s skin that ever was made into a knapsack, I would do it there--said _Trim_--but that is nature.

----Nature is nature, said _Jonathan_. --And that is the reason, cried _Susannah_, I so much pity my mistress. --She will never get the better of it. --Now I pity the captain the most of any one in the family, answered _Trim_. ----Madam will get ease of heart in weeping, --and the Squire in talking about it, --but my poor master will keep it all in silence to himself, --I shall hear him sigh in his bed for a whole month together, as he did for lieutenant _Le Fever_. --An’ please your honour, do not sigh so piteously, I would say to him as I laid besides him. I cannot help it, _Trim_, my master would say, ----’tis so melancholy an accident --I cannot get it off my heart. --Your honour fears not death yourself. --I hope, _Trim_, I fear nothing, he would say, but the doing a wrong thing. ----Well, he would add, whatever betides, I will take care of _Le Fever’s_ boy. --And with that, like a quieting draught, his honour would fall asleep.

I like to hear _Trim’s_ stories about the captain, said _Susannah_. --He is a kindly-hearted gentleman, said _Obadiah_, as ever lived. --Aye, and as brave a one too, said the corporal, as ever stept before a platoon. --There never was a better officer in the king’s army, --or a better man in God’s world; for he would march up to the mouth of a cannon, though he saw the lighted match at the very touch-hole, --and yet, for all that, he has a heart as soft as a child for other people. ----He would not hurt a chicken. ----I would sooner, quoth _Jonathan_, drive such a gentleman for seven pounds a year--than some for eight. --Thank thee, _Jonathan!_ for thy twenty shillings, --as much, _Jonathan_, said the corporal, shaking him by the hand, as if thou hadst put the money into my own pocket. ----I would serve him to the day of my death out of love. He is a friend and a brother to me, --and could I be sure my poor brother _Tom_ was dead, --continued the corporal, taking out his handkerchief, --was I worth ten thousand pounds, I would leave every shilling of it to the captain. ----_Trim_ could not refrain from tears at this testamentary proof he gave of his affection to his master. ----The whole kitchen was affected. --Do tell us the story of the poor lieutenant, said _Susannah_. ----With all my heart, answered the corporal.

_Susannah_, the cook, _Jonathan_, _Obadiah_, and corporal _Trim_, formed a circle about the fire; and as soon as the scullion had shut the kitchen door, --the corporal begun.

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