There are two children, a BOY and GIRL, ten and eight, in night clothes.)EDGAR I won’t survive this evening.JOAN Don’t be that way. They’re lovely. Their parents are right to show them off.(The children are kissed by everyone and led off by the MAID. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres are served)EDGAR Forgive me, but let’s not have the evening we all expect to have. I won’t survive it. The children are beautiful but we would say so even if they were not. It’s one of the things we say. We all know what we say. We say of artists that we like them or that we don’t like them. We say of servants that they are difficult. We say of the hors d’oeuvres that we are on a diet. We say of the market that it is depressed. We say of a couple splitting it’s amazing it lasted as long as it did. And the hostess knows if her party is to be a success she must have someone of whom everyone has heard. And the guests form their opinions of the person of whom everyone has heard. And we all come away with a story for the next dinner party where we will all know what we say and meet someone of whom everyone has heard.JOAN And so, dear friends, adieu.
