Mrs. Fell. Shush! [Hossefrosse tiptoes up to her and deplores the noise that Mrs. Pampinelli and Spindler are making.]
Mrs. Pampinelli. No one is asking you to be in half-a-dozen places at the same time! You’ve simply been asked to attend to your cues; and you’ve missed every one you’ve had!
Mrs. Fell and Hossefrosse, together. Shush!
Spindler. You told me to take care of Teddy, didn’t you?
Mrs. Pampinelli. I told you to take him to the door! I didn’t say to take him all the way to the drug store!
Spindler. Did you want me to let the man wander off somewhere by himself, and maybe die!
Mrs. Fell. [Waving her manuscript at them] Shus—sh!
Mrs. Pampinelli and Spindler, together.
Spindler. Just for the sake of not missing a cue!
Mrs. Pampinelli. [With bitter amusement] There is very little danger of his dying! And even if he did die, your duty is here! [She points to the floor with an imperative gesture. The right door is quietly pushed open, and Twiller, with one-half of his mustache gone, pokes his head out.]
Twiller. Shush! [He glances from one side to the other, withdraws his head, and quietly closes the door. Spindler crosses below Mrs. Pampinelli, to the left, then turns and looks at her angrily.]