He proceeded to take off the stocking, which fitted rather closely, and the removal of which gave me intolerable pain.

I begged him to rip off the garment with a knife, and put an end to my torments.

The armorer also remonstrated against his unnecessary cruelty, but in vain.

The only reply of the grumbling rascal was that the stocking was too good to be destroyed, and he never knew a Yankee who could bear pain like a man! He then began, in a cool and business-like manner, to twist my foot about, grinding the fractured bones together to ascertain, as he said, whether the limb was actually broken! And I verily believe that my complaints and groans, which I did not attempt to suppress, were sweet music in his ears.

It was clear to me that, for some reason which I could never learn, Mr.Thomas owed the whole Yankee nation a grudge, and was ready to pay it off on an individual whenever he could get a chance.
After he finished his examination, I looked around the room, which was not a large one.