"It is, indeed. My kind of girl must have chocolates, just as your kind of man must drink beer."
"Now that you mention it, I seem to remember there are an extraordinarily lot of sweet shops in every town."
"And I should visit them all, just as naturally as you would go into the public houses."
"That's a very valuable suggestion," said George. "I shall invest the whole of my capital in beer, tobacco, umbrellas, and chocolates. You see, Nellie, that will practically cover the prime necessities of either sex. A man goes to work with a pipe in his mouth, and he walks straight into a public-house. A woman comes out with an umbrella, and the first thing she does is to buy chocolates."
"There are sure to be exceptions," said Nellie. "A bishop, for instance, might not go to his cathedral with a pipe in his mouth, while a Cabinet Minister would probably walk straight past several public-houses."
"I don't fancy somehow that bishops drink beer."
"Then they drink cocoa, and that's chocolate melted down. On the other hand, plenty of ladies drink beer. You can see them carrying jugs--"
"Well, charwomen--they are ladies from a business point of view. I can see myself making tons of money," said George delightedly. "If only Aunt Sophy--"
"Do please let the poor old lady live on and enjoy herself. You wouldn't like to be hunted out of the world to suit anybody's plans. And now," said Nellie, "we reach the fourth subject, which I flatter myself has some connection with a certain person who is quite used to being regarded as an afterthought."
"Three persons--Kezia, Bessie, Robert. They must go, all of them."
"Really this is the last straw!" cried Nellie. "I was almost certain I should be at least honourably mentioned."
"But I am talking to you, not about you. I'm telling you my secrets--and I wouldn't do that to anyone but you. Nellie, you don't think I am playing with your affections?"
"I'll not listen any longer. I couldn't expect to come first, but I did hope to be placed last."
"I'm not a ghost; besides, I will not be ashamed to stand in the light."
"Then we might talk about something that means love," said George, who, being wound up for that sentence, was bound to finish it.
"Oh, George!" exclaimed one of the parrots.