ls talk.

"Don't know, and don't want to know. What is he?"

"He's from Cattley's." This throws a light on the conversation. It
shows that Sally had told Laetitia who she was going to meet at her
mother's next evening. Sally is not surprised.

"As if I didn't know all about this! As if he didn't tell me his
story!"

"Like the mock-turtle in Alice?"

"Now, Tishy dear, is that an insinuation, or isn't it? Do be candid!"

"The mock-turtle told his story. Once, he was a real turtle."

"Very well, Tishy dear. That's as much as to say Julius Bradshaw is
mock. I can't see where the mockness comes in myself. He told _me_
all about it, plain enough."

"Yes--and you know what a rage Mrs. Erskine Peel is in, and says it
was an _eclaircissement_."

"Why can't she be satisfied with English?... What! Of course, there
are _hundreds_ of English equivalents for _eclaircissement_. There's
bust-up."

"That's only one."

"Tishy dear, don't be aggravating! Keep to the point. Why mustn't
I have Julius Bradshaw to play with if I like because he's at
Cattley's?"

"You may, if you _like_, dear! As long as you're satisfied, it's
all right."

"What fault have you to find with him?"

"I! None at all. It's all perfectly right."

"You are _the_ most irritating girl."

"Suppose we take the _adagio_ now--if you're rested."

But Sally's back was up. "Not until you tell me what you really mean
about Julius Bradshaw."

So Laetitia had her choice between an explicit statement of her
meaning, and an unsupported incursion into the _adagio_.

"I suppose you'll admit there _are_ such things as social
distinctions?"

Sally wouldn't admit anything whatever. If sociometry was to be a
science, it must be worked out without axioms or postulates. Laetitia
immediately pointed out that if there were no such things as social
distinctions of course there was no reason why Mr. Julius Bradshaw
shouldn't take his violin to Krakatoa Villa. "Or here, or anywhere,"
concluded Laetitia, with a touch of pride in the status of Ladbroke
Grove Road. Whereupon Sally surrendered as much of her case as she
had left.

"You talk as if he was a sweep or a dustman," said she.

"I don't see why you should mind if I do, dear. Because, if there are
to be no social distinctions, there's no reason why all the sweeps and
dustmen in Christendom shouldn't come and play the violin at Krakatoa
Villa.... Now, not _too_ slow, you know. One--two--three--four--that'll
d