MRS. HUNTER. [_Realizing her nearly fatal error._] Oh! Oh,
yes--but--er--I must say that _we_ found prices while in Paris _this
year_ rather _atrocious!_

[CLARA _reënters Right._

CLARA. [_Sighs._] O dear! It breaks my heart not to wear my ball dress,
my dear Julia; it was designed specially for me. I told Marie to put it
on, mama; my clothes fit her perfectly, and I thought it would show so
much better what it is.

MRS. HUNTER. Here they are.

[_Rises as_ TOMPSON _enters Right._

TOMPSON. Mrs. Hunter's reception gown.

[_Displaying it._

CLARA. Oh, this _is_ a beauty!

[_She takes the costume and drapes it over a chair._ MISS GODESBY _and_
MISS SILLERTON _come closer to examine._

MRS. HUNTER. Tompson.--[_Taking her to one side, whispers._]--I forget;
do you remember what I paid for this dress?

TOMPSON. [_Whispers back._] One hundred and sixty dollars, madam.

MRS. HUNTER. Oh, yes. Don't say anything. [_Returning to the others._]
Do you like it?

MISS SILLERTON. Perfectly lovely!    }
}        [_At the same time._
MISS GODESBY. Immensely. It's great! }

MRS. HUNTER. [_Hesitates._] I forget just what I paid for it, but I
believe it was two hundred dollars.

[CLARA _half exclaims in astonishment, but on being pinched
surreptitiously on the arm by_ MRS. HUNTER _she grasps the situation and
starts in to do her share._

CLARA. Oh, no, mama! I'm sure it was more than that!

MRS. HUNTER. Well, perhaps it was two--twenty or two--twenty-five.

TROTTER. That's cheap, isn't it?

MISS GODESBY. Shut up.

[TOMPSON'S _face is always a perfect blank, showing no expression or
surprise; she has lived with_ MRS. HUNTER _for many years and "knows her
business."_

MISS GODESBY. [_In a very different tone of voice, influenced by the big
price._] Of course, I see it's made of the best material. But it isn't
my color.

MRS. HUNTER. It's the very latest shade.

MISS GODESBY. Yes, I know; but I think as you said a little while ago,
perhaps it is a trifle too old for me.

MRS. HUNTER. I might let you have it for a little less; say one hundred
and eighty.

MISS GODESBY. Thank you very much. I'll think it over.

MISS SILLERTON. What's the other?

CLARA. This is a dinner dress of Jess'.

[_Holding it up to her own waist._

MISS SILLERTON. [_Carried away by the dress._] Oh, lovely,--perfectly
charming,--an adorable gown!

[MISS GODESBY _pulls her arm and tries to make her less enthusiastic._

MISS GODESBY. [_To_ CLARA _and_ MRS. HUNTER.] Excuse me.

[_She takes_ MISS SILLERTON _to one side and whispers in her ear._

MISS SILLERTON. [_Aloud._] I can't help it. I'm crazy about the dress!

[_Meanwhile_ MRS. HUNTER _and_ TOMPSON _have whispered together._

MRS. HUNTER. They said themselves this was the most successful frock
they turned out this autumn.

MISS SILLERTON. And how much is _this_ one?

MRS. HUNTER. [_Very quickly, trying not to speak consciously._] This was
two hundred and seventy-five.

[CLARA _bites her lips in surprise and winks visibly to_ TOMPSON, _who
gives no sign and is otherwise imperturbable._

MISS SILLERTON. [_To_ MISS GODESBY, _looking hard at her._] My dear,
your hat pin is coming out!

MISS GODESBY. [_Looking hard at her._] No, it isn't; it's always like
that.

MISS SILLERTON. [_Going closer to her, whispers._] Which does that mean?
I forget!

MISS GODESBY. It's a _gouge_!

MISS SILLERTON. I can't help it; I can't resist.

MISS HUNTER. [_Whispers to_ CLARA.] She's going to take it; I wish I'd
asked more.

MISS SILLERTON. Mrs. Hunter, I'll _take_ the dinner dress! I'm crazy
about it!

MRS. HUNTER. I'm glad to have you have it; I'm glad to be able to do
you, in a way, a favor.

