I met Solly in the street near the school one day and we talked for a few minutes; casually, about nothing of importance. As we parted I saw Kelly coming towards me. He caught up with me near the school gates.

‘What did the old geezer want?’ he asked me.

I did not look after the immense, untidy form of Solly waddling away from me. We turned into the gates.

‘He wanted to know the time,’ I said.

‘Didn’t he try to sell you a watch? If you vonna buy a votch, buy a votch – if you don’t vonna buy a votch, take your nose avay from my vindow!’

We both laughed.

‘Ony, ony, ony!’ said Kelly.

And now Dadda said, regretfully, but regretful for himself only:

‘It is not so easy to be English as to be German. In Germany you need only learn the rules. It is hard, in England, to find out what the rules are.’