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.
Whether Susannah, by taking her hand too suddenly off the corporal's shoulder, broke the chain of his reflections-
Or whether the corporal began to suspect he was talking more like the chaplain than himself-
Whatever the cause, he went on thus:
'For my own part, I declare that in battle, I do not care this for death.' He snapped his fingers. 'Let death not take me in a cowardly way, like poor Joe Gibbins, in cleaning his gun. A pull of a trigger - a push of a bayonet - look along the line - see! Jack's down! No - 'tis Dick. Then Jack's no worse. No matter which it is; we pass on. In hot pursuit the wound which brings death is not felt. The man who flees is in ten times more danger than the man who marches up into the jaws of death. I've looked him in the face a hundred times, and know what he is. He's nothing, Obadiah, on the battlefield.'
'But he's very frightful in a house,' quoth Obadiah.
'I never mind it in a coach-box,' said Jonathan.
'It must, in my opinion, be most natural in bed,' said Susannah.
'And if I could escape him there, I would,' said Trim, - 'but that is nature.'
'Nature is nature,' said Jonathan.
'And that is why,' cried Susannah, 'I so much pity my mistress. She will never get over it.'
'I pity the captain the most,' 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, as he did for lieutenant Le Fever. "Your honour, do not sigh so piteously," I would say. "I cannot help it, Trim," my master would reply, "'tis so sad, I cannot get it off my heart." "Your honour fears not death yourself." "I fear nothing, Trim," he would say, "but doing a wrong thing. Well, I will take care of Le Fever's boy." And with that, like a medicine, he would fall asleep.'
'I like to hear Trim's stories about the captain,' said Susannah.
'He is a kindly-hearted gentleman,' said Obadiah.
'Aye, and a brave one too,' said the corporal. 'There never was a better officer, or a better man: for he would march up to the cannon's mouth - and yet 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!' said the corporal, shaking his hand. 'I would serve him to the day of my death out of love. He is a friend and a brother to me, and if I was only sure my poor brother Tom was dead, and if I was worth ten thousand pounds, I would leave every shilling to the captain.' Trim could not refrain from tears at this idea. The whole kitchen was affected.
'Do tell us the story of the poor lieutenant,' said Susannah.
'With all my heart,' answered the corporal.
They formed a circle about the fire; and as soon as the scullery-maid had shut the door, the corporal began.
Book 5 - Chapter 10