lingandworriedexplanations.He’d‘hadbadtimeslately’,thingshad‘beenabitdifficult’,andtheupshotwasthatJoeandIwouldhavetostartearningourliving.AtthattimeIdidherknreatlycarewhetherthebusinesswasreallyinabadwayornot.Ihadn’tevenenoughercialinstincttoseethereasonwhythingswere‘difficult’.ThefactwasthatFatherhadbeenhitbypetition.Sarazins’,thebigretailseedsmenwhohadbranchesalloverthehometies,hadstuckatentatoLowerBinfield.Sixmonthsearlierthey’dtakentheleaseofashopinthemarket-pladdolleditupuntilwhatwithbrightgreenpaint,giltlettering,gardeningtoolspaintedredandgreen,andhugeadvertisementsforsweetpeas,ithityouiahundredyards’distance.Sarazins’,besidessellingflowerseeds,describedthemselvesas‘universalpoultryandlivestockproviders’,andapartfromwheatandoatsandsoforththeywentinforpatentpoultrymixtures,bird-seeddoneupinfancypackets,dog-biscuitsofallshapesandcolours,medies,embrocations,andditioningpowders,andbranchedoffintosuchthingsasrat-traps,dog-s,incubators,sanitaryeggs,bird-ing,bulbs,weed-killer,iicide,andeven,insomebranches,intowhattheycalleda‘livestockdepartment’,meaningrabbitsandday-oldchicks.Father,withhisdustyoldshopandhisrefusaltostoewlines,couldn’tpetewiththatkindofthinganddidn’twantto.Thetradesmenwiththeirvan-horses,andsuchofthefarmersasdealtwiththeretailseedsmen,foughtshyofSarazins’,butinsixmonthsthey’dgatherediygentryoftheneighbourhood,whointhosedayshadcarriagescartsandthereforehorses.ThismeantabiglossoftradeforFatheraherert,Winkle.Ididn’tgraspanyofthisatthetime.Ihadaboy’sattitudetowa