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"What's it look like?" I fired back

"You pay for what you break in this 'ouse, you know," he said, looking at the pieces of the dish

"She didn't break it," Mrs Chester told him

"You payin' for it then?"

"Don't worry about it," I said "I'll pay for it Slip the bill underAnd if you want, you could add the VAT tax," I said The value-added tax, I had learned, was like a sales tax in America

He glared at me, nodded and left the kitchen

"I wouldn't rag that man, I wouldn't," Mrs Chester warned

"Why not?" I demanded more firmly

"E's got somethin' bad inside 'im, 'e does"

"Then why does Mr Endfield keep hi here?"

"I don't know," Mrs Chester said turning away from me quickly, "and it ain't me place ta ask"

I shookthe breakfast table The Endfields were already gone Mary Margaret came in to help, her eyes bloodshot and downcast

"It's all right, Mary Margaret," I said "Maybe you can go out with me some other time"

She looked up at me with relief in her face as if I had freed her froation And all I had done was ask her to go to a play

I would have been happy to take Mary Margaret to the play if she had wanted to go Perhaps we could have beco, however, my mind settled on Randall I called the dorm to tell him about it and he was very excited