KATE. (_not seeing_ SUSAN) I don't care! I don't care one bit! I'm never, never going to speak to John Mason again as long as I live. I think he is just too horrid for anything, (_takes off coat and hat and throws them on sofa_) I just hate him. I hate every boy that ever lived, I do! I think they are mean, overbearing, egotistical things. (_wipes her eyes_) SUSAN. (_clapping her hands once_) My sentiments exactly! I so consider all men. KATE. (_startled_) Oh! I did not know anyone was here. Good morning! (_curtseys_) Please, you won't tell Grandma Gregg what I said, will you? (_with head on one side_) She wouldn't like it. (_picking at her fingers_) She says females should admire and worship all males. SUSAN. Humph! Fiddlesticks! Absolutely exploded theory. Latest theory is, females should abhor and despise all males. What's a man? He's a worm. A poor silly worm. Now, here! (_takes_ KATE _by arm and leads her across stage_) We understand each other. You have felt the cruel oppression of a man! KATE. I--I--I just think John Mason treated me real mean, anyway. SUSAN. Woman, how else do men ever treat us? We are slaves. But we must be free. You think I am the new Professor of Husbandology, don't you? You think I am here to teach you how to treat husbands, don't you? KATE. I did think so. SUSAN, (_threateningly_) Oh, I'll teach you how to treat husbands! (PAULINE _enters and overhears, unseen. She gradually comes closer to them_) I'll teach you how to treat all men. For ages man has crushed us under his cruel heel. KATE. Has he? SUSAN. But we will trample him under foot. KATE. Will we? SUSAN. We must throttle him. We must crush him. KATE. Must we? SUSAN. Pooh! He's a worm. We will do without him. We will drive him from the land. Absolutely. Man is a by-gone institution. I class him with the stage coach and the dodo bird. Woman can do his work better than he can. He must be driven from the land. PAULINE. But, now, mam, if he's driven from the land, he'll be taking a death of cold in the water. SUSAN. So much the better. The object that should burn in every true woman's heart is the utter extermination of man. (_to_ KATE) You have felt a man's cruelty. (KATE _wipes her eyes_) KATE. I don't see why boys have to be so mean. SUSAN. And you, too, you poor creature. Have you not felt the heel of the oppressor? PAULINE. Heel of the oppressor? Mercy sakes! That reminds me. Grandma Gregg sent me for to get the Ideal Husband and take him down cellar and black his shoes for him. SUSAN, (_triumphantly_) You see! Man makes slaves of us all! PAULINE. Has any of you seen the Ideal Husband? Grandma Gregg said he was in the Classroom conversin' with the new Professor. SUSAN. (_carelessly_) Oh, he's gone to his club. I mean, look behind the screen. (PAULINE _gets the dummy, and carries it out, its feet dragging behind her on the floor. Exit_ PAULINE.)