fust to break her fall, in case the bus started off too sudden, and
Charlie 'elped her down behind by catching hold of a lace collar she was
wearing. When she turned to speak to 'im about it, she knocked the
conductor's hat off with 'er umbrella, and there was so much
unpleasantness that by the time they 'ad got to the pavement she told
Charlie that she never wanted to see his silly fat face agin.

"It ain't fat," ses Ted, speaking up for 'im; "it's the shape of it."

"And it ain't silly," ses Charlie, speaking very quick; "mind that!"

"It's a bit o' real lace," ses the gal, twisting her 'ead round to look
at the collar; "it cost me one and two-three only last night."

"One an' _wot?_" ses Charlie, who, not being a married man, didn't
understand 'er.

"One shilling," ses the gal, "two pennies, and three farthings. D'ye
understand that?"

"Yes," ses Charlie.

"He's cleverer than he looks," ses the gal, turning to Ted. "I s'pose
you're right, and it is the shape after all."

Ted walked along one side of 'er and Charlie the other, till they came to
the corner of the road where she lived, and then Ted and 'er stood there
talking till Charlie got sick and tired of it, and kept tugging at Ted's
coat for 'im to come away.