“And if ever you was silly enough to get engaged, Erb. That’s Deptford Station down there,” said Louisa, as the tram stopped for a moment’s rest. “I used to know a boy who’s ticket collector now. He got so confused the other day when I come down here to go to a lecture that he forgot to take my ticket.” She laughed out of sheer exultation at the terrifying powers of her sex. “Take my advice, Erb, don’t you never get married, even if you are asked to. Not even if it was young Lady Frances.” “Young idiot,” said Erb. “Think I ever bother my head about such matters? I’ve got much more important work in life. This business that I’ve got on now—” “Our girls are always asking about you,” said Louisa musingly. “It’s all, ‘Is he engaged?’ ‘Does he walk out with anybody?’ ‘Is he a woman ’ater?’ and all such rot.” Erb looked down at the traffic that was speeding at the side of the leisurely tram and gave himself up for a while to the luxury of feeling that he had been the subject of this discussion. He thought of his young elocution teacher, and wondered whether he had any right to accept this position of a misogynist when he knew so well that it was made by adverse circumstances and the existence of a good-looking youth with an unreliable chin and his hair in waves. The driver below whistled aggrievedly at a high load of hops that was coolly occupying the tram lines; the load of hops seemed to be asleep, and the tram driver had to pull up and whistle again. In a side road banners were stretched across with the word “Welcome,” signifying thus that a church bazaar was being held, where articles could be bought at quite six times the amount of their real value. A landau, drawn by a pair of conceited greys, came out of the side street, with a few children following and crying, “Ipipooray!” the proud horses snorted indignantly to find that they were checked by a bucolic waggon and a plebeian tram. A young woman with a scarlet parasol in the landau looked out over the door rather anxiously. “It’s her ladyship,” cried Louisa, clutching Erb’s arm. “Good shot,” agreed Erb. “If only she’d look up and recognise us,” said Louisa. The other people on the tram began to take an interest in the encounter, and Louisa’s head already trembled with pride. “She wouldn’t recognise us.” “Go on with you,” contradicted his sister.