coach-horse: as this was directly
opposite to the front of Mrs. Wadman's house, when my father came to it,
he gave a look across; and seeing my uncle Toby and the corporal within
ten paces of the door, he turn'd about--'Let us just stop a moment,
quoth my father, and see with what ceremonies my brother Toby and his
man Trim make their first entry--it will not detain us, added my father,
a single minute:'

--No matter, if it be ten minutes, quoth my mother.

--It will not detain us half one; said my father.

The corporal was just then setting in with the story of his brother
Tom and the Jew's widow: the story went on--and on--it had episodes in
it--it came back, and went on--and on again; there was no end of it--the
reader found it very long--

--G.. help my father! he pish'd fifty times at every new attitude, and
gave the corporal's stick, with all its flourishings and danglings, to
as many devils as chose to accept of them.

When issues of events like these my father is waiting for, are hanging
in the scales of fate, the mind has the advantage of changing the
principle of expectation three times, without which it would not have
power to see it out.

Curiosity governs the first moment; and the second moment is all
oeconomy to justify the expence of the first--and for the third, fourth,
fifth, and sixth moments, and so on to the day of judgment--'tis a point
of Honour.

I need not be told, that the ethic writers have assigned this all to
Patience; but that Virtue, methinks, has extent of dominion sufficient
of her own, and enough to do in it, without invading the few dismantled
castles which Honour has left him upon the earth.

My father stood it out as well as he could with these three auxiliaries
to the end of Trim's story; and from thence to the end of my uncle
Toby's panegyrick upon arms, in the chapter following it; when seeing,
that instead of marching up to Mrs. Wadman's door, they both faced
about and march'd down the avenue diametrically opposite to his
expectation--he broke out at once with that little subacid soreness of
humour, which, in certain situations, distinguished his character from
that of all other men.

Chapter 4.LXX.

--'Now what can their two noddles be about?' cried my father...&c....

I dare say, said my mother, they are making fortifications--

--Not on Mrs. Wadman's premises! cried my father, stepping back--

I suppose not: quoth my mother.

I wish, said my father, raisin