MY uncle _Toby_ and the corporal had gone on separately with their
operations the greatest part of the campaign, and as effectually cut
off from all communication of what either the one or the other had been
doing, as if they had been separated from each other by the _Maes_ or
the _Sambre._
My uncle _Toby_, on his side, had presented himself every afternoon in
his red and silver, and blue and gold alternately, and sustained an
infinity of attacks in them, without knowing them to be attacks—and so
had nothing to communicate——
The corporal, on his side, in taking _Bridget_, by it had gain’d
considerable advantages——and consequently had much to communicate——but
what were the advantages——as well as what was the manner by which he
had seiz’d them, required so nice an historian, that the corporal durst
not venture upon it; and as sensible as he was of glory, would rather
have been contented to have gone bareheaded and without laurels for
ever, than torture his master’s modesty for a single moment——
——Best of honest and gallant servants!——But I have apostrophiz’d thee,
_Trim!_ once before——and could I apotheosize thee also (that is to say)
with good company——I would do it _without ceremony_ in the very next
page.