——I have quite forgot it truly, said the landlord, coming back into the parlour with the corporal,—but I can ask his son again:——Has he a son with him then? said my uncle _Toby._—A boy, replied the landlord, of about eleven or twelve years of age;—but the poor creature has tasted almost as little as his father; he does nothing but mourn and lament for him night and day:——He has not stirred from the bed-side these two days. My uncle _Toby_ laid down his knife and fork, and thrust his plate from before him, as the landlord gave him the account; and _Trim_, without being ordered, took away, without saying one word, and in a few minutes after brought him his pipe and tobacco. ——Stay in the room a little, said my uncle _Toby._ _Trim!_——said my uncle _Toby_, after he lighted his pipe, and smoak’d about a dozen whiffs.——_Trim_ came in front of his master, and made his bow;—my uncle _Toby_ smoak’d on, and said no more.——Corporal! said my uncle _Toby_—the corporal made his bow.——My uncle _Toby_ proceeded no farther, but finished his pipe. _Trim!_ said my uncle _Toby_, I have a project in my head, as it is a bad night, of wrapping myself up warm in my roquelaure, and paying a visit to this poor gentleman.——Your honour’s roquelaure, replied the corporal, has not once been had on, since the night before your honour received your wound, when we mounted guard in the trenches before the gate of St. _Nicholas;_—and besides, it is so cold and rainy a night, that what with the roquelaure, and what with the weather, ’twill be enough to give your honour your death, and bring on your honour’s torment in your groin. I fear so, replied my uncle _Toby;_ but I am not at rest in my mind, _Trim_, since the account the landlord has given me.——I wish I had not known so much of this affair,—added my uncle _Toby_,—or that I had known more of it:——How shall we manage it? Leave it, an’t please your honour, to me, quoth the corporal;——I’ll take my hat and stick and go to the house and reconnoitre, and act accordingly; and I will bring your honour a full account in an hour.——Thou shalt go, _Trim_, said my uncle _Toby_, and here’s a shilling for thee to drink with his servant.——I shall get it all out of him, said the corporal, shutting the door. My uncle _Toby_ filled his second pipe; and had it not been, that he now and then wandered from the point, with considering whether it was not full as well to have the curtain of the tennaile a straight line, as a crooked one,—he might be said to have thought of nothing else but poor _Le Fever_ and his boy the whole time he smoaked it. C H A P. L THE STORY OF LE FEVER CONTINUED IT was not till my uncle _Toby_ had knocked the ashes out of his third pipe, that corporal _Trim_ returned from the inn, and gave him the following account.