ELIZABETH:  But you see I don’t do anything interesting, so I have to have good manners. (lightly, but leaving the impression there is a certain superiority in not doing anything interesting.  Turning cordially to DICK) My father was an artist.

DICK:  Yes, I know.

ELIZABETH:  He was a portrait painter.  Do you do portraits?

DICK:  Well, not the kind people buy.

ELIZABETH:  They bought father’s.

DICK:  Yes, I know he did that kind.

HARRY:  (still irritated) Why, you don’t do portraits.

DICK:  I did one of you the other day.  You thought it was a milk-can.

ELIZABETH:  (laughing delightedly) No?  Not really?  Did you think—­How could you think—­(as HARRY does not join the laugh) Oh, I beg your pardon.  I—­Does mother grow beautiful roses now?

HARRY:  No, she does not.

(The trap-door begins to move.  CLAIRE’s head appears.)

ELIZABETH:  Mother!  It’s been so long—­(she tries to overcome the difficulties and embrace her mother)

CLAIRE:  (protecting a box she has) Careful, Elizabeth.  We mustn’t upset the lice.

ELIZABETH:  (retreating) Lice? (but quickly equal even to lice) Oh—­yes.  You take it—­them—­off plants, don’t you?

CLAIRE:  I’m putting them on certain plants.

ELIZABETH:  (weakly) Oh, I thought you took them off.

CLAIRE:  (calling) Anthony! (he comes) The lice. (he takes them from her) (CLAIRE, who has not fully ascended, looks at ELIZABETH, hesitates, then suddenly starts back down the stairs.)

HARRY:  (outraged) Claire! (slowly she re-ascends—­sits on the top step.  After a long pause in which he has waited for CLAIRE to open a conversation with her daughter.) Well, and what have you been doing at school all this time?

ELIZABETH:  Oh—­studying.

CLAIRE:  Studying what?

ELIZABETH:  Why—­the things one studies, mother.

CLAIRE:  Oh!  The things one studies. (looks down cellar again)

DICK:  (after another wait) And what have you been doing besides studying?

ELIZABETH:  Oh—­the things one does.  Tennis and skating and dancing and—­

CLAIRE:  The things one does.

ELIZABETH:  Yes.  All the things.  The—­the things one does.  Though I haven’t been in school these last few months, you know.  Miss Lane took us to Europe.

TOM:  And how did you like Europe?

ELIZABETH:  (capably) Oh, I thought it was awfully amusing.  All the girls were quite mad about Europe.  Of course, I’m glad I’m an American.

CLAIRE:  Why?

ELIZABETH:  (laughing) Why—­mother!  Of course one is glad one is an
American.  All the girls—­

CLAIRE:  (turning away) O—­h! (a moan under the breath)