"Sure?"
"Sure," with a laugh. "What is it you want to ask me about?"
And again assuming the tone of a penitent pupil, I said, "May I ask
Stella to dance with me?"
"But you don't dance."
"Let her teach me, then."
"Let her, if she wants to. I ain't her mother, am I?"
"But you have no objection, have you?"
"Where do I come in? On my part, you can dance with every girl in the house."
"Oh, you don't like me this evening, Mrs. Nodelman. You are angry witn me.
Else you wouldn't talk the way you do."