Rachel (Nervous and startled): Why, John, don’t! (He pays no attention, but continue to look down into her face).
Strong (Half to himself): Perhaps—if you had—a little more fun in your life, your point of view would be—more normal. I’ll arrange it so I can take you to some theatre, one night, this week.
Rachel (Irritably): You talk as though I were a—a jellyfish. You’ll take me, how do you know I’ll go?
Strong: You will.
Rachel (Sarcastically): Indeed! (Strong makes no reply). I wonder if you know how—how—maddening you are. Why, you talk as though my will counts for nothing. It’s as if you’re trying to master me. I think a domineering man is detestable.
Strong (Softly): If he’s, perhaps, the man?
Rachel (Hurriedly, as though she had not heard): Besides, some of these theatres put you off by yourself as though you had leprosy. I’m not going.
Strong (Smiling at her): You know I wouldn’t ask you to go, under those circumstances. (A silence). Well, I must be going now. (He takes her hand, and looks at it reverently. Rachel, at first resists; but he refuses to let go. When she finds it useless, she ceases to resist. He turns his head and smiles down into her face). Rachel, I am coming back to see you, this evening.
Rachel: I’m sure we’ll all be very glad to see you.
Strong (Looking at her calmly): I said—you. (Very deliberately, he turns her hand palm upwards, leans over and kisses it; then he puts it back into her lap. He touches her cheek lightly). Good-bye—little Rachel. (Turns in the vestibule door and looks back, smiling). Until tonight. (He goes out. Rachel sits for some time without moving. She is lost in a beautiful day-dream. Presently she sighs happily, and after looking furtively around the room, lifts the palm John has kissed to her lips. She laughs shyly and jumping up, begins to hum. She opens the window at the rear of the room and then commences to thread the sewing-machine. She hums happily the whole time. A light rapping is heard at the outer door. Rachel listens. It stops, and begins again. There is something insistent, and yet hopeless in the sound. Rachel looking puzzled, goes out into the vestibule.... The door closes. Rachel, a black woman, poorly dressed, and a little ugly, black child come in. There is the stoniness of despair in the woman’s face. The child is thin, nervous, suspicious, frightened).