have done their duty in this world and who have not, and we shall be advanced, Trim, accordingly." "I hope we shall," said Trim.

"It is in the Scripture," said my uncle Toby; "and I will show it thee to-morrow. In the meantime, we may depend upon it, Trim, for our comfort," said my uncle Toby, "that God Almighty is so good and just a governor of the world, that if we have but done our duty in it, it will never be inquired into whether we have done it in a red coat or a black one."

"I hope not," said the corporal.

"I wish," said my uncle Toby, with a deep sigh, "I wish, Trim, I was asleep."

"Your honour," replied the corporal, “is too much concerned. Shall I pour your honour out a glass of sack to your pipe?"

"Do, Trim," said my uncle Toby. "But finish the story thou art upon."

""Tis finished already," said the corporal; "for I could stay no longer; so wished his honour a good night. Young Le Fevre rose from off the bed, and saw me to the bottom of the stairs, and, as we went down together, told me they had come from

"But go on, Trim," said my uncle Toby, "with Ireland, and were on their route to join the regithy story."

ment in Flanders. But, alas!" said the corporal,
"the lieutenant's last day's march is over."
"Then what is to become of his poor boy ?" cried
my uncle Toby.

*

*

*

*

*

"When I went up," continued the corporal, " into the lieutenant's room, which I did not do till the expiration of the ten minutes, he was lying in his bed with his head raised upon his hand, his elbow upon the pillow, and a clean white cambric handkerchief beside it. The youth was just stooping down to take up the cushion, upon which I supposed he had been kneeling; the book was laid upon the bed; and, as he arose, in taking up the cushion with one hand, he reached out his other to take it away at the same time. "Let it remain there, my dear,' said the lieu- himself out of his pay-that thou didst not make tenant.

"Thou hast left this matter short," said my uncle Toby to the corporal, as he was putting him to bed; "and I will tell thee in what, Trim. In the first place, when thou madest an offer of my services to Le Fevre-as sickness and travelling are both expensive, and thou knowest he was but a poor lieutenant, with a son to subsist as well as

an offer to him of my purse; because, had he stood "He did not offer to speak to me till I had in need, thou knowest, Trim, he had been as welwalked up close to his bedside.

"If you are Captain Shandy's servant,' said he, 'you must present my thanks to your master, with my little boy's thanks along with them for his courtesy to me. If he was of Leven's,' said the lieutenant.

"I told him your honour was.

"Then,' said he, ' I served three campaigns with him in Flanders, and remember him; but 'tis most likely, as I had not the honour of any acquaintance with him, that he knows nothing of me. You will tell him, however, that the person his good nature has laid under obligation to him is one Le Fevre, a lieutenant in Angus's. But he knows me not,' said he, a second time, musing. 'Possibly he may my story,' added he. Pray tell the captain I was the ensign at Breda, whose wife was most unfortunately killed with a musket-shot as she lay in my arms in my tent.'

6

"I remember the story, an't please your honour,' said I, ' very well.'

"Do you so?' said he, wiping his eyes with his handkerchief; then well may I.'

"In saying this he drew a little ring out of his

come to it as myself."

"Your honour knows," said the corporal, “I had no orders."

"True!" quoth my uncle Toby ; "thou didst very right, Trim, as a soldier, but certainly very wrong as a man. In the second place, for which indeed thou hast the same excuse," continued my uncle Toby, "when thou offeredst him whatever was in my house, thou shouldst have offered him my house too. A sick brother officer should have the best quarters, Trim; and if we had him with us, we could tend and look to him. Thou art an excellent nurse thyself, Trim; and what with thy care of him, and the old woman's, and his boy's, and mine together, we might recruit him at once, and set him on his legs. In a fortnight or three weeks," added my uncle Toby, smiling, "he might march."

"He will never march, an't please your honour, in this world," said the corporal.

"He will march," said my uncle Toby, rising up from the side of the bed, with one shoe off. "An't please your honour," said the corporal, "he will never march but to his grave."

"He shall march," cried my uncle Toby, march

bosom, which seemed tied with a black ribanding the foot which had one shoe on, though withabout his neck, and kissed it twice. out advancing an inch,-" he shall march to his regiment!"

"Here, Billy,' said he.

"The boy flew across the room to the bedside, and, falling down upon his knees, took the ring in his hand, and kissed it too; then kissed his father, and sat down upon the bed and wept."

"He cannot stand it," said the corporal. "He shall be supported," said my uncle Toby. "He'll drop at last," said the corporal; "and what will become of his boy?"