----What can they be doing, brother? said my father. --I think, replied my uncle _Toby_, --taking, as I told you, his pipe from his mouth, and striking the ashes out of it as he began his sentence; ----I think, replied he, --it would not be amiss, brother, if we rung the bell.
Pray, what's all that racket over our heads, _Obadiah?_ ----quoth my father; ----my brother and I can scarce hear ourselves speak.
Sir, answered _Obadiah_, making a bow towards his left shoulder, --my Mistress is taken very badly. --And where's _Susannah_ running down the garden there, as if they were going to ravish her? ----Sir, she is running the shortest cut into the town, replied _Obadiah_, to fetch the old midwife. --Then saddle a horse, quoth my father, and do you go directly for Dr. _Slop_, the man-midwife, with all our services, ----and let him know your mistress is fallen into labour----and that I desire he will return with you with all speed.
It is very strange, says my father, addressing himself to my uncle _Toby_, as _Obadiah_ shut the door, ----as there is so expert an operator as Dr. _Slop_ so near, --that my wife should persist to the very last in this obstinate humour of hers, in trusting the life of my child, who has had one misfortune already, to the ignorance of an old woman; ----and not only the life of my child, brother, ----but her own life, and with it the lives of all the children I might, peradventure, have begot out of her hereafter.
Mayhap, brother, replied my uncle _Toby_, my sister does it to save the expense: --A pudding's end, --replied my father, ----the Doctor must be paid the same for inaction as action, ----if not better, --to keep him in temper.

'What can they be doing, brother?' said my father.
'I think,' replied my uncle Toby, taking, as I told you, his pipe from his mouth, and striking the ashes out of it; - 'I think it would not be amiss, brother, if we rung the bell.'
'Pray, what's all that racket over our heads, Obadiah?' quoth my father.
'Sir,' answered Obadiah with a bow, 'my Mistress is taken very badly.'
'And where's Susannah running to down the garden?'
'Sir, she is running into the town,' replied Obadiah, 'to fetch the old midwife.'
'Then saddle a horse,' quoth my father, 'and go directly for Dr. Slop, the man-midwife, and let him know your mistress is fallen into labour - and that I desire him to return with you speedily.'
'It is very strange,' said my father to my uncle Toby, as Obadiah shut the door, - 'when there is an expert such as Dr. Slop so near, that my wife should persist so obstinately in trusting the life of my child to the ignorance of an old woman; - and not only the life of my child, but her own life, and with it the lives of all the children I might have in the future.'
'Mayhap, brother,' replied my uncle Toby, 'she does it to save the expense.'
'A pudding's end!' replied my father; 'the Doctor must be paid the same for inaction as action, - if not more, to keep him happy.'
