said was that there had been winkles. 'Not me. You're just a common
rogue.' He seats himself far from the table. 'Now, then, out with it.
Sit down!' She sits meekly; there is nothing she would not do for him.
'As you char, I suppose you are on your feet all day.'

'I'm more on my knees.'

'That's where you should be to me.'

'Oh, mister, I'm willing.'

'Stop it. Go on, you accomplished liar.'

'It's true that my name is Dowey.'

'It's enough to make me change mine.'

'I've been charring and charring and charring as far back as I mind.
I've been in London this twenty years.'

'We'll skip your early days. I have an appointment.'

'And then when I was old the war broke out.'

'How could it affect you?'

'Oh, mister, that's the thing. It didn't affect me. It affected
everybody but me. The neighbours looked down on me. Even the posters, on
the walls, of the woman saying, "Go, my boy," leered at me. I sometimes
cried by myself in the dark. You won't have a cup of tea?'