(The children get very serious, but look at each other, as if pleased.)

Mary.  They understand now:  but, do you know what you said next?

L. Yes, I was not more than half asleep.  I said their second virtue was dressing.

Mary.  Well! what did you mean by that?

L. What do you mean by dressing?

Mary.  Wearing fine clothes.

L. Ah! there’s the mistake. I mean wearing plain ones.

Mary.  Yes, I daresay I but that’s not what girls understand by dressing, you know.

L. I can’t help that.  If they understand by dressing, buying dresses, perhaps they also understand by drawing, buying pictures.  But when I hear them say they can draw, I understand that they can make a drawing; and when I hear them say they can dress, I understand that they can make a dress and—­which is quite as difficult—­wear one.

Dora.  I’m not sure about the making; for the wearing, we can all wear them—­out, before anybody expects it.

Egypt (aside to L., piteously).  Indeed I have mended that torn flounce quite neatly; look if I haven’t!

L. (aside, to Egypt).  All right; don’t be afraid. (Aloud to Dora.) Yes, doubtless; but you know that is only a slow way of UNdressing.

Dora.  Then, we are all to learn dress-making, are we?

L. Yes; and always to dress yourselves beautifully—­not finely, unless on occasion; but then very finely and beautifully, too.  Also, you are to dress as many other people as you can; and to teach them how to dress, if they don’t know; and to consider every ill-dressed woman or child whom you see anywhere, as a personal disgrace; and to get at them, somehow, until everybody is as beautifully dressed as birds.

(Silence; the children drawing their breaths hard, as if they had come from under a shower bath.)

L. (seeing objections begin to express themselves in the eyes).  Now you needn’t say you can’t; for you can, and it’s what you were meant to do, always; and to dress your houses, and your gardens, too; and to do very little else, I believe, except singing; and dancing, as we said, of course and—­one thing more.

Dora.  Our third and last virtue, I suppose?

L. Yes; on Violet’s system of triplicities.

Dora.  Well, we are prepared for anything now.  What is it?

L. Cooking.

Dora.  Cardinal, indeed!  If only Beatrice were here with her seven handmaids, that she might see what a fine eighth we had found for her!

Mary.  And the interpretation?  What does “cooking” mean?