LAURA.  But all this work, Ken ...

KEN.  Won’t come to anything.  I do it from habit.  I do it to keep from going crazy.

LAURA.  You do it because you know that fabricated houses are the coming thing.

KEN.  Hell of a chance I’ll get at them.

LAURA.  There are going to be dozens of firms in the field, and they’ll all want yearly models.

TIPPY. [Sticking his head in door.] Attention!  Sergeant Holden, go at once to the nearest Commissary and requisition 454 grams of sucrose.

[KEN salutes and goes.  The girls stare after him.]

KATE.  Now what in the world!

TIPPY.  Sugar, Katie.  Sugar.

KATE.  But how much?

TIPPY.  One pound.  He understood.  A year in Paris, you know.

LAURA.  Oh, I’m so sorry!  I forgot sugar.

TIPPY.  Sorry?  It gives him a chance to buy something.—­Your failure to understand the masculine nature is appalling.

KATE.  I’ll bet you had sugar.

TIPPY.  Yes, we had no sugar.—­Forget it. [Exits.]

LAURA.  Oh these men!

KATE.  You said it!

LAURA. [Turns on her suddenly.] Kate, what’s the matter?

KATE.  Matter?  Why?

LAURA.  You are grouched.  Ken is touchy, he wants to quarrel.  Tippy is too nonsensical, even for Tippy.  Is something wrong?

KATE.  Everything’s wrong.

LAURA.  Tell me.

KATE.  Martin started it.  He bawled Ted out for living off me.

LAURA.  Oh, well—­Martin!

KATE.  It seems I gave Ted money for his share of the rent last month, and he bought a coat with it instead.

LAURA.  Oh.

KATE.  So Tippy had to pay again.

LAURA, Tippy didn’t tell on him?

KATE.  You know he wouldn’t.  Martin found out some way and told for him.

LAURA.  Martin’s a beast.

KATE.  Maybe he was right.  They all but told me to take Ted back and keep him with me.

LAURA.  And you will, I suppose? [KATE is silent.] I’m sorry.

KATE.  I don’t mind your question.

LAURA.  There’s nothing else you can do, really.

KATE.  Yes.  There’s one thing.  There’s another man.

LAURA.  Are you serious?

KATE. He is.  Serious, and rich, and—­sixty.

LAURA.  That beastly old man!

KATE.  Every time he said “I’m an old man” I’d say, “Oh, no, Mr.
Selden” till I convinced him.

LAURA.  So what, Kate?

KATE.  So he thinks he wants me for myself alone.  He isn’t the least bit vicarious.

LAURA.  Kate, do be serious.

KATE.  He wants to reduce his income tax by gifts to eleemosynary institutions.  Don’t I look eleemosynary?

LAURA.  No.  Nor mercenary, either.

KATE.  Ah, but I am.  And I’ve been buying love long enough to have learned the trade.  So now I’m going to sell some.