_F._ I don"t believe it.
_A._ That"s what I said.
_F._ But she"s as good as engaged to George Maynard.
_A._ I know it.
_F._ I think it"s perfectly awful.
_A._ So do I.
_F._ Do you suppose he knows it?
_A._ Oh, no. He"s so gone on Kate, he thinks she"d never look at anybody but him.
_F._ I never heard anything so perfectly amazing in my life.
_A._ And sometimes, Ethel says, they write each other two letters a week.
_F._ Two letters?
_A._ Two letters.
_F._ In one week?
_A._ That"s what Ethel says.
_F._ I wonder she doesn"t expect the ground to open and swallow her. I never heard of such deceit. Why, she"s going to lead the german with George at the Wentworths" next week.
_A._ I know it.
_F._ Well, I"ve always said Kate West couldn"t be trusted out of your sight. (_She turns, and opens the door._) I do believe that every time I open that door it is colder. I know I shall die before I get home,--or freeze my ears.
_A._ Think how dreadful it would be to freeze your ears. I knew a girl at boarding-school that froze her ears skating one vacation, and they hung down like rags. We used to tell her they were like a spaniel"s, and call her Fido. She"d get _perfectly_ furious.
_F._ I don"t wonder.
_A._ It was awfully good fun to see how she tried to pretend she didn"t care; and then, when she couldn"t stand it another minute, she"d catch up the very first thing she could lay her hands on, and throw it.
_F._ (_descending the steps_) I would if I"d been she. Could she wear ear-rings?
_A._ Oh, not for the longest time,--as much as a year, any way. When we wanted to be especially pleasant, we told her that frozen ears always came off after a time.
_F._ How horrid!
_A._ But it was such fun!
_F._ Good-bye. Be sure and come to-morrow.
_A._ Yes.
_F._ And come early.
_A._ Yes; I"ll come right after luncheon.
_F._ Don"t you think your gown ought to be made just like my black one?
_A._ Yes; that would be more effective.
_F._ And then we can wear our hair just alike.
_A._ It"s a pity you couldn"t have some black flowers.
_F._ Yes. I don"t see why the florists don"t get up some. Phew! It"s as cold as Greenland. Do go in. You"ll get your death cold.
_A._ Good-bye. Don"t tell what I told you.
_F._ No; not to a soul. How did Ethel Mott find out about the letters?
_A._ She wouldn"t tell.
_F._ Do you suppose she really knew, or only guessed?
_A._ She said she really and truly knew.
_F._ Isn"t it amazing?
_A._ It is _per_-fectly incomprehensible.
E. Well, good-bye. I hope you"ll have good luck at the Whist Club to-night.
_A._ Oh, do come back till I tell you what Mr. Fremont said about the Whist Club.
[_f.a.n.n.y returns to the foot of the steps, and Alice goes half way down to meet her._]
_A._ He said he wasn"t going to the Whist Club any more, and I asked him why not, and he said he was tired of taking girls down to feed, when they"d been talking so all the evening that he couldn"t play.
_F._ Why, I never heard anything so insulting!
_A._ I told Mr. Van Bruch, and he said the trouble was that Mr. Fremont wanted all the time to feed himself.
_F._ Good. Do you know Colonel Graham says that he went to the Vaughns"
to play whist, and they held a conversazione instead. Wasn"t that clever?
_A._ Yes; awfully.
_F._ Good-bye. I"ll tell Jane to lay out my black dress, so it will be all ready when you come.
_A._ I"ll try and get time to go down town in the morning, to see what I can get to make my gown of. It"s an awful shame you had to hurry away so; I had lots of things to say.