diff --git a/lib/tput.js b/lib/tput.js
index 707e059..e760375 100644
--- a/lib/tput.js
+++ b/lib/tput.js
@@ -365,6 +365,14 @@ Tput.prototype._compile = function(val) {
     echo('"' + c + '"');
   }
 
+  function push(c) {
+    expr('(stack.push(v = ' + c + '), v)');
+  }
+
+  function pop(c) {
+    expr((c ? c + ' = ' : '') + 'stack.pop()');
+  }
+
   while (val) {
     // '\e' -> ^[
     if (read(/^\\e/i)) {
@@ -373,110 +381,39 @@ Tput.prototype._compile = function(val) {
     }
 
     // '^A' -> ^A
-    // case-insensitive?
     if (read(/^\^(.)/i)) {
-      switch (ch.toUpperCase()) {
+      ch = ch.toUpperCase(); // ?
+      switch (ch) {
         case '@':
           ch = '\\x00';
           break;
-        case 'A':
-          ch = '\\x01';
-          break;
-        case 'B':
-          ch = '\\x02';
-          break;
-        case 'C':
-          ch = '\\x03';
-          break;
-        case 'D':
-          ch = '\\x04';
-          break;
-        case 'E':
-          ch = '\\x05';
-          break;
-        case 'F':
-          ch = '\\x06';
-          break;
-        case 'G':
-          ch = '\\x07';
-          break;
-        case 'H':
-          ch = '\\x08';
-          break;
-        case 'I':
-          ch = '\\x09'; // \t
-          break;
-        case 'J':
-          ch = '\\x0a'; // \n
-          break;
-        case 'K':
-          ch = '\\x0b';
-          break;
-        case 'L':
-          ch = '\\x0c';
-          break;
-        case 'M':
-          ch = '\\x0d';
-          break;
-        case 'N':
-          ch = '\\x0e';
-          break;
-        case 'O':
-          ch = '\\x0f';
-          break;
-        case 'P':
-          ch = '\\x10';
-          break;
-        case 'Q':
-          ch = '\\x11';
-          break;
-        case 'R':
-          ch = '\\x12';
-          break;
-        case 'S':
-          ch = '\\x13';
-          break;
-        case 'T':
-          ch = '\\x14';
-          break;
-        case 'U':
-          ch = '\\x15';
-          break;
-        case 'V':
-          ch = '\\x16';
-          break;
-        case 'W':
-          ch = '\\x17';
-          break;
-        case 'X':
-          ch = '\\x18';
-          break;
-        case 'Y':
-          ch = '\\x19';
-          break;
-        case 'Z':
-          ch = '\\x1a';
+        case '[':
+          ch = '\\x1b';
           break;
         case '\\':
           ch = '\\x1c';
           break;
+        case ']':
+          ch = '\\x1d';
+          break;
         case '^':
           ch = '\\x1e';
           break;
         case '_':
           ch = '\\x1f';
           break;
-        case '[':
-          ch = '\\x1b';
-          break;
-        case ']':
-          ch = '\\x1d';
-          break;
         case '?':
           ch = '\\x7f';
           break;
         default:
-          ch = '\\' + ch;
+          if (ch >= 'A' && ch <= 'Z') {
+            ch = ch.charCodeAt(0) - 64;
+            ch = ch.toString(16);
+            if (ch.length < 2) ch = '0' + ch;
+            ch = '\\x' + ch;
+          } else {
+            ch = '';
+          }
           break;
       }
       print(ch);