"I merely said it was a fine day, and asked the price of chalk." "Oh, you asked the price of chalk, did you?
Would you like to know ?" "Yes, thanks; somehow I thought you would be able to tell me." "You are quite right, I can.

It's worth--" "Oh, do come along!" says the old lady, who is tired and hot, and anxious to finish her round.
"Yes, but hang it all; did you hear what he hinted about our milk ?" "Oh, never mind him! There's a tram coming round the corner: we shall all get run over." "Yes, but I do mind him; one has one's proper pride.

He asked the price of chalk, and he's going to know it! It's worth just twenty times as much--" "You'll have the whole thing over, I know you will," cries the old lady, pathetically, struggling with all her feeble strength to haul him back.
"Oh dear, oh dear! I do wish I had left you at home." The tram is bearing down upon them; a cab-driver is shouting at them; another huge brute, hoping to be in time to take a hand, is dragging a bread cart, followed by a screaming child, across the road from the opposite side; a small crowd is collecting; and a policeman is hastening to the scene.
"It's worth," says the milk dog, "just twenty-times as much as you'll be worth before I've done with you." "Oh, you think so, do you ?" "Yes, I do, you grandson of a French poodle, you cabbage-eating--" "There! I knew you'd have it over," says the poor milk-woman.

"I told him he'd have it over." But he is busy, and heeds her not.

Five minutes later, when the traffic is renewed, when the bread girl has collected her muddy rolls, and the policeman has gone off with the name and address of everybody in the street, he consents to look behind him.
"It _is_ a bit of an upset," he admits.