Woman on Her Own, False Gods and The Red Robe / Three Plays By Brieux

by Eugène Brieux

Mademoiselle de Meuriot. My dear, not at all, "Soap of the Sylphs."

Mademoiselle Grégoire. But that's exactly the same thing.

Mademoiselle de Meuriot. I know that. But it sounds so different. [Taking another letter] "A red nose"—

Mademoiselle Grégoire. Lemon juice.

Mademoiselle de Meuriot [continuing] "Superfluous hairs." Be sure to recommend the cream that gives us advertisements; don't make any mistake about that. "Black specks on the chin," "Wrinkles round the eyes."

Mademoiselle Grégoire. There's no cure for that.

Madame Chanteuil. Tell her to go to bed early and alone.

Mademoiselle de Meuriot. That's too easy, she wouldn't believe in it. Find something else. [Continuing to read] "To make them firm without enlarging them"; that's for you too. And all the rest I think. "To whiten the teeth," "To make the hair lighter," "To give firmness to the bust."

Madame Chanteuil. They're always asking that.

Mademoiselle de Meuriot [reading] "To enlarge the eyes," "get rid of wrinkles"—"and double chins"—"a clear complexion"—"to keep young"—ouf! That's all. No, here's one that wants white arms. They're all alike, poor women!