agically). Look at this room,--look at this room! It is a
disgrace to a Christian community! Think of the breakfast we had--or
rather, that we didn't have! And yesterday! And now you down
sick--down sick! Does it take a month to graduate? (dusts an
upholstered chair vigorously). It's such (bang) such non-(bang)
nonsense!

_Mrs. De S._ Nonsense to graduate! Matilda Hoppenhoer! Do stop
thrashing about! Ugh, that dust! (coughs weakly). Katherine will do
that.

_Miss H._ (pounding sofa cushions). Katherine is busy; she has ten miles
of flutin' to flute!

_Mrs. De S._ (coughing). Well, stop, anyway! My nerves are bad today.

_Miss H._ You are worn out. We're all as cross as bears!

_Madam_ (emerging from a brown study). What shall I do? And only a yard
needed! I think chiffon--

_Miss H._ (straightening out a rug). Use ribbon.

_Madam_ (with dignity). They used ribbon last year.

_Miss H._ Fringe, then,--fringe is very dressy.

_Madam_ They used fringe two years ago.

_Miss H._ (snapping her up). Well, what's the idea? To use something
that hasn't never been used?

(Maude comes in, breathless.)

_Maude_ (sitting down hard). Goodness, I'm tired! Auntie, your grammar
is bad--very bad. What are you doing?

_Miss H._ (sarcastically). Getting you ready to graduate.

_Maude_ (peeling off her gloves). Well sir, I've just been racing
around! O, Valeria's going to have chiffon.

_Madam_ (dramatically). Chiffon!

_Maude_ (tossing her hat on the floor). Yes, and it's awfully pretty.

_Madam_ Chiffon! Is she? (Sits, from sheer weakness.)

_Maude_ (beginning to undo sundry packages). Yes, and--why, what's the
matter?

_Madam_ (gasping). Chiffon!

_Maude_ (a light dawning). Am I? Am I?

_Miss H._ (winding yarn into a ball). Am you what? Sit down, child, sit
down, you look like a statute!

_Maude_ Am I to have chiffon?

_Mrs. De S._ (firmly). You are.

_Maude_ We can't both have chiffon! I won't be a copy-tale! I won't!

_Mrs. De S._ (sitting erect and speaking with authority). Listen,
dearie. The lace has given out.

_Maude_ (stamping her foot). Get more!

_Mrs. De S._ We can't.

_Madam_ And the gown is so modelled that we can use nothing else.

_Maude_ I won't have chiffon! I won't--I won't--I won't.

_Mrs. De S._ (warningly). Do not let Madame Sateene see you in a
passion.

_Maude_ Madam would be in a passion herself! She knows how I feel! O
dear! (begins to sob). Everything is going wrong! I w-