"I'd like to see any man try to annoy me.

He wouldn't try twice.

You ask Mrs.Jardine"-- Mrs.Jardine was the keeper of the boarding-house--"she'll tell you a thing or two about my being able to keep men from annoying me." Barbara did, afterwards, ask Mrs.Jardine, and obtained a few sidelights on Liosha's defensive methods.

What they lacked in subtlety they made up in physical effectiveness.

There were not many spruce young gentlemen who, after a week's residence in that establishment, did not adopt a peculiarly deferential attitude towards Liosha.
"Still," said Jaffery, "I think you ought to have somebody, you know." "If you're so keen on a dragon," replied Liosha defiantly, "why not take on the job yourself ?" "I?
Good Lord! Ho! ho! ho!" Jaffery rose to his feet and roared with laughter.