(_A pause._)

_Mrs. Denham_ (_outside the door_) In a quarter of an hour will do, Jane.

Denham.

Here comes mother!

Undine.

Oh, bother these horrid old sums! (_Flops into chair._)

(_Enter Mrs. Denham, with flowers. She comes to the cabinet to place them in a vase, and sees the water spilt._)

Mrs. Denham.

What's all this mess? What have you been doing, miss? (_Crosses to Undine._)

Undine.

(_rising and standing before her_) Please, mother, I only made a libation.

Mrs. Denham.

You naughty, _wicked_ girl! Oh, this wicked, _wicked_ waste of time!

Undine.

(_whimpering_) But, mother, I only--

Mrs. Denham.

Hold your tongue, miss. Don't attempt to make excuses. (_Steps back, looks at Undine._) And just _look_ at that pinafore, that was put on you clean this morning, and now it is all over dirt! You have been climbing trees again.

Undine.

(_whimpering_) I wasn't climbing trees. I only climbed _one_ tree.

Denham.

(_aside_) Well parried!

Mrs. Denham.

Oh, these mean prevarications! If I take my eye off you for a moment, you disobey me. But you _shall_ obey me--you shall obey!

(_Shakes the child; she screams._)

Denham.

Dear! Dear!

Mrs. Denham.

How dare you scream at me like that?

Undine.

(_crying_) But you're hurting me.

Mrs. Denham.

Bear it then, bear it _decently_, without screaming like a beast.

Have you done your sums?

Undine.

Not all.

Mrs. Denham.

(_looking at sums_) Only one done, and that not right. Oh, this _wicked_ waste of time! You are killing me and killing yourself.

When you waste your time you are wasting your life. Why _will_ you waste your time?

Undine.

I don't know.

Mrs. Denham.

Then you must be taught to know.

Denham.

May I say a word? I am chiefly to blame. We were talking about the Greek gods.

Mrs. Denham.

Oh well, if _you_ encourage her in her laziness, I can do nothing.

(_Crosses L as she speaks, then turns suddenly._) Get out of my sight, miss! It is time for you to go out now. Go away, and take off that pinafore. You are a disgrace to your father and to me.

(_Gives her a final shake. Undine runs out screaming._) Oh dear! Oh dear! There! Listen to that precious daughter of yours, filling the house with her yells. (_She presses her hands over her ears._) Oh, that child will be the death of me! (_Throws herself down upon the couch._) She ought never to have been born. Her existence is a mistake and a curse.

Denham.

(_sighing_) Yes, we are all mistakes from the ideal standpoint.

Mrs. Denham.

It makes me mad to think that I--I--should have brought such an idiot into the world!

Denham.