Once--years ago, it seemed to him--he had heard talk of the Whipple nose.

This one had the Whipple nose, or that one did not have the Whipple nose; and it had then been his understanding that the Whipple family possessed but one nose in common; sometimes one Whipple had it; then another Whipple would have it.

At the time this had seemed curious, but in no way anomalous.

He had readily pictured a Whipple nose being worn now by one and now by another of this family.

He had visualized it as something that could be handed about.