Jiří Šalamoun's Tristram Shandy (1)

Laurence Sterne, Život a názory blahorodého pana Tristrama Shandyho [The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman], translated by Aloys Skoumal (1904-1988), illustrated by Jiří Šalamoun (1935-), Odeon, Prague, 1985, 552pp.

Nor does it much disturb my rest when I see such great Lords and tall Personages as hereafter follow;---such, for instance, as my Lord A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, and so on, all of a row, mounted upon their several horses;--some with large stirrups, getting on in a more grave and sober pace;----others on the contrary, tuck'd up to their very chins, with whips across their mouths, scouring and scampering it away like so many little party-colour'd devils astride a mortgage,——and as if some of them were resolved to break their necks.—So much the better—say I to myself;—for in case the worst should happen, the world will make a shift to do excellently well without them;—and for the rest,----why,----God speed them,----e'en let them ride on without any opposition from me; for were their lordships unhorsed this very night,——'tis ten to one but that many of them would be worse mounted by one half before to-morrow morning. 

Vol. I, Chap. VIII

Yorick's last breath was hanging upon his trembling lips ready to depart [...] Eugenius could perceive a stream of lambent fire lighted up for a moment in his eyes;----faint picture of those flashes of his spirit, which (as Shakespear said of his ancestor) were wont to set the table in a roar! Eugenius was convinced from this, that the heart of his friend was broke; he squeez'd his hand,——and then walk'd softly out of the room, weeping as he walk'd. Yorick followed Eugenius with his eyes to the door,----he then closed them,—and never opened them more. 

Vol. I, Chap. XII

Mr. Tristram Shandy's compliments to Messrs. Le Moyne, De Romigny, and De Marcilly, hopes they all rested well the night after so tiresome a consultation.—He begs to know, whether, after the ceremony of marriage, and before that of consummation, the baptizing all the HOMUNCULI at once, slap-dash, by injection, would not be a shorter and safer cut still; on condition, as above, That if the HOMUNCULI do well and come safe into the world after this, That each and every of them shall be baptized again (sous condition.)——And provided, in the second place, That the thing can be done, which Mr. Shandy apprehends it may, par le moyen d'une petite canulle, and, sans faire aucun tort a le pere. 

Vol. I, Chap. XX.