Part 13 (1/2)

MARIE. _Voila_, madame!

[_A short silence, while the women sit down and drink in the gown._

MISS SILLERTON. [_In a subdued voice of awed admiration._] Beautiful!

MISS G.o.dESBY. Great!

TROTTER. [_To_ MISS G.o.dESBY.] _I'm_ stuck on the _girl_; introduce me.

She's out of sight!

[MRS. HUNTER _sighs long and loud,--a sigh of appreciation and admiration._ MARIE _stands in the centre of the stage facing the audience._

MISS G.o.dESBY. May we see her back?

CLARA. Her _entire_ back, if she turns around!

MRS. HUNTER. Turn around, Marie.

MARIE. _Oui_, madame.

[_She turns her back--the dress is cut extremely in the back._

MISS SILLERTON. Oh!

MISS G.o.dESBY. Rather!

MRS. HUNTER. The way everything is made this year.

MISS G.o.dESBY. I'm afraid my back is rather full of bones.

CLARA. They told us in Paris, bones were coming in! [_She takes a large American beauty rose from a vase on the piano and slips it down_ MARIE'S _back so that the dress seems much less decollete._] There, never too late to mend!

MISS G.o.dESBY. How much is this one?

[MISS G.o.dESBY _and_ MISS SILLERTON _examine the dress._

CLARA. [_Whispers to_ MRS. HUNTER.] You paid two hundred for it!

MRS. HUNTER. Three hundred dollars. It is really superb.

MISS SILLERTON. [_Pulling_ MISS G.o.dESBY _around quickly._] My dear, your hat pin is coming out!

MISS G.o.dESBY. Don't be absurd!

MISS SILLERTON. What?

MISS G.o.dESBY. It's my turn, sit down; you got the last! You won't mind my being frank, Mrs. Hunter?

MRS. HUNTER. [_On the defensive._] Certainly not.