unday, in the afternoon, as I told your honour.

The old man and his wife had walked out--

Every thing was still and hush as midnight about the house--

There was not so much as a duck or a duckling about the yard--

--When the fair Beguine came in to see me.

My wound was then in a fair way of doing well--the inflammation had been
gone off for some time, but it was succeeded with an itching both above
and below my knee, so insufferable, that I had not shut my eyes the
whole night for it.

Let me see it, said she, kneeling down upon the ground parallel to my
knee, and laying her hand upon the part below it--it only wants rubbing
a little, said the Beguine; so covering it with the bed-clothes, she
began with the fore-finger of her right hand to rub under my knee,
guiding her fore-finger backwards and forwards by the edge of the
flannel which kept on the dressing.

In five or six minutes I felt slightly the end of her second finger--and
presently it was laid flat with the other, and she continued rubbing in
that way round and round for a good while; it then came into my head,
that I should fall in love--I blush'd when I saw how white a hand she
had--I shall never, an' please your honour, behold another hand so white
whilst I live--

--Not in that place, said my uncle Toby--

Though it was the most serious despair in nature to the corporal--he
could not forbear smiling.

The young Beguine, continued the corporal, perceiving it was of great
service to me--from rubbing for some time, with two fingers--proceeded
to rub at length, with three--till by little and little she brought
down the fourth, and then rubb'd with her whole hand: I will never
say another word, an' please your honour, upon hands again--but it was
softer than sattin--

--Prithee, Trim, commend it as much as thou wilt, said my uncle Toby;
I shall hear thy story with the more delight--The corporal thank'd his
master most unfeignedly; but having nothing to say upon the Beguine's
hand but the same over again--he proceeded to the effects of it.

The fair Beguine, said the corporal, continued rubbing with her whole
hand under my knee--till I fear'd her zeal would weary her--'I would do
a thousand times more,' said she, 'for the love of Christ'--In saying
which, she pass'd her hand across the flannel, to the part above my
knee, which I had equally complain'd of, and rubb'd it also.

I perceiv'd, then, I was beginning to be in love--

As she continu