a bluff at going. Then if
she sticks to her price, I'll come back and pay it.

[_They turn to_ MRS. HUNTER.

MISS SILLERTON. Oh, Mrs. Hunter, may I see my dress just one more
minute?

MRS. HUNTER. Certainly.

[_She and_ CLARA _come back with the dress._

MARIE. [_To_ TOMPSON _by the door at Right._]

_Vite!_ Come! Come! Jordan 'ave stole ze photograph machine of Mees
Clara, and he make now one pigsher of me in ze dress!

[_Smiling mischievously, delighted, she goes out Right._

MISS SILLERTON. Thank you.

[_She leaves her dress._

MRS. HUNTER. Take this too, Tompson.

TOMPSON. Yes, madam.

[MRS. HUNTER _speaks to_ TOMPSON, _aside, and_ CLARA, _near them,
watches the two visitors out of the corner of her eye._

MISS GODESBY. [_Aside to_ MISS SILLERTON.] I'll leave my muff; that'll
be a good excuse to come back.

TROTTER. [_Also in a lowered voice to_ MISS GODESBY.] Dodo!

[TOMPSON _goes out Right._

[MRS. HUNTER _and_ CLARA _come back._

MISS GODESBY. You really couldn't take less than three hundred?

MRS. HUNTER. I wish I could if only for your own sake; but I really
couldn't in justice to myself.

MISS GODESBY. I'm very sorry--and I'm afraid we must be going now.

MRS. HUNTER. [_Not believing they will go._] Oh, must you? Well, it was
very kind of you to come.

[MISS GODESBY _leaves her muff upon the table at the Left._

MISS SILLERTON. [_Shakes hands with_ MRS. HUNTER.] Good-by.

[_She goes on to_ CLARA.

[MISS GODESBY _comes to shake hands with_ MRS. HUNTER.

MRS. HUNTER. I think you're making a mistake not to take the dress,
Julia dear.

MISS GODESBY. Perhaps, but I really can't go more than two hundred and
fifty.

[MRS. HUNTER _looks surreptitiously at_ CLARA, _who slyly shakes her
head to her mother._

MRS. HUNTER. Oh, quite impossible!

MISS GODESBY. Good-by.

MRS. HUNTER. Good-by.

MISS GODESBY. Good-by, Clara.

MRS. HUNTER. [_Frightened._] Would you like to see the dress off?

MISS GODESBY. Oh, my dear, it was as _off_ as I would ever like to see
it. Good-by.

MRS. HUNTER. Good-by. [MISS SILLERTON _and_ MISS GODESBY _get to doorway
Left._] You _won't_ take it?

MISS GODESBY. _Can't!_ Good-by.

CLARA. [_Dryly._] You're forgetting your muff!

TROTTER. Rubber!

MISS GODESBY. [_Coming back for it._] How stupid!

[_She goes away to the door again in silence, which is full of suspense
for all of them. As she reaches the door_ MRS. HUNTER _speaks._

MRS. HUNTER.