THERESE [_reading with her_] "Votes for Women," "An End of Slavery." And then, on here, lighter things. MADEMOISELLE GREGOIRE. Frivolities? THERESE. Frivolities. A story. "Beauty Notes." MADEMOISELLE GREGOIRE [_reading and laughing a little_] "The Doctor's Page." THERESE. Oh, too bad! But it wasn't I who first said frivolities! MADEMOISELLE GREGOIRE [_still laughing_] I shall bear up. And what comes after "The Doctor's Page"? THERESE. "Beauty Notes" and "Gleanings." MADEMOISELLE GREGOIRE. Gleanings? THERESE. Yes. It's a column where real and imaginary subscribers exchange notes about cookery receipts, and housekeeping tips, and hair lotions, and that sort of thing. MADEMOISELLE GREGOIRE. Quite a good thing. THERESE. I most confess it's the best read part. MADEMOISELLE GREGOIRE. I'm not at all surprised. THERESE. I'm afraid we can't conceal from ourselves that Monsieur Nerisse has not altogether succeeded. Each of us is inclined to like only her own section. We've a girl here, Caroline Legrand, one of the staff, who's tremendously go-a-head. You should hear her on the subject of "Soap of the Sylphs" and "Oriental Balm." MADEMOISELLE GREGOIRE. It makes her furious? THERESE. She's a sort of rampageous saint; ferocious and affectionate by turns, a bit ridiculous perhaps, but delightful and generous. She's so simple nasty people could easily make a fool of her, but all nice people like her. MADEMOISELLE GREGOIRE. Shall I have much to do with her? THERESE. Not much. You'll be under Mademoiselle de Meuriot, and you'll be lucky. She's a dear. She's been sacrificing herself all her life. She's my great friend--the only one I have. MADEMOISELLE GREGOIRE [_taking up the paper again_] But how's this? Your contributors are all men. Gabriel de--, Camille de--, Claud de--, Rene de--, Marcel de--. THERESE. Well! I never noticed that before. They're the pen-names of our writers. MADEMOISELLE GREGOIRE. All men's names? THERESE. Yes. People still think more of men as writers. You see they are names that might be either a man's or a woman's. Camille, Rene, Gabriel. MADEMOISELLE GREGOIRE. There's only one woman's name--Vicomtesse de Renneville. THERESE. That's snobbery! It's Madame Nerisse's pen-name. MADEMOISELLE GREGOIRE. Well, I suppose it's good business. _Mademoiselle de Meuriot comes in at the back, bringing a packet of letters._ MADEMOISELLE DE MEURIOT. The post's come, Therese. THERESE. This is Mademoiselle de Meuriot. [_Introducing Mademoiselle Gregoire_] Our new contributor. MADEMOISELLE DE MEURIOT. You're welcome, Mademoiselle. _The door on the left opens and Madame Nerisse appears backwards, still talking to Monsieur Nerisse, who is invisible in the inner room._ MADAME NERISSE. Yes, dearest. Yes, dearest. Yes, dearest. _Mademoiselle Gregoire looks up at Madame Nerisse._