The chorus of singing birds sounded just like glass tubes being blown through water, and the phonograph simply made a horrid noise, so that you could hardly hear yourself speak.

And the people were buying things they couldn't possibly want, and it all seemed very stupid.

And Mrs Biddle had bought the wishing carpet for ten shillings.

And the whole of life was sad and grey and dusty, and smelt of slight gas escapes, and hot people, and cake and crumbs, and all the children were very tired indeed.
They found a corner within sight of the carpet, and there they waited miserably, till it was far beyond their proper bedtime.

And when it was ten the people who had bought things went away, but the people who had been selling stayed to count up their money.
'And to jaw about it,' said Robert.