MRS. JOHN You jus' let that be right now, Pauline. Take a bit of a drink first of all! [_She pours out a small glassful of brandy._] An' then come an' eat a bite. It was my husband's birthday yesterday. [_She gets out some coffee-cake of which she cuts an oblong piece._ PAULINE Oh, no, I don' feel like eatin'. MRS. JOHN That strengthens you; that does you good; you oughta eat that! But I is pleased to see, Pauline, how your fine constitootion helped you get back your strength so good. PAULINE But now I want to have a look at it, Mrs. John. MRS. JOHN What's that? What d'you want to have a look at? PAULINE If I could ha' walked I'd ha' been here long ago. I want to see now what I come to see! _MRS. JOHN, whose almost creeping courtesies have been uttered with lips aquiver with fear, pales ominously and keeps silent. She goes to the kitchen cabinet, wrenches the coffee handmill out and pours beans into it. She sits down, squeezes the mill between her knees, grasps the handle, and stares with a consuming expression of nameless hatred over at PAULINE._ MRS. JOHN Eh? Oh, yes! What d'you want to see? What d'you want to see now all of a sudden? That what you wanted to throttle with them two hands o' yours, eh? PAULINE Me? MRS. JOHN D'you want to lie about it? _I'll_ go and give notice about you! PAULINE Now you've tormented me an' jabbed at me an' tortured me enough, Mrs. John. You followed me up; you wouldn't leave me no rest where I went. Till I brought my child into the world on a heap o' rags up in your loft. You gave me all kinds o' hopes an' you scared me with that rascal of a feller up there! You told my fortune for me outa the cards about my intended an' you baited me an' hounded me till I was most crazy. MRS. JOHN