----I would be picquetted to death, cried the corporal, as he concluded _Susannah's_ story, before I would suffer the woman to come to any harm, --'twas my fault, an' please your honour, --not hers.

'I would be impaled on stakes,' cried the corporal, 'before I would allow the woman to come to any harm; 'twas my fault, your honour, not hers.'
