MRS. LAWTY. These ladies!
LADIES. (_They all begin to talk at once again_) Why, it was she herself
who said--I had nothing to do with it at all--All I know about the whole
affair is that--The impertinence of her saying--I didn't say a word
about---- Etc.
MRS. WARREN. It was all of them ... every one of them. They said you
had--oh, dear, I just can't say it! They came here to tell me you had
eloped with ... with a married man ... with Doctor Hunter!
BETTY. Ladies! Mother! How dare you! (_She runs to her mother._) How
dare you say such a thing! (_To her mother_) My poor, dear Mother!
MRS. WARREN. And it is so untrue. Oh! Clara ... Clara! My smelling-salts
... my smelling-salts! I'm going to faint ... I'm going to faint ... I'm
going to faint!
MRS. ROMNEY. (_Running to MRS. WARREN_) Here, use mine, my dear, use
mine.
MRS. LAWTY. But the letter, Mrs. Warren.
MRS. WARREN. (_She has been fanning herself furiously with the letter.
She suddenly holds it up as if it might be a bomb ready to go off in her
hand._) The letter! Oh! Take it ... take it ... take it away!