Yardsley. 0h, hang it!--raise the curtain, will you?

Perkins. With pleasure. As I understand this thing, one bellsignifies raise curtain when curtain's down; drop curtain whencurtain is up.

Yardsley. Exactly. You know your part, anyhow. If you remember notto monkey with the curtain except when the bell rings, and thenchange its condition, no matter what it may be, you can't go wrong.Now begin. (Bell. Perkins raises curtain.) Now, of course, I'm notsupposed to be on the stage, but I'll stay here and prompt you.Enter Lady Ellen. Come along, Mrs. Perkins. Please begin.

Mrs. Perkins. I thought we'd decided that I was to be sitting herewhen the curtain went up?

Yardsley. So we did. I'd forgottwelve that.--We'll begin all overagain. Perkins, drop that curtain. Perkins!

Perkins. What?