- seems to her excitement a crowd, releases the door and draws back a little—almost in tears of anger.
Mrs. Holroyd
- You have no business here. What do you want?
Clara (putting her bonnet straight and entering in brisk defiance) I tell you we’ve only come to see you. (She looks round the kitchen, then makes a gesture toward the armchair) Can I sit here?
(She plumps herself down) Rest for the weary.
- [A woman and a man have followed her into the room. Laura is highly colored, stout, some forty years old, wears a blue paper bonnet, and looks like the landlady of a public-house. Both she and Clara wear much jewellery. Laura is well dressed in a blue cloth dress. Holroyd is a big blond man. His cap is pushed back, and he looks rather tipsy and lawless. He has a heavy blond moustache. His jacket and trousers are black, his vest gray, and he wears a turn-down collar with dark bow.
Laura (sitting down in a chair on right, her hand on her bosom, panting) I ’ve laughed till I 0feel fair bad.
Clara
- ’Ave n’t you got a drop of nothink to offer us, mester? Come, you are slow. I should ’ave thought a gentleman like you would have been out with the glasses afore we could have got breaths to ask you.
Holroyd (clumsily)
- I dunna believe there ’s owt in th’ ’ouse but a bottle of stout.
Clara (putting her hand on her stomach)
- It feels as if th’ kettle ’s going to boil over.
- [She stuffs her handkerchief in front of her mouth, throws back her head, and snorts with laughter, hav-
