How is it that women are able to lay hold of and lead men by their noses as easily as they take up and turn about a teapot by its handle? Is it that their hands are fashioned for the purpose, and men's noses are fitted by Nature for their hands? Although the nose of Taverner Langford was Roman, and expressive of character and individuality, Mrs. Veale held him by it; and he followed with the docility of a colt caught and led by the forelock.
It was a cause of great disappointment to Hillary that Taverner was in a position to give him annoyance, whereas he was unable to retaliate. Langford had called in the money he had advanced to his brother-in-law; it must be repaid within three months. Langford had threatened the father and son with disinheritance. On the other side, he was powerless to punish Langford. The consciousness of this was a distress to Nanspian, and occasioned the irritability of temper we have mentioned. Unable to endure the humiliation of being hurt without being able to return the blow, he went into the office of the lawyer Physick, at Okehampton.
'Mr. Physick,' said he, 'I want to be thundering disagreeable.'
'By all means, Mr. Nanspian. Very right and proper.'
'I'm going to be very offensive.'
'To be sure. You have occasion, no question.'
'I want a summons made out against Mrs. Veale, that is, the housekeeper of Taverner Langford.'
'The deuce you do!' exclaimed the lawyer, starting into an erect position on his seat. 'The housekeeper of your brother-in-law!'
'The same. I want to hit him through her.'
'Why, Lord bless me! What has come to pass? I thought you and Mr. Langford were on the best of terms.'