ENID. [With slight impatience.] Yes, I know, Frost, of course. Will you please go in and ask if they'll have some tea; say I sent you. FROST. Yes, M'm. [He opens the doors gently and goes in. There is a momentary sound of earnest, gather angry talk.] WILDER. I don't agree with you. WANKLIN. We've had this over a dozen times. EDGAR. [Impatiently.] Well, what's the proposition? SCANTLEBURY. Yes, what does your father say? Tea? Not for me, not for me! WANKLIN. What I understand the Chairman to say is this---- [FROST re-enters closing the door behind him.] ENID. [Moving from the door.] Won't they have any tea, Frost? [She goes to the little table, and remains motionless, looking at the baby's frock.] [A parlourmaid enters from the hall.] PARLOURMAID. A Miss Thomas, M'm ENID. [Raising her head.] Thomas? What Miss Thomas--d' you mean a----? PARLOURMAID. Yes, M'm. ENID. [Blankly.] Oh! Where is she? PARLOURMAID. In the porch. ENID. I don't want----[She hesitates.] FROST. Shall I dispose of her, M'm? ENID. I 'll come out. No, show her in here, Ellen. [The PARLOUR MAID and FROST go out. ENID pursing her lips, sits at the little table, taking up the baby's frock. The PARLOURMAID ushers in MADGE THOMAS and goes out; MADGE stands by the door.] ENID. Come in. What is it. What have you come for, please? MADGE. Brought a message from Mrs. Roberts. ENID. A message? Yes. MADGE. She asks you to look after her mother. ENID. I don't understand. MADGE. [Sullenly.] That's the message. ENID. But--what--why? MADGE. Annie Roberts is dead. [There is a silence.] ENID. [Horrified.] But it's only a little more than an hour since I saw her. MADGE. Of cold and hunger. ENID. [Rising.] Oh! that's not true! the poor thing's heart---- What makes you look at me like that? I tried to help her. MADGE. [With suppressed savagery.] I thought you'd like to know. ENID. [Passionately.] It's so unjust! Can't you see that I want to help you all? MADGE. I never harmed any one that had n't harmed me first. ENID. [Coldly.] What harm have I done you? Why do you speak to me like that? MADGE. [With the bitterest intensity.] You come out of your comfort to spy on us! A week of hunger, that's what you want! ENID. [Standing her ground.] Don't talk nonsense! MADGE. I saw her die; her hands were blue with the cold. ENID. [With a movement of grief.] Oh! why wouldn't she let me help her? It's such senseless pride! MADGE. Pride's better than nothing to keep your body warm. ENID. [Passionately.] I won't talk to you! How can you tell what I feel? It's not my fault that I was born better off than you. MADGE. We don't want your money. ENID. You don't understand, and you don't want to; please to go away! MADGE. [Balefully.] You've killed her, for all your soft words, you and your father!