But, meanwhile, beyond skating round and round them, for which they did not even feel they wanted to thank him, the German officer could do nothing for them.

They tried being rude to the hairdresser: he mistook it for American _chic_.

They tried joining hands and running away from him, but they were not good skaters, and he thought they were trying to show him the cake walk.

They both fell down and hurt themselves, and it is difficult to be angry with a man, even a hairdresser, when he is doing his best to pick you up and comfort you.
The chaperon was worse than useless.

She was very old.