'No, I shouldn't let anybody take my hat off my head.' 'How would you prevent it ?' asked Gerald.
'I don't know,' replied Hermione slowly.

'Probably I should kill him.' There was a strange chuckle in her tone, a dangerous and convincing humour in her bearing.
'Of course,' said Gerald, 'I can see Rupert's point.

It is a question to him whether his hat or his peace of mind is more important.' 'Peace of body,' said Birkin.
'Well, as you like there,' replied Gerald.

'But how are you going to decide this for a nation ?' 'Heaven preserve me,' laughed Birkin.
'Yes, but suppose you have to ?' Gerald persisted.
'Then it is the same.

If the national crown-piece is an old hat, then the thieving gent may have it.' 'But CAN the national or racial hat be an old hat ?' insisted Gerald.
'Pretty well bound to be, I believe,' said Birkin.
'I'm not so sure,' said Gerald.
'I don't agree, Rupert,' said Hermione.
'All right,' said Birkin.
'I'm all for the old national hat,' laughed Gerald.
'And a fool you look in it,' cried Diana, his pert sister who was just in her teens.
'Oh, we're quite out of our depths with these old hats,' cried Laura Crich.