edoingthemakindness.Youthem,andtheylickyourhand.IsometimesthinkI’dliketohavetheHesperidesEstatesurmountedbyanenormousstatuetothegodofbuildingsocieties.Itwouldbeaqueersod.Amongotherthingsitwouldbebisexual.Thetophalfwouldbeamanagingdirectoraomhalfwouldbeawifeinthefamilyway.Inonehanditwouldcarryanenormouskey—thekeyoftheworkhouse,ofcourse—andiher—whatdotheycallthosethingslikeFrenchhornswithpresentsingoutofthem?—aucopia,outofwhichwouldbepportableradios,life-insurancepolicies,falseteeth,aspirins,Freers,andcretegardenrollers.

    AsamatteroffaEllesmereRoadwedon’townourhouses,evenwhenwe’vefinishedpayingforthem.They’renotfreehold,onlyleasehold.They’repricedatfive-fifty,payableoveraperiodofsixteenyears,andthey’reaclassofhouse,which,ifyouboughtthemforcashdown,wouldcostroundaboutthree-eighty.ThatrepresentsaprofitofahundredayfortheCheerfulCredit,butneedlesstosaythatCheerfulCreditmakesalotmoreoutofitthanthat.Three-eightyincludesthebuilder’sprofit,buttheCheerfulCredit,uhenameofWilson&Bloom,buildsthehousesitselfandscoopsthebuilder’sprofit.Allithastopayforisthematerials.Butitalsoscoopstheprofitoerials,becauseuhenameofBrookes&Scatterbyitsellsitselfthebricks,tiles,doors,window-frames,sa,and,Ithink,glass.Anditwouldn’taltogethersurprisemetolearnthatuanotheraliasitsellsitselfthetimbertomakethedoorsandwindow-frames.Also—andthiswassomethingwhichwereallymighthaveforeseen,thoughitgaveusallaknockwhenwediscoveredit—theCheerfulCreditdoesn’talwayskeeptoitsendofthebargain.WhenEllesmereRoadwasbui