Thoughhiseyestooknoteofmanyelementsofthecrowdthroughwhichhepassed，theydidsomorosely。Hefoundtrivialallthatwasmeanttocharmhim，anddidnotanswertheglanceswhichinvitedhimtobebold。Heknewthathewouldhavetospeakagreatdeal，toinventandtoamuse，andhisbrainandthroatweretoodryforsuchatask。TheproblemofhowhecouldpassthehourstillhemetCorleyagaintroubledhimalittle。Hecouldthinkofnowayofpassingthembuttokeeponwalking。HeturnedtotheleftwhenhecametothecornerofRutlandSquare，andfeltmoreateaseinthedarkquietstreet，thesombrelookofwhichsuitedhismood。Hepausedatlastbeforethewindowofapoor-lookingshopoverwhichthewordsRefreshmentBarwereprintedinwhiteletters。Ontheglassofthewindowweretwoflyinginscriptions：GingerBeerandGingerAle。ACuthamwasexposedonagreatbluedish，whilenearitonaplatelayasegmentofverylightplum-pudding。Heeyedthisfoodearnestlyforsometime，andthen，afterglancingwarilyupanddownthestreet，wentintotheshopquickly。
Hewashungry，for，exceptsomebiscuitswhichhehadaskedtwogrudgingcuratestobringhim，hehadeatennothingsincebreakfast-time。Hesatdownatanuncoveredwoodentableoppositetwowork-girlsandamechanic。
Aslatternlygirlwaitedonhim。
`Howmuchisaplateofpeas？’heasked。
`Threehalfpence，sir，’saidthegirl。