CHAPTER 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; --his eyes were fixed upon my father throughout it; --he 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, --_aside_. ---- * * * * * * * * * It was at the siege of _Limerick_, an’ 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. ----Now what can have got into that precious noddle of thine, my dear brother _Toby?_ cried my father, mentally. ----By Heaven! continued he, communing still with himself, it would puzzle an _Œdipus_ to bring it in point.----

I believe, an’ 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; --And the geneva, _Trim_, added my uncle _Toby_, which did us more good than all ----I verily believe, continued the corporal, we had both, an’ please your honour, left our lives in the trenches, and been buried in them too. ----The noblest grave, corporal! cried my uncle _Toby_, his eyes sparkling as he spoke, that a soldier could wish to lie down in. ----But a pitiful death for him! an’ 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.----

My uncle _Toby_, turning to _Yorick_, resumed the case at _Limerick_, more intelligibly than he had begun it, --and so settled the point for my father at once.

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