d to the door
of the sentry-box, but to extend her right hand; and edging in her left
foot at the same movement, to take hold of the map or plan, or upright,
or whatever it was, and with out-stretched neck meeting it half way,--to
advance it towards her; on which my uncle Toby's passions were sure to
catch fire--for he would instantly take hold of the other corner of the
map in his left hand, and with the end of his pipe in the other, begin
an explanation.

When the attack was advanced to this point;--the world will
naturally enter into the reasons of Mrs. Wadman's next stroke of
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 fore-finger 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, tho' 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 her's close beside it; this at once opened a
communication, large enough for any sentiment to pass or re-pass, which
a person skill'd in the elementary and practical part of love-making,
has occasion for--

By bringing up her forefinger parallel (as before) to my uncle
Toby's--it unav