My father, as you have observed, had no great esteem for my uncle _Toby's_ hobby-horse, he thought it the most ridiculous horse that ever gentleman mounted; and indeed unless my uncle _Toby_ vexed him about it, could never think of it once, without smiling at it----so that it could never get lame or happen any mischance, but it tickled my father's imagination beyond measure; but this being an accident much more to his humour than any one which had yet befall'n it, it proved an inexhaustible fund of entertainment to him. ----Well----but dear _Toby!_ my father would say, do tell me seriously how this affair of the bridge happened. ----How can you tease me so much about it? my uncle _Toby_ would reply --I have told it you twenty times, word for word as _Trim_ told it me. --Prithee, how was it then, corporal? my father would cry, turning to _Trim_. --It was a mere misfortune, an' please your honour; ----I was shewing Mrs. _Bridget_ our fortifications, and in going too near the edge of the fosse, I unfortunately slipp'd in ----Very well, _Trim!_ my father would cry----(smiling mysteriously, and giving a nod--but without interrupting him)----and being link'd fast, an' please your honour, arm in arm with Mrs. _Bridget_, I dragg'd her after me, by means of which she fell backwards soss against the bridge----and _Trim's_ foot (my uncle _Toby_ would cry, taking the story out of his mouth) getting into the cuvette, he tumbled full against the bridge too. --It was a thousand to one, my uncle _Toby_ would add, that the poor fellow did not break his leg. ------Ay truly, my father would say---- a limb is soon broke, brother _Toby_, in such encounters. ----And so, an' please your honour, the bridge, which your honour knows was a very slight one, was broke down betwixt us, and splintered all to pieces.

My father, as you have observed, had no great esteem for my uncle Toby's hobby-horse; he thought it the most ridiculous horse that ever gentleman mounted. So this accident tickled my father's imagination beyond measure, and proved an inexhaustible fund of entertainment to him.
'Well - dear Toby!' my father would say, 'do tell me how this affair of the bridge happened.'
'How can you tease me so about it?' my uncle Toby would reply. 'I have told you twenty times, word for word as Trim told me.'
'Prithee, how was it then, corporal?' my father would cry, turning to Trim.
'It was a mere misfortune, your honour; I was showing Mrs. Bridget our fortifications, and going too near the edge of the ditch, I unfortunately slipped in. And being linked arm in arm with Mrs. Bridget, I dragged her after me, and she fell backwards against the bridge-'
'- and Trim's foot' (my uncle Toby would cry) 'getting into the cuvette, he tumbled against the bridge too. It was fortunate that the poor fellow did not break his leg.'
'Ay truly,' my father would say, 'a limb is soon broke in such encounters.'
'And so, your honour, the bridge, which was a very slight one, was broke down betwixt us, and splintered all to pieces.'
