Oh, of course!

RUTH. Humph!

[JESSICA _and_ BLANCHE _exchange glances._

MRS. HUNTER. That young Mr. Trotter would be a fine catch for Jess.

JESSICA. Who loathes him!

MRS. HUNTER. Don't be old-fashioned! He's very nice.

RUTH. A little cad, trying to get into society--nice occupation for a
_man_!

JESSICA. Mother, you can't be serious.

CLARA. Why wouldn't he do for _me_?

RUTH. He _would_! The very thing!

MRS. HUNTER. We'll see, darling; I think Europe is the place for you. I
don't believe all the titles are gobbled up yet.

RUTH. Jess, I might get you some women friends of mine, to whom you
could go mornings and answer their letters.

MRS. HUNTER. I should not allow my daughter to go in that capacity to
the house of any woman who had refused to call on her mother, which is
the way most of your friends have treated me.

RUTH. Do you realize, Florence, this is a question of bread and butter,
a practical suggestion of life, which has nothing whatever to do with
the society columns of the daily papers?

MRS. HUNTER. I do _not_ intend that my daughters shall lose their
positions because their father has been--what shall we call
it--criminally negligent of them.

RUTH. [_Rising._] How dare you! You are to blame for it all. If you say
another word injurious to my brother's memory, I'll leave this house and
let you starve for all I'll do for you.

BLANCHE. Aunt Ruth, please, for father's sake--

CLARA. Well, this house is ours, anyway!

BLANCHE. That is what _I've_ been thinking of. The house is yours. It's
huge. You don't need it. You must either give it up altogether--

MRS. HUNTER. [_Interrupts._] _What! Leave it? My house! Never!_

BLANCHE. Or--let out floors to one or two friends,--bachelor friends.
Mr. Mason, perhaps--

CLARA. [_Interrupts, rising, furious._] Take in _boarders_!

MRS. HUNTER. [_Who has listened aghast, now rises in outraged dignity;
she stands a moment glaring at_ BLANCHE, _then speaks._] Take--[_She
chokes._] _That_ is the _last straw_!

[_And she sweeps from the room Right._

CLARA. Mama! Mama!

[_She goes out after her mother._

[_The other three women watch the two leave the room, then turn and look
at each other._

BLANCHE. We'll manage somehow, only I think it would be easier for us to
discuss all practical matters by _ourselves_.

RUTH. And I want you to understand this, girls,--I represent your dear
father; half of everything I have is yours, and you must