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"Not so close," she said to me. "Step back. Make room for them. Go on, you foolish. silly girls. Go on." She looked at Cinnamon. Rose. and Ice. "The rest of you go under as we sing along."

Then she began to sing.

" 'Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clements,' "

She paused and looked angrily at Ice, Cinnamon. and Rose.

"Are you going to go under or not? How are we to play if you don't go under?"

"What the hell is she talking about?" Cinnamon groaned, "Let's just do it," Ice said, and went under the arch.

She smiled.

"You owe me five farthings, say the bells of St. Martin's.' "

With her head, she urged Cinnamon and Rose.

" 'When will you pay me? say the bells of Old Bailey. When I grow rich, say the bells of Shore ditch.' "

She paused.

"Keep going under, silly girls. Come on." She wagged our arms. Ice did it again.

'When will that be? say the bells of Stepney.' " Cinnamon and Rose went under again as she sang on. " 'I'm sure I don't know, says the great bell at Bow.' "

Just as Ice entered, she brought down our arms around her, trapping her between them.

" 'Here comes a candle to light you to bed. Here comes a chopper to chop off your head.' Well?" she asked Ice.

"What?"

"Decide. Are you a lemon or are you an orange? Come on. silly."

"I'm an orange."

"Good, get behind me. Quickly," she said, raising our arms so Ice could pass and go around behind her. "Next."

Rose went under, and again she brought our arms down, trapping her and singing the ending of the song. 'Here comes a chopper to chop off your head.' Well? What are you?"

"A lemon," Rose said.

"Get behind her," she said, nodding at me. "Next."

Cinnamon shook her head and entered and the arms came down. Now the girl sang, " 'Chop, chop. chop. The last man's dead!' Well?"

"Lemon," Cinnamon said. "I feel like one."

"Get behind her," she ordered, which she did. "Grab waists. Come on. Grab waists. Now, everyone pull. It's a tug of war. Who's stronger, the orange or the lemon? Pull," she cried.

She was pulling so hard, my arms felt like they would come out of their sockets. Cinnamon released Ice and Ice released me and I went falling forward onto her. She fell back against Rose, and the three of us toppled onto the sectional.

She laughed and laughed and clapped her hands. "That was wonderful. What a wonderful game."

She sat up and gazed at us and we realized she had been wearing a wig, which had fallen off. Her hair was cut very short-- chopped, was more like it.

"Who wants to do it again?"

"No," Cinnamon said. "'We're not here for that. We want to know your name. Tell us your name. Why are you living up here? Why do you look in our windows? Why did you take clothing and then put it back?"