The double success of my father’s repartees tickled off the pain of his shin at once--it was well it so fell out--(chance! again)--or the world to this day had never known the subject of my father’s calculation----to guess it--there was no chance ----What a lucky chapter of chances has this turned out! for it has saved me the trouble of writing one express, and in truth I have enough already upon my hands without it. --Have not I promised the world a chapter of knots? two chapters upon the right and the wrong end of a woman? a chapter upon whiskers? a chapter upon wishes? ----a chapter of noses? --No, I have done that--a chapter upon my uncle _Toby’s_ modesty? to say nothing of a chapter upon chapters, which I will finish before I sleep--by my great-grandfather’s whiskers, I shall never get half of ’em through this year. Take pen and ink in hand, and calculate it fairly, brother _Toby_, said my father, and it will turn out a million to one, that of all the parts of the body, the edge of the forceps should have the ill luck just to fall upon and break down that one part, which should break down the fortunes of our house with it. It might have been worse, replied my uncle _Toby_. ----I don’t comprehend, said my father. ------Suppose the hip had presented, replied my uncle _Toby_, as Dr. _Slop_ foreboded. My father reflected half a minute--looked down----touched the middle of his forehead slightly with his finger------ --True, said he. CHAPTER X Is it not a shame to make two chapters of what passed in going down one pair of stairs? for we are got no farther yet than to the first landing, and there are fifteen more steps down to the bottom; and for aught I know, as my father and my uncle _Toby_ are in a talking humour, there may be as many chapters as steps: ----let that be as it will, Sir, I can no more help it than my destiny: --A sudden impulse comes across me----drop the curtain, _Shandy_ ----I drop it --Strike a line here across the paper, _Tristram_ --I strike it--and hey for a new chapter. The deuce of any other rule have I to govern myself by in this affair--and if I had one--as I do all things out of all rule --I would twist it and tear it to pieces, and throw it into the fire when I had done --Am I warm? I am, and the cause demands it----a pretty story! is a man to follow rules------or rules to follow him?