Nellie locks Eli out as punishment for coming home slightly the worse for wear - "it serves you rotten right, you should get home at a receptacle hour!" Eli decides it's time to take a stand.

Eli's spent all night in the lavvy, locked out as punishment for coming home late again, and Nellie's having no more of it: "It serves you rotten right, why don't you get home at a receptacle hour?"

She can't take any more of him coming home when he likes, so she's off, or to put it another way she "flipping flit in a flaming flash".

Nellie moves into a grotty little room and it's not long before the landlord accuses her of being a woman of ill repute! After Eli's attempts at getting her back home (the pots are piling up) she finally relents and moves back in, only to lock Eli out again for demanding his tea!