A soldier of Marshal Saxe's army being discovered in a theft, was
condemned to be hanged. What he had stolen might be worth about 5s.
The marshal meeting him as he was being led to execution, said to him,
"What a miserable fool you were to risk your life for 5s.!"--"General,"
replied the soldier, "I have risked it every day for five-pence." This
repartee saved his life.
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