MRS. S. I see them coming across the green! Quick, Polly, put the kettle on, we'll all have tea. [_A knock at the door. MRS. S. goes and opens it._] Good afternoon, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Jennings, Mrs. Crabstick!
MRS. J. [_brightly_]. Good afternoon to you, I'm sure.
MRS. B. [_composed_]. Good afternoon, Mrs. Smiler.
MRS. J. [_brightly_]. Good afternoon, Mrs. Smiler, and hoping you keep well.
MRS. S. Yes, thank you. I have my worries, of course, like the rest of us.
MRS. C. [_grimly_]. We all have. It's a weary world.
MRS. J. Oh, Mrs. Crabstick, cheer up, just when we've come to such a nice tea-party.
MRS. S. Well, I hope you'll get it as you like it to-day.
MRS. C. One doesn't get what one's used to out of their own house, but if you come out to tea one must make the best of it.
MRS. J. [_to_ MRS. S.]. And your little maid, Sukey, makes such good tea.
MRS. S. Yes, she does, but to-day she's out. I'm afraid she must have had a tumble off her bicycle.
MRS. C. Bicycle indeed! In my young days feet were good enough.
MRS. J. [_laughing_]. Quite true, Mrs. Crabstick. If we had been meant to go on bicycles we should be born with wheels instead of legs.
MRS. S. Oh dear me, Mrs. Crabstick, don't be so gloomy. I've got another little maid to take Sukey's place this afternoon. You'll get your tea all the same. The kettle's boiling now. Polly, is everything ready?
[_She brings in the teapot, the guests sit round the table, MRS. S. at the head of it. Kettle on fire._
MRS. S. Now, I'll help you first, Mrs. Crabstick. I know you depend so much on your tea.
[_Pours out: water only comes out of the pot._
MRS. J. There's only water in the teapot.
MRS. S. Oh dear, what can have happened? Polly!
MRS. S. But I told you to put in some tea, and I gave you the tea-caddy.
MRS. S. Then what did you do with the tea?
MRS. S. Into the kettle! Give me the kettle at once.
[_MRS. S. pours out; an inky fluid comes out of the spout.[A]_
[A] For this brew plenty of blacking should be mixed with water; it should be shaken up the last thing to make sure that the blacking has not sunk to the bottom.
MRS. C. You'll excuse me if I go away, Mrs. Smiler. I'm so afraid of being taken worse if I stay here after what has happened.
THE OTHERS. And we really feel we had better do the same. Good afternoon, Mrs. Smiler.