OLIVE: Fieldmouse—honestly! The names she gives her customers. I remember these two urgers at the Phoenix—Damn and Blast she used to call them. To their faces.

JOSEF: This was more, I think, a small mistake, and then, you know, a—Spitzname.

OLIVE: A—?

JOSEF: [embarrassed] Miss Wells looked after me so kindly at the pub that I would thank her very much. But one time in the early days I was confused, and said it as I would in Austria, ‘Danke vielmals’. Miss Wells then smiled at me, and said, ‘Fieldmouse to you as well’. So in a little while—that is what she came to call me.

OLIVE: [delightedly] Wouldn’t you know it? Typical.

BARNEY: Yeh. Always has a soft spot for the visitors. You’re a refugee, then?

JOSEF nods.

Lookin’ for a place to stay? Wouldn’t be a joint like this, by any chance?

JOSEF: No. [Glancing around] Miss Wells says it would not be suitable, this house. But somewhere close—is best she says, somewhere handy in the neighbourhood.

NANCY returns from the kitchen.

NANCY: Mrs Leech won’t be a minute.

OLIVE: [bridging any slight awkwardness] Likes to take her apron off, put a smile on.

BARNEY: Take her apron off, anyway. [Needling NANCY] Fieldmouse says you reckon he should settle somewhere handy?

NANCY: [sharply] Handy to the university.

BARNEY: Aah—the university? Didn’t know that he was goin’ to the university. [To JOSEF, in seeming jovial admiration] How’s your lucky form, eh? Wangle yourself out of Europe ’fore the trouble starts, come here as a refugee, and end up at a university—

OLIVE: [uneasily] Oh, now—

BARNEY: —with women chasin ’em round to find a place for you to stay. Somewhere handy—

ROO: Ease it, Alfie.

BARNEY: Bloke like you must have the knack, I reckon.

EMMA enters from the kitchen.

EMMA: Good evenin’.

NANCY: [in relief] This is Mrs Leech.

JOSEF: [a formal bow] How do you do.

EMMA: [casting a severe glance in BARNEY’s direction] Sorry about the mess in here. I wasn’t expectin’ anyone. Nancy says you’re goin’ to the university?

As JOSEF nods acknowledgement:

Well, me, I never had much to do with the university lot. There’s usually places cater just for them.

She moves to collect some small trading cards from the clutter on the mantelshelf.

I have a few addresses might be worth your while lookin’ at. This one, Missus Reed, I know she takes students. So does Missus Morgan— [Looking at him doubtfully] ’Course, I don’t know how they feel about the older fellers. And you’d better make up your mind—you’re German, are you?

JOSEF: Austrian.

EMMA: Chances are you’ll get a few knockbacks on account of that.