MINNIE:

Mrs. Molloy, are you sure it’s safe?

MRS. MOLLOY:

Minnie, hold your tongue. We’re in a position to put these men into jail if they so much as squeak.

CORNELIUS:

Jail, Mrs. Molloy?

MRS. MOLLOY:

Jail, Mr. Hackl. Officer Cogarty does everything I tell him to do. Minnie, you and I have been respectable for years; now we’re in disgrace, we might as well make the most of it. Come into the workroom with me; I know some ways we can perk up our appearances. Gentlemen, we’ll be back in a minute.

CORNELIUS:

Uh—Mrs. Molloy, I hear there’s an awfully good restaurant at the railway station.

MRS. MOLLOY:

High indignation.

Railway station? Railway station? Certainly not! No, sir! You’re going to give us a good dinner in the heart of the fashionable world. Go on in, Minnie! Don’t you boys forget that you’ve made us lose our reputations, and now the fashionable world’s the only place we can eat.

MRS. MOLLOY exits to workroom.

BARNABY:

She’s angry at us, Cornelius. Maybe we’d better run away now.

CORNELIUS:

No, I’m going to go through with this if it kills me. Barnaby, for a woman like that a man could consent to go back to Yonkers and be a success.

BARNABY:

All I know is no woman’s going to make a success out of me.

CORNELIUS:

Jail or no jail, we’re going to take those ladies out to dinner. So grit your teeth.

Enter MRS. MOLLOY and MINNIE from workroom dressed for the street.

MRS. MOLLOY:

Gentlemen, the cabs are at the corner, so forward march!

She takes a hat—which will be Barnaby’s at the end of Act III—and gives it to MINNIE.

CORNELIUS:

Yes, ma’am.

BARNABY stands shaking his empty pockets warningly.

Oh, Mrs. Molloy . . . is it far to the restaurant? Couldn’t we walk?

MRS. MOLLOY:

Pauses a moment, then:

Minnie, take off your things. We’re not going.

OTHERS:

Mrs. Molloy!

MRS. MOLLOY:

Mr. Hackl, I don’t go anywhere I’m not wanted. Good night. I’m not very happy to have met you.

She crosses the stage as though going to the workroom door.

OTHERS:

Mrs. Molloy!

MRS. MOLLOY:

I suppose you think we’re not fashionable enough for you? Well, I won’t be a burden to you. Good night, Mr. Tucker.

The others follow her behind counter: CORNELIUS, BARNABY, then MINNIE.

CORNELIUS:

We want you to come with us more than anything in the world, Mrs. Molloy.

MRS. MOLLOY turns and pushes the three back. They are now near the center of the stage, to the right of the table, MRS. MOLLOY facing the audience.

MRS. MOLLOY:

No, you don’t! Look at you! Look at the pair of them, Minnie! Scowling, both of them!

CORNELIUS:

Please, Mrs. Molloy!

MRS. MOLLOY:

Then smile.

To Barnaby.

Go on, smile! No, that’s not enough. Minnie, you come with me and we’ll get our own supper.

CORNELIUS:

Smile, Barnaby, you lout!

BARNABY:

My face can’t smile any stronger than that.

MRS. MOLLOY: