MADAME NeRISSE. He's always behaved quite nicely to you?

THeReSE. Always.

MADAME NeRISSE. And Monsieur Nerisse?

THeReSE. Monsieur Nerisse? I don't understand.

MADAME NeRISSE. Oh, yes, you do. Has he ever made love to you?

THeReSE. [_hurt_] Oh, Madame!

MADAME NeRISSE. [_looking closely at her and then taking both her hands affectionately_] Forgive me, dear child. I know how good and straight you are. You mustn't mind the things I say. Sometimes I'm horrid I know.

I have an idea that Monsieur Nerisse is not as fond of me as he used to be.

THeReSE. Oh, indeed that's only your fancy.

MADAME NeRISSE. I hope so. I'm a bit nervous I think. I've such a lot of trouble with the paper just now. It's not going well. [_Gesture of Therese_] We're going to try something fresh. This time I think it'll be all right. You'll see it will. [_A pause_] What's that? Did he call? I'm sure that idiot of a boy hasn't made up his fire, and he'd never think of it. He's like a great baby. [_As she goes towards Monsieur Nerisse's door--the door on the left--the door on the right opens, and Mademoiselle Gregoire comes in. She has taken off her hat. Madame Nerisse turns to her_] Why, it's Mademoiselle Gregoire! You know, _Dr._ Gregoire! [_To Mademoiselle Gregoire_] This is Mademoiselle Therese.

[_They shake hands_] I spoke to you about her. She'll explain everything to you in no time. I'll come back very soon and introduce you to the others. Excuse me for a minute. [_She goes out to the left_]

THeReSE. [_pleasantly_] I really don't know what Madame Nerisse wants me to explain to you. You know our paper?

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE. No, I've never seen it.

THeReSE. Never seen it! Never seen _Woman Free_?

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE. Never. I only know it by name.

THeReSE. How odd! Well, here's a copy. It's in two parts, you see, and they're quite different from each other. Here the doctrine, there the attractions. Madame Nerisse thought of that.

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE [_reading as she turns over the leaves_] "Votes for Women."

THeReSE [_reading with her_] "Votes for Women," "An End of Slavery." And then, on here, lighter things.

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE. Frivolities?

THeReSE. Frivolities. A story. "Beauty Notes."

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE [_reading and laughing a little_] "The Doctor's Page."

THeReSE. Oh, too bad! But it wasn't I who first said frivolities!

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE [_still laughing_] I shall bear up. And what comes after "The Doctor's Page"?

THeReSE. "Beauty Notes" and "Gleanings."

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE. Gleanings?

THeReSE. Yes. It's a column where real and imaginary subscribers exchange notes about cookery receipts, and housekeeping tips, and hair lotions, and that sort of thing.

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE. Quite a good thing.

THeReSE. I most confess it's the best read part.

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE. I'm not at all surprised.

THeReSE. I'm afraid we can't conceal from ourselves that Monsieur Nerisse has not altogether succeeded. Each of us is inclined to like only her own section. We've a girl here, Caroline Legrand, one of the staff, who's tremendously go-a-head. You should hear her on the subject of "Soap of the Sylphs" and "Oriental Balm."

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE. It makes her furious?

THeReSE. She's a sort of rampageous saint; ferocious and affectionate by turns, a bit ridiculous perhaps, but delightful and generous. She's so simple nasty people could easily make a fool of her, but all nice people like her.

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE. Shall I have much to do with her?

THeReSE. Not much. You'll be under Mademoiselle de Meuriot, and you'll be lucky. She's a dear. She's been sacrificing herself all her life.

She's my great friend--the only one I have.

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE [_taking up the paper again_] But how's this? Your contributors are all men. Gabriel de--, Camille de--, Claud de--, Rene de--, Marcel de--.

THeReSE. Well! I never noticed that before. They're the pen-names of our writers.

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE. All men's names?

THeReSE. Yes. People still think more of men as writers. You see they are names that might be either a man's or a woman's. Camille, Rene, Gabriel.

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE. There's only one woman's name--Vicomtesse de Renneville.

THeReSE. That's sn.o.bbery! It's Madame Nerisse's pen-name.

MADEMOISELLE GReGOIRE. Well, I suppose it's good business.

_Mademoiselle de Meuriot comes in at the back, bringing a packet of letters._

MADEMOISELLE DE MEURIOT. The post's come, Therese.

THeReSE. This is Mademoiselle de Meuriot. [_Introducing Mademoiselle Gregoire_] Our new contributor.

MADEMOISELLE DE MEURIOT. You're welcome, Mademoiselle.

_The door on the left opens and Madame Nerisse appears backwards, still talking to Monsieur Nerisse, who is invisible in the inner room._

MADAME NeRISSE. Yes, dearest. Yes, dearest. Yes, dearest.

_Mademoiselle Gregoire looks up at Madame Nerisse._

_Mademoiselle de Meuriot and Therese turn away their heads to hide their smiles; finally Madame Nerisse shuts the door, not having noticed anything, and comes forward. She speaks to Mademoiselle Gregoire._

MADAME NeRISSE. Come, my dear. I'll introduce you to the others. [_To Mademoiselle de Meuriot_] Ah! the post has come. Open the letters, Therese, will you?

MADEMOISELLE DE MEURIOT. Yes, we will.