MARTIN.  Damn that woman!  If he could have got a job ...

KATE. [With sudden determination.] All right.  If he wants a job, I’ll get him a job.

MARTIN.  How?

KATE.  By asking for it.  How do you suppose?  I’ll go right now, before I lose my nerve. [She powders nose before pocket mirror.’]

MARTIN.  You were smart to dress him up first.  Those clothes should spell the diff between wages and a salary.

KATE.  I’ll take anything I can get for him.

TIPPY. [Enters.] Well, I’m back....  Where’s our Beau Brummel?

KATE.  He went to change his hat.

TIPPY.  That’s good. [Crosses to yard.] Bet you never looked at
Itzy. [Goes out to yard.]

MARTIN. [As KATE puts on fur coat.] Funny time of day, Kate, to start out to get a man a job.

KATE.  That depends on whom you have to see to get it.

MARTIN.  What’s it to be?  Bouncer at the Union League Club?

TIPPY. [Re-enters from yard.] ’Im still smells a eetle bit soapy.—­Kate!  Where are you going?  Ken and Laura will be here any minute.

KATE.  Sorry, Tippy.  I got my dates mixed.  But I’ll be back.  Only don’t wait dinner for me. [She goes.]

TIPPY.  Now what the hell?  Where’s she going?

MARTIN.  You can’t tell.  She works irregular hours.

TIPPY.  But she promised to be here for dinner.  Isn’t her soul her own?

MARTIN.  Hadn’t you heard she’d sold it?

TIPPY. [Glumly.] That’s a hell of a note.—­I hope Ted gets back in time.  I don’t want my dinner party spoiled.

MARTIN.  He’ll be back.

TIPPY.  He looked nifty in the new clothes, didn’t he?  Laura will like them.

MARTIN.  Let’s hope she doesn’t say too much about them.

TIPPY.  She’ll be too busy telling you what a fine husband she has.

MARTIN.  And her husband will tell me what a fine job he has, and all about the sweet spirit of loyalty that exists in that wonderful corporation. [Stops to light cigarette.] Jesus, Tippy, if prosperity really does come back, life is going to be an awful bore for us revolutionists.

[There is a knock, TIPPY goes and lets KEN and LAURA in.  They are happy and gay and terribly in love.  She can hardly keep her hands from caressing him.  She finds threads to flick off his sleeve and must straighten his tie.]

LAURA. [Embracing TIPPY.] YOU dear!

KEN.  Hello—­hello.

LAURA.  Hello, Martin,—­you still a Communist?

MARTIN.  And how!

LAURA. [To TIPPY.] Are Kate and Ted going to be here too?

TIPPY.  You bet!

LAURA.  Oh, how grand!  It’s going to be like old times.

KEN. [Tolerantly.] For anyone who so hated those times, Laura, I must say ...