MRS. ROMNEY. That is ... oh, is there any cause for her being jealous of
any particular person, Mrs. Warren?
MRS. WARREN. (_Choking on her tea_) Eh? No ... no ... not that I know
of.
MRS. ROMNEY. How uninteresting. The doctor is such a charming gentleman.
Dear me, I do hope I will have another attack of indigestion, or
something of that sort soon. I am sure Doctor Hunter would be such a
splendid physician ... he is so good looking. (_She puts down her
teacup._) Dear me, I must be going. I am on my way to the meeting of the
"Helping Hand Society" and----
MRS. WARREN. Yes, Mrs. Lawty has just gone. She dropped in to see me for
a moment.
MRS. ROMNEY. Mrs. Lawty ... that one? I'm not speaking to her.
MRS. WARREN. Oh, dear, you ... you don't really mean you have
quarrelled? So unladylike.
MRS. ROMNEY. Ladylike ... ladylike? Ladylike be damned!
MRS. WARREN. (_Almost jumping out of her chair_) Mrs. Romney!
MRS. ROMNEY. Mrs. Warren, I beg your pardon. I forgot, for a moment, to
whom I was speaking.
MRS. WARREN. That was quite evident.
MRS. ROMNEY. Quite. But you see, Mrs. Lawty told Mrs. Pickering, who
told Mrs. Lawer, who told Lady Bloshire, whose maid told my maid, that
Mrs. Lawty said that I dyed my hair ... dyed my hair!
MRS. WARREN. Really?