Mrs. Fell. [Turning to Hossefrosse, as he passes below her] What’s the matter, Huxley, did something go wrong? [Mrs. Pampinelli looks over again to see who’s talking.]
Hossefrosse. [Indicating the right door] That door kind of got me rattled for a minute.
Mrs. Fell. I don’t think the audience noticed it.
Mrs. Pampinelli. Shush! [Nelly consults her manuscript, listening at the same time to the dialogue beyond the flats, and Mr. Hossefrosse continues to the extreme right and forward, trying to make the squeak of his new shoes as inaudible as possible. Mrs. Pampinelli puts her ear to the flat and listens keenly.]
Teddy. [Faintly, beyond the flats] Why, he always asts me to wait whenever he’s expectin’ his wife downtown. [Spindler suddenly turns from the wing where he has been peeking, and, breaking into quite a jaunty little whistle, starts across towards the left; but Mrs. Pampinelli turns abruptly and glares him into silence. He clasps his hand over his mouth and apologizes with an obsequious little gesture.]
Florence. [Beyond the flats] I see. And he was expecting her this evening?
Teddy. Yes, mam.
Florence. Do you know her? [Spindler trips and almost falls over the stage-screw in the floor at the left. Twiller, who has been standing down at the extreme left, makes an impatient move and goes up towards the back.]
Mrs. Pampinelli. Oh, Mr. Spindler, for Pity’s sake do keep still for one moment!
Spindler. [Squatting down and attempting to remove the screw] We’d better get this thing out of here, before somebody gets hurt.