im, d--n my blood! The fellow got upon his feet, and
began to repose me, upon which I charged my bayonet breast high, and
ran him through the body by G--! One of his comrades, coming to his
assistance, shot me in the shoulder, as I told you before; and another
gave me a contusion on the head with the butt-end of his carbine; but,
d--me, that did not signify. I killed one, put the other to flight, and
taking up the standard, carried it off very deliberately. But the best
joke of all was the son of a b--ch of a cornet, who had surrendered it
in a cowardly manner, seeing it in my possession, demanded it from me in
the front of the line. "D--n my blood!" says he, "where did you find my
standard?" says he. "D--n my blood!" said I, "where," said I, "did you
lose it?" said I. "That's nothing to you," says he, "'tis my standard,"
says he" and by G--d I'll have it," says he. "D--nation seize me,"
says I, "if you shall," says I, "till I have first delivered it to the
general," says I; and accordingly I went to the headquarters after the
battle, and delivered it to my Lord Stair, who promised to do for me.
But I am no more than a poor lieutenant still, d--n my blood."

Having vented this repetition of expletives, the lawyer owned he had not
been requited according to his deserts; observed that the labourer is
always worthy of his hire, and asked if the promise was made before
witnesses, because in that case the law would compel the general to
perform it; but understanding that the promise was made over a bottle,
without being restricted to time or terms, he pronounced it not valid
in law, proceeded to inquire into the particulars of the battle, and
affirmed that, although the English had drawn themselves into premunire
at first, the French managed their cause so lamely in the course of
the dispute, that they would have been utterly nonsuited, had they not
obtained a nolli prosequi. In spite of these enlivening touches, the
conversation was like to suffer another long interruption, when the
lieutenant, unwilling to conceal any of his accomplishments that could
be displayed in his present situation, offered to regale the company
with a song; and, interpreting our silence into a desire of hearing,
began to warble a fashionable air the first stanza of which he
pronounced thus:

"Would you task the moon-tide hair,
To yon flagrant beau repair.
Where waving with the poplin vow,
The bantling fine will shelter you," etc.