Mrs. Pampinelli. [Turning to Mrs. Ritter] I was just asking Mr. Twiller about that business in the door.
Mrs. Pampinelli, Mrs. Ritter and Twiller, together.
Mrs. Pampinelli. Of course, it really didn’t matter very much.
Mrs. Ritter. Oh, my dear, wasn’t that just too dreadful! But I didn’t know what to do! I knew there was something wrong, but I didn’t know what it was!
Twiller. It was my fault. I got a little twisted there in my business-cues. I got up to the door a couple of speeches too soon.
Mrs. Pampinelli. I don’t think the audience noticed it.
Mrs. Fell. [Frantically searching in the manuscript] Shush!
Mrs. Ritter. Don’t you think they did, Betty?
Mrs. Fell. Shush! [They all turn and look at her. Mrs. Pampinelli steps towards her.]
Mrs. Pampinelli. Is somebody up? [Nelly simply silences her with a gesture, and opens the door slightly.]
Mrs. Fell. [Prompting through the door] You’ve all been listening to a lot of damned, cheap gossip!
Hossefrosse. [From beyond the flats] You’ve all been listening to a lot of damned, cheap gossip!