Mrs. Fell. Betty, did I tell you I saw Clara Sheppard today? [But Mrs. Pampinelli is still deep in technical profundities, and simply silences her with a gesture of her right hand.]

Mrs. Ritter. [Coming forward at the right of the piano] Where did you see her, Nelly?

Mrs. Fell. Darlington’s, at the mourning counter.

Mrs. Pampinelli. [Coming suddenly out of her abstraction, and turning to Mrs. Fell] Is she going in black?

Mrs. Fell. My dear, she’s in it already.

Twiller. [Coming in the right hallway] Good evening!

Mrs. Pampinelli. She’s very foolish, under the circumstances.

Mrs. Fell. That’s just what I told her today.

Twiller. [Coming through the center-door and forward at the left of the piano] Good evening, Mrs. Ritter.

Mrs. Ritter. Good evening, Mr. Twiller.