I’m sorry,’ said the shopkeeper. ‘I can’t understand your ridiculous accent.’ ‘My accent?’ ‘It is quite silly.’ ‘So you can’t understand me?’ ‘Not a word.’ ‘Then how did you understand that?’ ‘I didn’t.’ ”You didn’t understand what I just said?’ ‘That’s right.’ ‘You understood that, though.’ ‘Not at all.’ The American glowered.
