AMALIA. Five stories, if you please!... And her daughter comes out and looks down from the balcony up there. The poor old woman goes into the courtyard and pulls a string that leads up to the balcony; a bell rings; the girl comes out and her mother talks up at her, her head thrown back, just as though she were shouting from out of a well.... (_There is a knock at the door and the butler enters_). BUTLER. Callers, madam! AMALIA. Who is it, please? BUTLER. Signor Sirelli, and the Signora with another lady, madam. AMALIA. Very well, show them in. (_The butler bows and withdraws_). _Sirelli, Signora Sirelli, Signora Cini appear in the doorway, rear._ SIRELLI, _also a man of about forty, is a bald, fat gentleman with some pretensions to stylish appearance that do not quite succeed: the overdressed provincial_. SIGNORA SIRELLI, _his wife, plump, petite, a faded blonde, still young and girlishly pleasing. She, too, is somewhat overdressed with the provincial's fondness for display. She has the aggressive curiosity of the small-town gossip. She is chiefly occupied in keeping her husband in his place_. SIGNORA CINI _is the old provincial lady of affected manners, who takes malicious delight in the failings of others, all the while affecting innocence and inexperience regarding the waywardness of mankind_. AMALIA (_as the visitors enter, and taking Signora Sirelli's hands effusively_). Dearest! Dearest! SIGNORA SIRELLI. I took the liberty of bringing my good friend, Signora Cini, along. She was so anxious to know you! AMALIA. So good of you to come, Signora! Please make yourself at home! My daughter Dina, Signora Cini, and this is my brother, Lamberto Laudisi. SIRELLI (_bowing to the ladies_). Signora, Signorina. (_He goes over and shakes hands with Laudisi._) SIGNORA SIRELLI. Amalia dearest, we have come here as to the fountain of knowledge. We are two pilgrims athirst for the truth! AMALIA. The truth? Truth about what? SIGNORA SIRELLI. Why ... about this blessed Mr. Ponza of ours, the new secretary at the prefecture. He is the talk of the town, take my word for it, Amalia. SIGNORA CINI. And we are all just dying to find out! AMALIA. But we are as much in the dark as the rest of you, I assure you, madam. SIRELLI (_to his wife_). What did I tell you? They know no more about it than I do. In fact, I think they know less about it than I do. Why is it this poor woman is not allowed to see her daughter? Do you know the reason, you people, the real reason? AMALIA. Why, I was just discussing the matter with my brother. LAUDISI. And my view of it is that you're all a pack of gossips! DINA. The reason is, they say, that Ponza will not allow her to.