| Algernon Aimless rose | { | lazily hastily | } | from the breakfast-table |
| at | { | 9 A.M. 7 A.M. | } | on a dark winter's morning | { | in order to catch the 9.15 to his
office in the City. in preparation for his four-mile trudge to the City (Tube strike). | } |
| The | { | electric lights gleamed with
dazzling brilliance solitary candle shed a dismal light (Electricians' strike) | } |
| on the | { | well-polished neglected | } | china, silver and table cutlery |
| which | { | were the joy and pride of the
admirable parlourmaid. no servants' hands had touched for weeks (Domestic servants' strike). | } |
| Algernon | { | had glanced casually at his
letters. had had no letters to read (Postmen's strike). | } |
| As he stood in the | { | spotlessly kept and charming dusty discomfort of the dark | } | hall, |
| arranging his | { | sleek well-brushed brown hair long untidy hair (Barbers' strike) | } | before |
| putting on his hat, Ermyntrude Aimless | { | glided bounced | } |
| { | gracefully down the staircase, clad
in a charming négligée of satin and lace. breathlessly up from the basement, wearing an old over-all above her dressing-gown. | } |