AS _Tom_’s place, an’ please your honour, was easy—and the weather
warm—it put him upon thinking seriously of settling himself in the
world; and as it fell out about that time, that a _Jew_ who kept a
sausage shop in the same street, had the ill luck to die of a
strangury, and leave his widow in possession of a rousing trade——_Tom_
thought (as every body in _Lisbon_ was doing the best he could devise
for himself) there could be no harm in offering her his service to
carry it on: so without any introduction to the widow, except that of
buying a pound of sausages at her shop—_Tom_ set out—counting the
matter thus within himself, as he walk’d along; that let the worst come
of it that could, he should at least get a pound of sausages for their
worth—but, if things went well, he should be set up; inasmuch as he
should get not only a pound of sausages—but a wife and—a sausage shop,
an’ please your honour, into the bargain.
Every servant in the family, from high to low, wish’d _Tom_ success;
and I can fancy, an’ please your honour, I see him this moment with his
white dimity waist-coat and breeches, and hat a little o’ one side,
passing jollily along the street, swinging his stick, with a smile and
a chearful word for every body he met:——But alas! _Tom!_ thou smilest
no more, cried the corporal, looking on one side of him upon the
ground, as if he apostrophised him in his dungeon.
Poor fellow! said my uncle _Toby_, feelingly.
He was an honest, light-hearted lad, an’ please your honour, as ever
blood warm’d——
——Then he resembled thee, _Trim_, said my uncle _Toby_, rapidly.
The corporal blush’d down to his fingers ends—a tear of sentimental
bashfulness—another of gratitude to my uncle _Toby_—and a tear of
sorrow for his brother’s misfortunes, started into his eye, and ran
sweetly down his cheek together; my uncle _Toby_’s kindled as one lamp
does at another; and taking hold of the breast of _Trim_’s coat (which
had been that of _Le Fever_’s) as if to ease his lame leg, but in
reality to gratify a finer feeling——he stood silent for a minute and a
half; at the end of which he took his hand away, and the corporal
making a bow, went on with his story of his brother and the _Jew_’s
widow.