[narrating]
There were some sophistos from the TV studios around the corner, laughing and gavreeting. The devotchka was smecking away, not caring about the wicked world one bit. Then the disc on the stereo twanged off and out. And in the short silence before the next one came on, she suddenly came with a burst of singing. [the woman starts singing. Alex watches, with a smile creeping across his face] And it was like, for a moment, O my brothers, some great bird had flown into the milkbar. And I felt all the malenky little hairs on my plott standing endwise, and the shivers crawling up like slow, malenky lizards, and then down again. Because I knew what she sang. It was a bit from the Glorious Ninth by Ludwig Van.
Dim [Dim derisively rasps at the woman, but Alex angrily smashes him across the legs with his cane]
What did you do that for?
For being a bastard with no manners, you haven't a dook of an idea how to comport yourself public-wise, O my brother! [smiles at the woman and raises his glass to her]
Dim I don't like you should do what you've done and I'm not your brother no more and wouldn't want to be.
Watch that, do watch that O Dim, if to continue to be on live thou, dost wist?
Dim [The sophistos, and a couple of bouncers, watch the exchange nervously from their tables, while Pete and Georgie stare at their boots]
Yarbles! Great bolshy yarblockos to you! I'll meet you with chain or nozh or britva anytime. I'm not having you aiming tolchocks at me reasonless. It stands to reason, I won't have it.
A nozh scrap anytime you say.
Dim ['uncomfortable pause]
Doobiedoob, a bit tired maybe, best not to say more. Bedways is rightways now, so best we go homeways and get a bit of spatchka. Right-right?
Let's get things nice and sparkling clear. This sarcasm, if I may call it such, does not become you, O my little brothers. As I am your droog and leader, I am entitled to know what goes on, eh? Now then, Dim, what does that great big horsy gape of a grin portend?
All right, no more picking on Dim, brother. That's part of the new way.
New way? What's this about a new way? There's been some very large talk behind my sleeping back, and no error.
Well, if you must have it, have it then. We go around, shop crasting and the like, coming out with a pitiful rookerful of money each.
Dim Pitiful rookerful.
And there's Will the English, in the Muscleman coffee mesto, saying he can fence anything that any malchick tries to crast. The shiny stuff, the ice, the big, big, big money is available, is what Will the English says.
Dim Big, big money.
And what will you do with the big, big, big money? Have you not everything you need? If you need a motor car, you pluck it from the trees. If you need pretty polly, you take it.
Brother, you think and talk sometimes like a little child.
Dim [Alex encounters his old friends Dim and Georgie, who are now policemen, much to his horror]
Well! Well, well, well! Well, well, well, well! If it isn't little Alex! Long time, no viddy, droog! How goes?
It's impossible! I can't believe it!
Evidence of the ol' glazzies! Nothing up our sleeves. No magic little Alex. A job for two who are now of job age. The police!
The old days are dead and gone. For what I did in the past, I've been punished. I've been cured.
Dim Cured, yeah! That was read out to us. The Inspector read it all out to us. He said it was a very good way.
But what is all this? was them that went for me, brothers. You're not on their side, and can't be. Well, you can't be, Dim. It was someone we fillied with back in the old days, trying to get his own little bit of revenge after all this time. Remember, Dim?
Dim Long time is right. I don't remember them days, too horrorshow. And don't call me Dim no more either! Officer, call me!
Enough is remembered, though, Little Alex.
Dim This is to make sure you stay cured!
[he and Georgie beat Alex bloody and half-drown him]