[MARIE _at this moment enters dressed in the most exquisite ball dress
of the very latest fashion and looks extremely lovely._

CLARA. Here's mine! I could cry to think I'll never wear it!

MARIE. _Voila_, madame!

[_A short silence, while the women sit down and drink in the gown._

MISS SILLERTON. [_In a subdued voice of awed admiration._] Beautiful!

MISS GODESBY. Great!

TROTTER. [_To_ MISS GODESBY.] _I'm_ stuck on the _girl_; introduce me.
She's out of sight!

[MRS. HUNTER _sighs long and loud,--a sigh of appreciation and
admiration._ MARIE _stands in the centre of the stage facing the
audience._

MISS GODESBY. May we see her back?

CLARA. Her _entire_ back, if she turns around!

MRS. HUNTER. Turn around, Marie.

MARIE. _Oui_, madame.

[_She turns her back--the dress is cut extremely in the back._

MISS SILLERTON. Oh!

MISS GODESBY. Rather!

MRS. HUNTER. The way everything is made this year.

MISS GODESBY. I'm afraid my back is rather full of bones.

CLARA. They told us in Paris, bones were coming in! [_She takes a large
American beauty rose from a vase on the piano and slips it down_ MARIE'S
_back so that the dress seems much less décolleté._] There, never too
late to mend!

MISS GODESBY. How much is this one?

[MISS GODESBY _and_ MISS SILLERTON _examine the dress._

CLARA. [_Whispers to_ MRS. HUNTER.] You paid two hundred for it!

MRS. HUNTER. Three hundred dollars. It is really superb.

MISS SILLERTON. [_Pulling_ MISS GODESBY _around quickly._] My dear, your
hat pin is coming out!

MISS GODESBY. Don't be absurd!

MISS SILLERTON. What?

MISS GODESBY. It's my turn, sit down; you got the last! You won't mind
my being frank, Mrs. Hunter?

MRS. HUNTER. [_On the defensive._] Certainly not.

MISS GODESBY. I think the price is too much.

TROTTER. Oh, go on, pay it!

MISS GODESBY. Will you sign the check?

TROTTER. _Excuse me!_

CLARA. I'd give twice that if only I could wear it to one ball this
winter!

MRS. HUNTER. I wouldn't part with it for a penny less. I couldn't afford
to.

[_The manners and voices of all become a little strained._

MISS GODESBY. That is of course your affair.

MRS. HUNTER. [_Politely._] We needn't keep Marie any longer, at any
rate, need we? You can go, Marie, and you too, Tompson.

[CLARA _and_ MRS. HUNTER _help place the other dresses on_ TOMPSON'S
_arms._

MISS SILLERTON. [_To_ MISS GODESBY, _on the opposite side of the room,
in a lowered voice._] I'll take it; I'm willing to pay that.

MISS GODESBY. Don't you dare interfere! I want the gown, but I know
she'll come down,--if she doesn't, I'll make a bluff at going. Then if
she sticks to her price, I'll come back and pay it.

[_They turn to_ MRS. HUNTER.

MISS SILLERTON. Oh, Mrs. Hunter, may I see my dress just one more
minute?

MRS. HUNTER. Certainly.

[_She and_ CLARA _come back with the dress._

MARIE. [_To_ TOMPSON _by the door at Right._]

_Vite!_ Come! Come! Jordan 'ave stole ze photograph machine of Mees
Clara, and he make now one pigsher of me in ze dress!

[_Smiling mischievously, delighted, she goes out Right._

MISS SILLERTON. Thank you.

[_She leaves her dress._

MRS. HUNTER. Take this too, Tompson.

TOMPSON. Yes, madam.

[MRS. HUNTER _speaks to_ TOMPSON, _aside, and_ CLARA, _near them,
watches the two visitors out of the corner of her eye._

MISS GODESBY. [_Aside to_ MISS SILLERTON.] I'll leave my muff; that'll
be a good excuse to come back.

TROTTER. [_Also in a lowered voice to_ MISS GODESBY.] Dodo!

[TOMPSON _goes out Right._

[MRS. HUNTER _and_ CLARA _come back._

MISS GODESBY. You really couldn't take less than three hundred?

