Mrs.Rummel: She no longer has any connection with the family, as
you may suppose; but this much the whole town knows, that she has
sung for money in drinking saloons over there--

Mrs.Holt: And has given lectures in public--

Mrs.Rummel: And has published some mad kind of book.

Mrs.Lynge: You don't say so!

Mrs.Rummel: Yes, it is true enough that Lona Hessel is one of
the spots on the sun of the Bernick family's good fortune. Well,
now you know the whole story, Mrs. Lynge. I am sure I would never
have spoken about it except to put you on your guard.

Mrs.Lynge: Oh, you may be sure I shall be most careful. But that
poor child Dina Dorf! I am truly sorry for her.

Mrs.Rummel: Well, really it was a stroke of good luck for her.
Think what it would have meant if she had been brought up by such
parents! Of course we did our best for her, every one of us, and
gave her all the good advice we could. Eventually Miss Bernick
got her taken into this house.

Mrs.Holt: But she has always been a difficult child to deal
with. It is only natural--with all the bad examples she had had
before her. A girl of that sort is not like one of our own; one
must be lenient with her.

Mrs.Rummel: Hush--here she comes. (In a louder voice.) Yes, Dina