"Hush!" exclaimed the guilty ones.
"I thought so," said Mrs. Stout, lowering her voice. "But let me tell you that I believe that Willie Flint ain't half as bad as some folks try to make him out to be, and as for he and Miss Wallace—"
"It is your turn, Mrs. Darling," called Miss Sawyer from the parlour. The whisperers returned to their work, but in the minds of two of them were many misgivings.
"Serves her right," whispered Mrs. Darling to Mrs. Thornton at the first opportunity.
"Indeed it does," was her friend's reply.
The aspirants for histrionic laurels rehearsed the scene twice, and then sat down to talk it over.
"What I can't understand," said Mrs. Blake, "is why Bassanio and Gratiano didn't know Portia and Nerissa, with whom they were in love."
"Portia and Nerissa were dressed as men," replied Mrs. Jones.
"And supposed to be miles away," added Miss Sawyer.