at's right! Go straight on till you find her.

Mrs. Christensen (who meantime has come forward with MRS. RIIS). I have
been thinking so much about you the last day or two, my dear! What a
tiresome business this is!

Mrs. Riis. Do you mind my asking if you knew anything about it before?

Mrs. Christensen. What is there that a mother--and a wife--escapes the
knowledge of nowadays, my dear! She was in my service, you know. Come
here! (Tells MRS. RIIS something in a whisper, ending with something
about "discovery" and "dismissal.")

Riis (offering the ladies chairs). Won't you sit down?--Oh, I beg your
pardon! I did not see--. (Hurries to CHRISTENSEN.) Excuse me, but are
you really comfortable in that chair?

Christensen. Thank you, I am just as uncomfortable here as anywhere
else. It is the sitting down and getting up again that bothers me more
than anything else. (Looks round.) I have just been to see him.

Riis. Hoff?

Christensen. Honest fellow. Stupid.

Riis. So long as he holds his tongue--

Christensen. He'll do that.

Riis. Thank heaven for that! Then we have only ourselves to consider. I
suppose it cost you a bit?

Christensen. Not a penny!

Riis. You got out of it cheap, then.

Christensen. Yes, didn't I? Still, as a matter of fact, he has cost me
quite enough already--although he knows nothing about that.

Riis. Indeed? When he failed, I suppose.

Christensen. No, when he married.

Riis. Oh, I understand.

Christensen. And I didn't think I should hear any more about it after
that.--You ladies seem to be having a fine game of whispering! (MRS.
CHRISTENSEN comes forward. RIIS places chairs for her and his wife.)

Mrs. Christensen. I was telling Mrs. Riis about the Miss Tang affair.
She really seems to have risen from her grave!

Christensen. Is your daughter at home, may I ask?

Riis. I have sent to fetch her.

Mrs. Christensen. I hope the last few days have taught her a lesson too,
poor girl! She suffers from a fault that unusually clever people are
very liable to--I mean self-righteousness.

Riis. Exactly! You are perfectly right! But I should call it arrogance!

Mrs. Christensen. I should not like to say that--but presumption,
perhaps.

Mrs. Riis. Why do you say that, Mrs. Christensen?

Mrs. Christensen. Because of various conversations I have had with her.
I was speaking to her once about a man's being his wife's master. In
these days it is a good thing to impress that on young g