MRS. HUNTER. I wish I could if only for your own sake; but I really
couldn't in justice to myself.

MISS GODESBY. I'm very sorry--and I'm afraid we must be going now.

MRS. HUNTER. [_Not believing they will go._] Oh, must you? Well, it was
very kind of you to come.

[MISS GODESBY _leaves her muff upon the table at the Left._

MISS SILLERTON. [_Shakes hands with_ MRS. HUNTER.] Good-by.

[_She goes on to_ CLARA.

[MISS GODESBY _comes to shake hands with_ MRS. HUNTER.

MRS. HUNTER. I think you're making a mistake not to take the dress,
Julia dear.

MISS GODESBY. Perhaps, but I really can't go more than two hundred and
fifty.

[MRS. HUNTER _looks surreptitiously at_ CLARA, _who slyly shakes her
head to her mother._

MRS. HUNTER. Oh, quite impossible!

MISS GODESBY. Good-by.

MRS. HUNTER. Good-by.

MISS GODESBY. Good-by, Clara.

MRS. HUNTER. [_Frightened._] Would you like to see the dress off?

MISS GODESBY. Oh, my dear, it was as _off_ as I would ever like to see
it. Good-by.

MRS. HUNTER. Good-by. [MISS SILLERTON _and_ MISS GODESBY _get to doorway
Left._] You _won't_ take it?

MISS GODESBY. _Can't!_ Good-by.

CLARA. [_Dryly._] You're forgetting your muff!

TROTTER. Rubber!

MISS GODESBY. [_Coming back for it._] How stupid!

[_She goes away to the door again in silence, which is full of suspense
for all of them. As she reaches the door_ MRS. HUNTER _speaks._

MRS. HUNTER. Look here, Julia, don't say another word; you shall have
the dress for two hundred and fifty.

MISS GODESBY. [_Rushing back, followed by all the others._] You dear!
I'm afraid you think I've been rather nasty!

MRS. HUNTER. Oh, no, of course business is business, and I'd _rather
you_ had it than see it wasted on some of our other friends who'd be
sights in it!

MISS SILLERTON. Good-by. [_Kisses her this time._] I haven't said half I
feel; you've been in my thoughts all these last few days.

MRS. HUNTER. Thank you, dear.

[_Kisses her._

MISS GODESBY. Shall we send around for the dresses in the morning?

MRS. HUNTER. Or I'll send them.

MISS GODESBY. No, we won't trouble you.

MISS SILLERTON. Good-by!

MRS. HUNTER AND CLARA. Good-by!

[MISS SILLERTON _and_ MISS GODESBY _go out Left, followed by_ TROTTER,
_who has joined in all the good-bys, and upon whom_ CLARA _has more or
less continuously kept her "weather eye."_

MRS. HUNTER. I'm perfectly sure if I'd stuck to three hundred, Julia
Godesby would have sent around when she got home and paid it!

CLARA. I'm glad you didn't run the risk though, for we'll need every
cent we can get now.

[_She runs her fingers rapidly over the piano keys._

[BLANCHE _reënters Right._

MRS. HUNTER. Why, I thought you'd gone long ago.

BLANCHE. Jess begged me to stay with her. Try to understand her, mother;
I think she will miss father more than any of us.

[JORDAN _enters Left._

JORDAN. Mr. Warden has come back, madam.

[WARDEN _enters Left._

WARDEN. Forgive my intruding so soon again, but did Mr. Mason leave a
letter case of Mr. Hunter's here?

[BLANCHE _begins looking for the case._

MRS. HUNTER. I haven't seen it; I'll ask the servants to look. Excuse
me, I'm quite tired out; we've been receiving a long visit of
condolence.

[_She goes out, Right, with_ CLARA, _who links her arm in her mother's._

BLANCHE. [_Finding the case, which has fallen beneath the table._] Here
it is. Dear old pocket-book--

[_Her voice breaks on the last word, and turning her face away to hide
her tears, she hands him the well-worn letter case._

WARDEN. Mrs. Sterling, I'm glad they left us alone, because Mr. Mason
said he hadn't been able to manage it--to see you alone--and yet he
wanted _you only_ to examine these. They are private papers of Mr.
Hunter; he thought they ought not to be destroyed without being read,
and yet _he_ hesitated to read them. We thought that duty devolved best
upon _you_. [_He hands back the letter case._] Shall I wait and take
back the case to Mr. Mason with the papers you wish him to have?

