The Corner

Sang Froid

One of my favorites from the Iron Duke, recycled in the March 07 Literary Review (where Nigel Jones is reviewing Nick Foulkes’ Dancing into Battle: A Social History of the Battle of Waterloo):

[Wellington was near his friend Lord Uxbridge when the latter was unfortunately struck by a cannonball]

“By God, Sir,” said a shocked Uxbridge, “I’ve lost m’leg.” 

“By God, Sir,” replied the icy Duke after a brief glance at the bloody stump, “So you have.”

John Derbyshire — Mr. Derbyshire is a former contributing editor of National Review.
Exit mobile version