Yes, I’m going to Cartier’s for the prizes. (_To_ PATRICIA) Good afternoon. (_After a moment’s hesitation._) Good afternoon, Miss Stannard. (THE GREEN ONE _goes out as_ MISS STANNARD _eyes_ MRS. FROWDE _in silence while_ PATRICIA _and_ SILVERTON _speak unheard_.) PATRICIA Leave me here alone, George: _this_ is real. I’ve heard about her. SILVERTON What are you going to do? PATRICIA The cats! There’s something inside me wants to speak. Run along. I’m feeling that rush of sincerity I spoke of. SILVERTON Mrs. Frowde, I leave only because--(_as_ MISS STANNARD _catches his eye_) Miss Stannard, I’m sorry they did not wait for that improvisation. But I’m afraid they wouldn’t have understood the _motif_. (SILVERTON _goes out_. PATRICIA _leans forward watching the two, as_ MRS. FROWDE _faces_ MISS STANNARD. _There is an embarrassing pause._) MRS. FROWDE Really, I don’t know what to say. I hardly thought you would come--under the circumstances. MISS STANNARD (_Fencing carefully throughout_) I’m dreadfully sorry. I did not know it was a select affair. I thought you were always at home to your friends. MRS. FROWDE (_Pointedly_) Friends--yes. MISS STANNARD (_Sweetly_) Then _I’m_ forgiven? MRS. FROWDE I think you must have seen my friends did not remain after you arrived. MISS STANNARD I’m very sorry; but it is they you should criticize for being so frightfully inconsiderate of you. (_With a sudden firmness_) And now Mrs. Frowde, don’t you think you owe me an explanation? MRS. FROWDE (_Controlling herself with difficulty_) I feel a strong desire to give it, only I hardly think you would like me to speak before---- MISS STANNARD (_Sarcastically_) Strangers? The resentment was shown before Miss Tenner, why not the explanation? PATRICIA (_Appealing with the usual success to their intimacy._) Emily, dear, you forget you have already spoken to me of Miss Stannard. (MISS STANNARD _stiffens_.) MRS. FROWDE Wouldn’t it be better if I simply asked you not to call again? MISS STANNARD (_With a note of challenge_) I must insist that you tell me frankly the reason. MRS. FROWDE You insist? MISS STANNARD Yes. MRS. FROWDE (_Bluntly_) There has been too much talk about you. Surely you must have realized your name is on every tongue. You know the world: women can’t do what you have done. You must have been mad--and with a married man at that! (PATRICIA _eyes her keenly_. MISS STANNARD _tosses her head defiantly; but as_ MRS. FROWDE _eyes her piercingly she seems to lose all her control, begins to tremble, totters, clutching the back of a chair and finally sinks with an hysterical sob upon the sofa, burying her face in her hands. Her vanity-case rattles to the floor._ PATRICIA _rises instinctively to go to her but sits again as_ MRS. FROWDE _motions her back and approaches_ MISS STANNARD _less harshly_.)