LADY HUNSTANTON. Let us hope she didn’t understand much. I think I had better go over and talk to her. [_Rises and goes across to_ HESTER WORSLEY.] Well, dear Miss Worsley. [_Sitting down beside her_.] How quiet you have been in your nice little corner all this time! I suppose you have been reading a book? There are so many books here in the library. HESTER. No, I have been listening to the conversation. LADY HUNSTANTON. You mustn’t believe everything that was said, you know, dear. HESTER. I didn’t believe any of it. LADY HUNSTANTON. That is quite right, dear. HESTER. [_Continuing_.] I couldn’t believe that any women could really hold such views of life as I have heard to-night from some of your guests. [_An awkward pause_.] LADY HUNSTANTON. I hear you have such pleasant society in America. Quite like our own in places, my son wrote to me. HESTER. There are cliques in America as elsewhere, Lady Hunstanton. But true American society consists simply of all the good women and good men we have in our country. LADY HUNSTANTON. What a sensible system, and I dare say quite pleasant too. I am afraid in England we have too many artificial social barriers. We don’t see as much as we should of the middle and lower classes. HESTER. In America we have no lower classes. LADY HUNSTANTON. Really? What a very strange arrangement! MRS. ALLONBY. What is that dreadful girl talking about? LADY STUTFIELD. She is painfully natural, is she not? LADY CAROLINE. There are a great many things you haven’t got in America, I am told, Miss Worsley. They say you have no ruins, and no curiosities. MRS. ALLONBY. [_To_ LADY STUTFIELD.] What nonsense! They have their mothers and their manners. HESTER. The English aristocracy supply us with our curiosities, Lady Caroline. They are sent over to us every summer, regularly, in the steamers, and propose to us the day after they land. As for ruins, we are trying to build up something that will last longer than brick or stone. [_Gets up to take her fan from table_.] LADY HUNSTANTON. What is that, dear? Ah, yes, an iron Exhibition, is it not, at that place that has the curious name?