“Yes, I know.”
“I was wondering about a room.”
“It’s all ready for you, my dear,” she said. She had a round pink face and very gentle blue eyes.
“I was on my way to The Bell and Dragon,” Billy told her. “But the notice in your window just happened to catch my eye.”
“My dear boy,” she said, “why don’t you come in out of the cold?”
“How much do you charge?”
“Five and sixpence a night, including breakfast.”
It was fantastically cheap. It was less than half of what he had been willing to pay.
“If that is too much,” she added, “then perhaps I can reduce it just a tiny bit. Do you desire an egg for breakfast? Eggs are expensive at the moment. It would be sixpence less without the egg.”
“Five and sixpence is fine,” he answered. “I should like very much to stay here.”
“I knew you would. Do come in.”
She seemed terribly nice. She looked exactly like the mother of one’s best school-friend welcoming one into the house to stay for the Christmas holidays. Billy took off his hat, and stepped over the threshold.
annotate paragraphs
“Yes, I know.”
The speaker acknowledges that they understand something. It is unclear what exactly they are referring to without further context.
“I was wondering about a room.”
The speaker expresses their curiosity or interest in obtaining a room. It implies that they are seeking further information or assistance regarding accommodations.
“It’s all ready for you, my dear,” she said. She had a round pink face and very gentle blue eyes.
The woman addressed in the quotation responds to the inquiry about a room and assures the speaker that it is prepared for them. The physical description of her round pink face and gentle blue eyes adds detail to her appearance, suggesting a friendly and welcoming demeanor.
“I was on my way to The Bell and Dragon,” Billy told her. “But the notice in your window just happened to catch my eye.”
Billy explains that he had originally intended to go to The Bell and Dragon, but the notice in the woman's window caught his attention. This suggests that he changed his plans or became interested in staying at her establishment.
“My dear boy,” she said, “why don’t you come in out of the cold?”
The woman affectionately addresses Billy as "my dear boy" and encourages him to come inside to avoid the cold weather. This further showcases her kindness and hospitality.
“How much do you charge?”
The speaker asks about the cost or price of the room. It indicates that they want to know the financial obligation associated with staying at the establishment.
“Five and sixpence a night, including breakfast.”
The woman responds with the price of the room, which is five and sixpence per night and includes breakfast. This price is described as "fantastically cheap," indicating that it is significantly lower than the speaker expected or was willing to pay.
“If that is too much,” she added, “then perhaps I can reduce it just a tiny bit. Do you desire an egg for breakfast? Eggs are expensive at the moment. It would be sixpence less without the egg.”
The woman offers to lower the price slightly if the speaker finds it too high. She mentions the expense of eggs and suggests that removing the option of having an egg for breakfast would reduce the cost by sixpence. This demonstrates her willingness to accommodate the speaker's preferences and potentially negotiate the price.
“Five and sixpence is fine,” he answered. “I should like very much to stay here.”
The speaker agrees to the original price of five and sixpence and expresses their desire to stay at the establishment. This indicates their satisfaction with the cost and their decision to accept the offered accommodations.
“I knew you would. Do come in.”
The woman expresses her anticipation or confidence that the speaker would agree to stay, suggesting that she was confident in the appeal and affordability of her establishment. She then invites the speaker to enter, emphasizing her welcoming nature.
She seemed terribly nice. She looked exactly like the mother of one’s best school-friend welcoming one into the house to stay for the Christmas holidays. Billy took off his hat and stepped over the threshold.
The speaker describes their perception of the woman as "terribly nice" and draws a comparison to the warm and welcoming nature of a best school-friend's mother during the Christmas holidays. This emphasizes the woman's friendly and hospitable demeanor. The action of removing his hat and crossing the threshold signifies the speaker's acceptance of the woman's invitation and their readiness to stay at the establishment.