Mrs. Cullingham. You ought to see our Park!—you know we've got a perfectly beautiful park,—and all the men statues wear Prince Alberts, and stand like this— [She poses with lifted arm at right angle to body.] —as if they were saying, "This way out" or "To the monkey cage and zoo."
Jinny. [Laughing.] But the women statues?
Mrs. Cullingham. My dear! They only have heads and hands; all the rest's just clumps of drapery—we only have "Americans" and "Libertys," anyway. They apply the Chinese emigration law to all Venuses and sich ladies!
[They both laugh.
Jinny. Where did you say Peter and Ruth were?
Mrs. Cullingham. Well, I left Peter—who isn't at all well; I hoped this trip would help his indigestion, but it seems to have made it worse!—I left him—er—in a room with a lot of broken-up Venuses—I thought it was all right; he was eating candy, and there wasn't a whole woman among 'em!
Jinny. [Slight strain in her voice.] How did you happen to bring over Ruth Chester?
Mrs. Cullingham. Well, you know I always liked her. She never snubbed me in her life—I don't think any one you've introduced me to has been quite so nice to Peter and me as Mrs. Chester and her daughter.
Jinny. O they are real people!
Mrs. Cullingham. Ruth is terribly depressed over something. She's thin as a rail and the family are worried. She says there's nothing worrying her, and the doctors can't find anything the matter with her,—so Mrs. Chester asked me if I wouldn't take her abroad. They thought the voyage and change might do her good, and I seem to have a more cheery influence over her than most people. So here we are! [As Peter enters Left, eating.] Here's Peter! How do you think the darling looks?