IMER. [_Dryly._] Thank you! Was that your present in a
Tiffany box--a small diamond pin?

ETHEL. Yes, wasn't it sweet?

MRS. LORRIMER. Rather. I saw those pins marked down at Wanamaker's
Christmas time.

ETHEL. For heaven's sake, don't tell Marion. [_Re-enter_ MAID.

MAID. Mrs. Wolton will be down at once, madam-- [MAID _exits at back._
FANSHAW _crosses to table_.

ETHEL. [_Who goes back to_ MRS. LORRIMER.] Wasn't it awful
yesterday--in the church! [_Crosses._

MRS. LORRIMER. [_With a sigh._] Awful. [_Rises and crosses to centre._

ETHEL. [_Kneeling, with one knee on the sofa._] Still, I will say one
thing, I've always been dying to have it happen.

MRS. LORRIMER. Ethel! What a little beast you are.

FANSHAW. Oh, she didn't mean to Marion particularly. Did you, Ethel?

ETHEL. No; if I had my choice I'd rather see it happen to Kitty; she's
always pretending she's so sincere and all that.

MRS. LORRIMER. Marion is well rid of a man like Fletcher.

ETHEL. Oh, I don't know--I believe I'd take him to-morrow if he asked
me.

MRS. LORRIMER. Well, I wish he would--it would serve you just right.

FANSHAW. Oh, but you couldn't, to-morrow, even if he did ask you--you
forget.

ETHEL. Oh, of course I did. My dear, I meant to tell you when I came
in that I'm announcing my engagement to-day.

MRS. LORRIMER. Good gracious, to whom?

ETHEL. To Mr. Fanshaw.

MRS. LORRIMER. Good heavens. Allow me to condole-- [_Crosses to_
FANSHAW.] I mean congratulate you. And so you're going to be married!
[ETHEL _crosses. They shake hands._

ETHEL. Oh, no, only engaged for a little while,--just for fun. [MRS.
WOLTON _enters_.

MRS. WOLTON. Good morning, Ethel. I'm going to ask you to excuse
Marion. She isn't seeing _any_ one this morning.

ETHEL. I understand--of course--give her my love and tell her not to
mind--every one's on her side and,--she looked perfectly lovely. Tell
her she had the prettiest wedding dress anyway of the season. [_She
goes to kiss_ MRS. WOLTON, _who draws back. Both_ MRS. WOLTON _and_
MRS. LORRIMER _are aghast at the flippant manner of_ ETHEL. ETHEL
_raises her eyebrows, shrugs her shoulders._] Good-bye, good-bye. Come
along, Fanshaw. [_Exit._

FANSHAW. [_Crossing to_ MRS. WOLTON.] Oh, Mrs. Wolton, don't mind
Ethel. She doesn't mean what she sounds like. She never does mean what
she sounds like. Besides, she's a little rattled this morning. You see
she's engaged again.

MRS. WOLTON. Engaged?

FA