WILL.  H’m-m.  Romance?

LAURA.  Yes, if you want to call it that,—­romance.

WILL.  Do I know him?

LAURA.  How could you?  You only came from New York to-day, and he has never been there.

He regards her with a rather amused, indulgent, almost paternal expression, in contrast to his big, bluff, physical personality, with his iron-gray hair and his bulldog expression.  LAURA looks more girlish than ever.  This is imperative in order to thoroughly understand the character.

WILL.  How old is he?

LAURA.  Twenty-seven.  You’re forty-five.

WILL.  No, forty-six.

LAURA.  Shall I tell you about him?  Huh?

[Crosses to WILL, placing parasol on seat.

WILL.  That depends.

LAURA.  On what?

WILL.  Yourself.

LAURA.  In what way?

WILL.  If it will interfere in the least with the plans I have made for you and for me.

LAURA.  And have you made any particular plans for me that have anything particularly to do with you?

WILL.  Yes, I have given up the lease of our apartment on West End Avenue, and I’ve got a house on Riverside Drive.  Everything will be quiet and decent, and it’ll be more comfortable for you.  There’s a stable near by, and your horses and car can be kept over there.  You’ll be your own mistress, and besides I’ve fixed you up for a new part.

LAURA.  A new part!  What kind of a part?

WILL.  One of Charlie Burgess’s shows, translated from some French fellow.  It’s been running over in Paris, Berlin, and Vienna, and all those places, for a year or more, and appears to be an awful hit.  It’s going to cost a lot of money.  I told Charlie he could put me down for a half interest, and I’d give all the money providing you got an important role.  Great part, I’m told.  Kind of a cross between a musical comedy and an opera.  Looks as if it might stay in New York all season.  So that’s the change of plan.  How does it strike you?

[LAURA crosses to door, meditating; pauses in thought.

LAURA.  I don’t know.

WILL.  Feel like quitting? [Turns to her.

LAURA.  I can’t tell.

WILL.  It’s the newspaper man, eh?

LAURA.  That would be the only reason.

WILL.  You’ve been on the square with me this summer, haven’t you? [Crosses to table.

LAURA. [Turns, looks at WILL.] What do you mean by “on the square?”

WILL.  Don’t evade.  There’s only one meaning when I say that, and you know it.  I’m pretty liberal.  But you understand where I draw the line.  You’ve not jumped that, have you, Laura?

LAURA.  No, this has been such a wonderful summer, such a wonderfully different summer.  Can you understand what I mean by that when I say “wonderfully different summer?”

[Crossing to WILL.