Disgrace was being brought upon the neighbourhood.

Little Beeding would be impossible.

Dick Hazlewood only laughed at the constraint of his acquaintances, and when three of them crossed the road hurriedly in Great Beeding to avoid Stella and himself he said good-humouredly: "They are like an ill-trained company of bad soldiers.

Let one of them break from the ranks and they'll all stream away so as not to be left behind.

You'll see, Stella.