generalship⸺which was, to take my uncle Toby’s tobacco-pipe out of his hand as soon as she possibly could; which, under one pretence or other, but generally that of pointing more distinctly at some redoubt or breastwork in the map, she would effect before my uncle Toby (poor soul!) had well march’d above half a dozen toises with it.
—It obliged my uncle Toby to make use of his forefinger.
The difference it made in the attack was this; That in going upon it, as in the first case, with the end of her forefinger against the end of my uncle Toby’s tobacco-pipe, she might have travelled with it, along the lines, from Dan to Beersheba , had my uncle Toby’s lines reach’d so far, without any effect: For as there was no arterial or vital heat in the end of the tobacco-pipe, it could excite no sentiment⸺it could neither give fire by pulsation⸺or receive it by sympathy⸺’twas nothing but smoke.
Whereas, in following my uncle Toby’s forefinger with hers, close thro’ all the little turns and indentings of his works—pressing sometimes against the side of it⸺then treading upon its nail⸺then tripping it up⸺then touching it here⸺then there, and so on⸺it set something at least in motion.
This, though slight skirmishing, and at a distance from the main body, yet drew on the rest; for here, the map usually falling with the back of it, close to the side of the sentry-box, my uncle Toby , in the simplicity of his soul, would lay his hand flat upon it, in order to go on with his explanation; and Mrs. Wadman , by a manoeuvre as quick as thought, would as certainly place hers close beside it; this at once opened a communication, large enough for any sentiment to pass or repass, which a person skill’d in the elementary and practical part of lovemaking, has occasion for⸺
By bringing up her forefinger parallel (as before) to my uncle Toby’s ⸺it unavoidably brought the thumb into action⸺and the