Mrs Allonby Certainly not to him. Unless, of course, one wants to grow tired of him.

Lady Stutfield Oh! … yes. I see that. It is very, very helpful. Do you think, Mrs Allonby, I shall ever meet the Ideal Man? Or are there more than one?

Mrs Allonby There are just four in London, Lady Stutfield.

Lady Hunstanton Oh, my dear!

Mrs Allonby (going over to her) What has happened? Do tell me.

Lady Hunstanton (in a low voice) I had completely forgotten that the American young lady has been in the room all the time. I am afraid some of this clever talk may have shocked her a little.

Mrs Allonby Ah, that will do her so much good!

Lady Hunstanton Let us hope she didn’t understand much. I think I had better go over and talk to her. (Rises and goes across to Hester Worsley) Well, dear Miss Worsley. (Sitting down beside her) How quiet you have been in your nice little corner all this time! I suppose you have been reading a book? There are so many books here in the library.

Hester No, I have been listening to the conversation.

Lady Hunstanton You mustn’t believe everything that was said, you know, dear.

Hester I didn’t believe any of it.

Lady Hunstanton That is quite right, dear.

Hester (continuing)° I couldn’t believe that any women could really hold such views of life as I have heard tonight from some of your guests.

An awkward pause

Lady Hunstanton I hear you have such pleasant society in America. Quite like our own in places, my son wrote to me.

Hester There are cliques in America as elsewhere, Lady Hunstanton. But true American society consists simply of all the good women and good men we have in our country.

Lady Hunstanton What a sensible system, and I dare say quite pleasant too. I am afraid in England we have too many artificial social barriers. We don’t see as much as we should of the middle and lower classes.

Hester In America we have no lower classes.

Lady Hunstanton Really? What a very strange arrangement!

Mrs Allonby What is that dreadful girl talking about?

Lady Stutfield She is painfully natural, is she not?

Lady Caroline There are a great many things you haven’t got in America, I am told, Miss Worsley. They say you have no ruins, and no curiosities.

Mrs Allonby (to Lady Stutfield) What nonsense! They have their mothers and their manners.