SCENE:- Drawing-room, 91, Russell Square.

TIME:- Afternoon.

[MRS. ELIZABETH SPENDER sits near the fire, reading a book. She is
a tall, thin woman, with passionate eyes, set in an oval face of
olive complexion; the features are regular and severe; her massive
dark hair is almost primly arranged. She wears a tailor-made
costume, surmounted by a plain black hat. The door opens and
PHOEBE enters, shown in by HAKE, the butler, a thin, ascetic-
looking man of about thirty, with prematurely grey hair. PHOEBE
MOGTON is of the Fluffy Ruffles type, petite, with a retrousse
nose, remarkably bright eyes, and a quantity of fluffy light hair,
somewhat untidily arranged. She is fashionably dressed in the
fussy, flyaway style. ELIZABETH looks up; the two young women
shake hands.]

PHOEBE Good woman. 'Tisn't three o'clock yet, is it?

ELIZABETH About five minutes to.

PHOEBE Annys is on her way. I just caught her in time. [To
HAKE.] Put a table and six chairs. Give mamma a hammer and a
cushion at her back.

HAKE A hammer, miss?