Ritter. It’s a singular thing, but I’ve noticed that invariably there’s a fatality connected with these amateur performances.
Mrs. Pampinelli. Unfortunately, that is true, Mr. Ritter, I agree with you. But then, we are not dismayed; we have the lessons of history to fortify us; for whenever the torch of essential culture has been raised, [She raises the lead-pencil as though it were a torch.] there has unfailingly been the concomitant exactment of a human life. [She stands holding the torch aloft until the little cuckoo-clock over the door at the left cuckoos the half-hour. Ritter looks at it, and Nelly Fell gives it a glance. Florence, too, turns and looks up. Then Mrs. Pampinelli turns her eyes slowly upon it and withers it with a look.] Well, children, it’s eight-thirty,—[She gathers up her train and tosses it across her left arm, then comes around to the right in front of the table where she has been standing. Mrs. Ritter returns to the table in the hallway and sets down her empty glass. Ritter goes up after her and she fills him out a drink. Florence rises from the arm of the chair, and, passing in front of the table at the left, goes up and across back of the piano and out the door, at the right. As she passes above the piano she says something to Teddy, who has come down at the right of the piano, from his late position up near the door, and is crossing below it. Twiller turns and goes out through the center-door and stands leaning over the partition in the right hallway. Hossefrosse rises, settles his clothes and clears his throat. Mr. Spindler, also, has risen, and is replacing his chair back against the wall, below the door.] Time we went “unto the breach” once more.
Mrs. Fell. [Stepping forward a little to the center of the room, and stretching her hand towards Mr. Hossefrosse] You have my props, Huxley.
Hossefrosse. [Crossing below the table, to give her the manuscript] I beg your pardon, Nelly; I was just looking at something here.
Mrs. Fell. Thanks. [She pulls him towards her and whispers something.]
Mrs. Pampinelli. [Standing at the left of the little table] Have you my other pencil, Mr. Spindler?
Spindler. [Hurrying across towards her] I believe you left it over here on this little table. [He passes below Teddy, who is just crossing to the left, and continues on between the piano and the table to the little table below the casement-window. Nelly Fell breaks into a shrill giggle, pushes Hossefrosse towards the center-door, and crosses to the left, passing below the table. She is in a violent state of laughter. Hossefrosse goes on up to the center-door, and, excusing himself to Ritter, who is standing there drinking, passes out into the right hallway. Teddy comes around back of the arm-chair at the left and sits in the arm-chair. Mrs. Pampinelli has moved to the right of the table below the piano, where she stands reviewing her notes.]
Mrs. Fell. [To Teddy, confidentially, as she takes up her position on the chair below the door at the left] I’ll tell you later. [She sits down.]
Mrs. Pampinelli. [Tapping her lead-pencil on the table and addressing them generally] Now, folks,—[Ritter sets his glass on the table and steps into the right hallway, where he converses with Twiller for a second, then stands listening; while Mrs. Ritter hurries in and settles herself on the partition-seat at the left and listens attentively.] you understand, of course, that the setting will be just as it was at the Civic Club on the fourteenth; only, of course, as you know, the stage at Hutchy Kutchy is considerably larger. That, however, need not concern us particularly, as the entrances and exits will be relatively the same. [She finishes this speech to Mr. Spindler, who is standing at her right, waiting for her to take the lead-pencil.] Oh, thank you, Mr. Spindler. [She gives him the one she has—simply an exchange of pencils, and he salutes and returns to a position below the casement-window. Florence comes in at the right door again, wearing her furs, and comes down at the right of the piano. Mrs. Pampinelli moves a little towards the center-door.] Are you going to watch the rehearsal, Mr. Ritter?
Mrs. Fell. Of course, he is!