BLANCHE. Oh, no, I will send them; I mustn't keep you while I read them.
I'm always taking more of your time than I ought.

WARDEN. [_Speaks with sincerity, but without any suggestion of
love-making._] But never as much as I want to give you! Don't forget,
Mrs. Sterling, what you promised me at your wedding,--that your
husband's best man should be your best friend.

BLANCHE. And nobody knows what it means to a woman, even a happily
married woman like me--[_This is spoken with a slight effort, as if she
is persuading herself that she is a happily married woman._]--to have an
honest friend like you. It's those people who have failed that say there
is no such thing as a platonic friendship.

WARDEN. We'll prove them wrong.

BLANCHE. We will. Good-by, and thank you.

WARDEN. And thank _you_! [_Starting to go, he turns._] Shall I bring
that Russian pianist around to play for you some day next week?

BLANCHE. Do--I want some music.

WARDEN. Only let me know what day. [_He goes out Left._ BLANCHE _sits by
the table and opens the case. She looks first at a memoranda and reads
what is on the outside._] A business memoranda. Lists of bonds. [_She
opens and looks at the next paper only a second, and then closes it._]
This, Mr. Mason will understand better than I. [_She puts it back in the
pocket case. She finds a photograph in the case._] My picture!--[_She
looks for others, but finds none._]--and _only_ mine! Oh, father!...
[_She wipes away tears from her eyes so as to see the picture, which is
an old one._] Father, I returned _your_ love. [_She reads on the back of
photograph._] "Blanche, my darling daughter, at fourteen years of age!"
That's mine! that's my own! [_And she puts the picture away separately.
She takes up a small packet of very old love-letters tied with faded old
pink tape._] Old letters from mother; they must be her love-letters. She
shall have them,--they may soften her. [_She takes up a slip of paper
and reads on the outside._] This is something for Mason, too. [_She puts
it back in the case. She takes up a sealed envelope, blank._] Nothing on
it, and sealed. [_She looks at it a moment, thinking._] Father, did you
want this opened? If you didn't, why not have destroyed it? Ah! I
needn't be afraid; _you_ had nothing to hide from the world. [_Tearing
it open, she reads._] "I have discovered my son-in-law, Richard
Sterling, in irregular business dealing. He is not honest. I will watch
him as long as I live; but when you read this, Mason, keep your eye upon
him for my daughter's sake. He has been warned by me--he may never trip
again, and her happiness lies in ignorance." [_She starts, and looks
about her to make sure she is alone. She then sits staring ahead for a
few seconds; then she speaks._] My boy's father dishonest! Disgrace--he
owned it--threatening _my_ boy! It mustn't come! It mustn't! _I'll_
watch now. [_She goes to the fireplace, tearing the paper as she crosses
the room, she burns the letter; then she gathers up the other letters
and the pocket case._] He must give me his word of honor over Richard's
little bed to-night that he will do nothing to ever make the boy ashamed
of bearing his father's name!

[_She watches to see that every piece of the paper burns, as_

THE CURTAIN FALLS




ACT II


_Christmas Eve; fourteen months later; the dining room of the Hunters'
house, which is now lived in jointly by the_ STERLINGS _and_ MRS. HUNTER
_and her daughters. It is a dark wainscoted room, with curtains of
crimson brocade. It is decorated with laurel roping, mistletoe, and
holly, for Christmas. It is the end of a successful dinner party,
fourteen happy and more or less congenial persons being seated at a
table, as follows:_ WARDEN, RUTH, MASON, CLARA, TROTTER, MRS. HUNTER,
BLANCHE, STERLING, MISS SILLERTON, MR. GODESBY, JESSICA, DOCTOR
STEINHART, _and_ MISS GODESBY. _The room is dark on all sides, only a
subdued light being shed on the table by two large, full candelabra with
red shaded candles. As the curtain rises the bare backs of the three
women nearest the footlights gleam out white. Candied fruit and other
sweetmeats are being passed by four men servants, including_ JORDAN
_and_ LEONARD.


