Had count _Solmes_, _Trim_, done the same at the battle of _Steenkirk_,
said _Yorick_, drolling a little upon the corporal, who had been run
over by a dragoon in the retreat, ----he had saved thee; ----Saved!
cried _Trim_, interrupting _Yorick_, and finishing the sentence for him
after his own fashion, ----he had saved five battalions, an’ please your
reverence, every soul of them: ----there was _Cutts’s_--continued the
corporal, clapping the forefinger of his right hand upon the thumb of
his left, and counting round his hand, ----there was _Cutts’s_,
----_Mackay’s_, ----_Angus’s_, ----_Graham’s_, ----and _Leven’s_, all
cut to pieces; ----and so had the _English_ life-guards too, had it not
been for some regiments upon the right, who marched up boldly to their
relief, and received the enemy’s fire in their faces, before any one of
their own platoons discharged a musket, ----they’ll go to heaven for it,
--added _Trim_. --_Trim_ is right, said my uncle _Toby_, nodding to
_Yorick_, ----he’s perfectly right. What signified his marching the
horse, continued the corporal, where the ground was so straight, that
the _French_ had such a nation of hedges, and copses, and ditches, and
fell’d trees laid this way and that to cover them; (as they always
have). ----Count _Solmes_ should have sent us, ----we would have fired
muzzle to muzzle with them for their lives. ----There was nothing to be
done for the horse: ----he had his foot shot off however for his pains,
continued the corporal, the very next campaign at _Landen_. --Poor
_Trim_ got his wound there, quoth my uncle _Toby_. ----’Twas owing, an’
please your honour, entirely to count _Solmes_, ----had he drubb’d them
soundly at _Steenkirk_, they would not have fought us at _Landen_.
----Possibly not, ----_Trim_, said my uncle _Toby_; ----though if they
have the advantage of a wood, or you give them a moment’s time to
intrench themselves, they are a nation which will pop and pop for ever
at you. ----There is no way but to march coolly up to them, ----receive
their fire, and fall in upon them, pell-mell ----Ding dong, added _Trim_.
----Horse and foot, said my uncle _Toby_. ----Helter skelter, said
_Trim_. ----Right and left, cried my uncle _Toby_. ----Blood an’ ounds,
shouted the corporal; ----the battle raged, ----_Yorick_ drew his chair
a little to one side for safety, and after a moment’s pause, my uncle
_Toby_ sinking his voice a note, --resumed the discourse as follows.
CHAPTER XXII
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