But ranged as infantry,
And staring face to face,
I shot at him as he at me,
And killed him in his place.
I shot him dead because —
Because he was my foe,
Just so: my foe of course he was;
That's clear enough; although
He thought he'd 'list, perhaps,
Off-hand like — just as I —
Was out of work — had sold his traps —
No other reason why.
Yes; quaint and curious war is!
You shoot a fellow down
You'd treat, if met where any bar is,
Or help to half-a-crown.
The word ‘Yes’ suggests that the speaker is growing more confident of his views, or at least is able to recognise the moral dilemma, even if he lacks the words to express it. 
 Hardy introduces some wry humour. The word ‘quaint’ is , in itself, quaint — as is the word ‘curious’. Both are ironic understatements — unsuitable descriptions of the vast tragedy of man’s age-old impulse to fight. Even the speaker seems to recognise this, with his ironic exclamation mark.
The Man He Killed