RUTH. My dear Blanche, what delicious candy!

MISS SILLERTON. Isn't it!

MISS GODESBY. Half of the candy offered one nowadays seems made of
_papier-mâché_.

MRS. HUNTER. [_To_ MISS GODESBY.] Julia, do tell me how Mr. Tomlins
takes his wife's divorce?

MISS GODESBY. He takes it with a grain of salt!

MRS. HUNTER. But isn't he going to bring a counter suit?

STERLING. No.

RUTH. I hope not. I am an old-fashioned woman and don't believe in
divorce!

MISS GODESBY. Really! But then you're not married!

MISS SILLERTON. What is the reason for so much divorce nowadays?

RUTH. Marriage is the principal one.

BLANCHE. _I_ don't believe in divorce, either.

MISS SILLERTON. My dear, no woman married to as handsome a man as Mr.
Sterling would.

TROTTER. You people are all out of date! More people get divorced
nowadays than get married.

BLANCHE. Too many people do--that's the trouble. I meant what I said
when I was married--"for better, for worse, till death us do
part."--What is the opera Monday?

TROTTER. Something of Wagner's. He's a Dodo bird! Bores me to death! Not
catchy enough music for me.

MRS. HUNTER. You'd adore him if you went to Bayreuth. Which was that
opera, Clara, we heard at Bayreuth last summer? Was it _Faust_ or
_Lohengrin_! They play those two so much here I'm always getting them
mixed!

MISS SILLERTON. Wagner didn't write _Faust_!

MRS. HUNTER. Didn't he? I thought he had; he's written so many operas
the last few seasons!

CLARA. I like _Tannhäuser_, because as soon as you hear the "twinkle,
twinkle, little stars" song, you can cheer up and think of your wraps
and fur boots.

TROTTER. My favorite operas are _San Toy_ and the _Roger Brothers_,
though I saw _Florodora_ thirty-six times!

BLANCHE. Mother would have gone with you every one of those thirty-six
_Florodora_ times. She's not really fond of music.

MRS. HUNTER. Not fond of music! Didn't I have an opera box for four
years?

TROTTER. Why doesn't Conried make some arrangement with Weber and Fields
and introduce their chorus into _Faust_ and _Carmen_?

DR. STEINHART. Great idea! [_To_ MISS GODESBY.] Did you get a lot of
jolly presents?

MISS GODESBY. Not half bad, especially two fine French bulls!

[_All are laughing and talking together._

BLANCHE. What did you get, Mr. Warden?

WARDEN. Three copies of "David Harum," two umbrellas, and a cigar case
too short for my cigars.

MISS GODESBY. Give it to me for cigarettes.

WARDEN. It's too long for cigarettes. Then I had something that's either
a mouchoir or a handkerchief case, or for neckties, or shaving papers,
or something or other.

TROTTER. Yes, I know, I got one of those, too.

DR. STEINHART. So did I!

BLANCHE. I must start the women; we are coming back here to arrange a
surprise for you men.

[_She nods her head in signal to_ STERLING, _and rises. All rise._

STERLING. One moment please. One toast on Christmas night! Ned, give us
a toast.

ALL THE WOMEN. [_But not in unison._] Oh, yes! A toast! [_Ad lib._]

WARDEN. [_Holding up his glass._]

Here's to those whom we love! And to those who love us! And to those who
love those whom we love And to those who love those who love us!

ALL THE MEN. [_Not in unison._] Good! Bravo! Bully toast! [_Ad lib._]

[_Every one drinks._

BLANCHE. One more toast, Dick. [_To the others._] Christmas Day is our
boy's birthday.

RUTH. Surely! a toast to Richard!

STERLING. Long life to Master Sterling, the best boy in the world, and
to all his good friends at this table.

THE MEN. Hear! Hear!

[_All the women speak their next speeches at the same time._

BLANCHE. [_Laughing._] Of course! I've dropped my handkerchief.}
}