THE Fates, who certainly all fore-knew of these amours of widow
_Wadman_ and my uncle _Toby_, had, from the first creation of matter
and motion (and with more courtesy than they usually do things of this
kind), established such a chain of causes and effects hanging so fast
to one another, that it was scarce possible for my uncle _Toby_ to have
dwelt in any other house in the world, or to have occupied any other
garden in _Christendom_, but the very house and garden which join’d and
laid parallel to Mrs. _Wadman_’s; this, with the advantage of a
thickset arbour in Mrs. _Wadman_’s garden, but planted in the hedge-row
of my uncle _Toby_’s, put all the occasions into her hands which
Love-militancy wanted; she could observe my uncle _Toby_’s motions, and
was mistress likewise of his councils of war; and as his unsuspecting
heart had given leave to the corporal, through the mediation of
_Bridget_, to make her a wicker-gate of communication to enlarge her
walks, it enabled her to carry on her approaches to the very door of
the sentry-box; and sometimes out of gratitude, to make an attack, and
endeavour to blow my uncle _Toby_ up in the very sentry-box itself.