"Fix it, Miss?" He does not understand Americanese unless he chooses.
"Put it in order." I am quite red and haughty now, and as dignified as Queen Alexandra.
"I'll try, Miss. I expect that was broken a long time ago." Peter half salutes and goes on spading the earth for next year's flowers.
"Peter," I say severely, "the most lamentable thing about you English is that you are always 'expecting' things that have already happened. It's both grammatically and politically wrong to expect things in the past." He has not the slightest idea of my meaning, but of course he assents.
"You were a soldier once, weren't you?"
"Yes, Miss. It's a nasty business."
"Slavery," I venture, "would be worse."
"I can't say, really," answers Peter.
"Sometimes I wonder that you do not volunteer for this war, Peter," I suggest.
Stolid Peter goes on digging.