CHANCELLOR. Your Majesty, this is an outrage! Are you going to allow this?
POMPDEBILE (sadly). Yes, Chancellor. We have such an impulsive nature!
(The LADY VIOLETTA receives the money.)
VIOLETTA. Thank you. (She gives it to the boy.) Now we are ready to begin. Milk, please. (The boy who holds the milk jar comes forward and kneels.) I take some of this milk and beat it well.
YELLOW HOSE (in a whisper). Beat it—milk!
VIOLETTA. Then I put in two tablespoonfuls of salt, taking great care that it falls exactly in the middle of the bowl. (To the little boy) Thank you, dear. Now the flour, no, the pepper, and then—one pound of butter. I hope that it is good butter, or the whole thing will be quite spoiled.
BLUE HOSE. This is the most astonishing thing I have ever witnessed.
YELLOW HOSE. I don't understand it.
VIOLETTA (stirring). I find that the butter is not very good. It makes a great difference. I shall have to use more pepper to counteract it. That's better. (She pours in pepper. The boy with the pepper pot sneezes violently.) Oh, oh, dear! Lend him your handkerchief, Chancellor. Knave, will you? (YELLOW HOSE silences the boy's sneezes with the KNAVE'S handkerchief.) I think that they are going to turn out very well. Aren't you glad, Chancellor? You shall have one if you will be glad and smile nicely—a little brown tart with raspberry jam in the middle. Now for a dash of vinegar.
COOKS (in horror). Vinegar! Great Goslings! Vinegar!