CHAPTER XXVIII

----And here is the _Maes_--and this is the _Sambre_; said the corporal, pointing with his right hand extended a little towards the map and his left upon Mrs. _Bridget’s_ shoulder----but not the shoulder next him--and this, said he, is the town of _Namur_--and this the citadel--and there lay the _French_--and here lay his honour and myself----and in this cursed trench, Mrs. _Bridget_, quoth the corporal, taking her by the hand, did he receive the wound which crush’d him so miserably _here_. ----In pronouncing which, he slightly press’d the back of her hand towards the part he felt for----and let it fall.

We thought, Mr. _Trim_, it had been more in the middle, ----said Mrs. _Bridget_----

That would have undone us for ever--said the corporal.

----And left my poor mistress undone too, said _Bridget_.

The corporal made no reply to the repartee, but by giving Mrs. _Bridget_ a kiss.

Come--come--said _Bridget_--holding the palm of her left hand parallel to the plane of the horizon, and sliding the fingers of the other over it, in a way which could not have been done, had there been the least wart or protuberance----’Tis every syllable of it false, cried the corporal, before she had half finished the sentence----

--I know it to be fact, said _Bridget_, from credible witnesses.

------Upon my honour, said the corporal, laying his hand upon his heart and blushing, as he spoke, with honest resentment--’tis a story, Mrs. _Bridget_, as false as hell ----Not, said _Bridget_, interrupting him, that either I or my mistress care a halfpenny about it, whether ’tis so or no------only that when one is married, one would chuse to have such a thing by one at least----

It was somewhat unfortunate for Mrs. _Bridget_, that she had begun the attack with her manual exercise; for the corporal instantly * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *.

##