SICA. [_Sincerely moved._] Yes, I hate this room now.

MRS. HUNTER. [_Rising._] Hate this room! When we've just had it done!
Louis Kinge!

BLANCHE. Louis _Quinze_, dear! She means the associations now, mother.

MRS. HUNTER. Oh, yes, but that's weak and foolish, Jessie. No,
Blanche--[_Sitting again._]--I'm too exhausted to move. Ring for tea.

[BLANCHE _rings the bell beside the mantel._

CLARA. [_Crossing to piano, forgets and starts to play a music-hall
song, but_ MRS. HUNTER _stops her._] Oh, yes, tea! I'm starved!

MRS. HUNTER. Clara, darling! As if you could be hungry at such a time!

[JORDAN _enters Left._

BLANCHE. Tea, Jordan.

JORDAN. Yes, madam.

[_He goes out Left._

MRS. HUNTER. Girls, everybody in town was there! I'm sure even your
father himself couldn't have complained.

BLANCHE. Mother!

MRS. HUNTER. Well, you know he always found fault with my _parties_
being too mixed. He wouldn't realize I couldn't throw over all my old
set when I married into his,--not that I ever acknowledged I was your
father's inferior. I consider my family was just as good as his, only we
were _Presbyterians_!

BLANCHE. Mother, dear, take off your gloves.

MRS. HUNTER. I thought I had. [_Crying._] I'm so heartbroken I don't
know what I'm doing.

[_Taking off her gloves._

[BLANCHE _and_ CLARA _comfort their mother._

JESSICA. Here's the tea--

[JORDAN _and_ LEONARD _enter with large, silver tray, with tea, cups,
and thin bread-and-butter sandwiches. They place them on small tea-table
which_ JESSICA _arranges for them._

MRS. HUNTER. I'm afraid I can't touch it.

[_Taking her place behind tea-table and biting eagerly into a sandwich._

JESSICA. [_Dryly._] Try.

[BLANCHE _pours tea for them all, which they take in turn._

MRS. HUNTER. [_Eating._] One thing I was furious about,--did you see the
Witherspoons _here_ at the house?

CLARA. _I_ did.

MRS. HUNTER. The idea! When I've never called on them. They are the
worst social pushers I've ever known.

[_She takes another sandwich._

CLARA. Trying to make people think they are on our visiting list! Using
even a funeral to get in!

MRS. HUNTER. But I _was_ glad the Worthings were here, and I thought it
_sweet_ of old Mr. Dormer to go even to the cemetery. [_Voice breaks a
little._] He never goes to balls any more, and, they say, catches cold
at the slightest change of temperature.

[_She takes a third sandwich._

BLANCHE. A great many people lov