CAPTAIN. Why should you not be welcome? There is nothing between us—[CURT tries vainly to hide a sense of displeasure] What could there be? You were a little careless as a young man, but I have forgotten all about it. I don't let things rankle.
ALICE looks annoyed. All three sit down at the sewing-table.
ALICE. Well, you have strayed far and wide in the world?
CURT. Yes, and now I have found a harbour with you——
CAPTAIN. Whom you married off twenty-five years ago.
CURT. It was not quite that way, but it doesn't matter. It is pleasing to see that you have stuck together for twenty-five years.
CAPTAIN. Well, we have borne with it. Now and then it has been so-so, but, as you say, we have stuck together. And Alice has had nothing to complain of. There has been plenty of everything—heaps of money. Perhaps you don't know that I am a celebrated author—an author of text-books——
CURT. Yes, I recall that, when we parted, you had just published a volume on rifle practice that was selling well. Is it still used in the military schools?
CAPTAIN. It is still in evidence, and it holds its place as number one, though they have tried to substitute a worse one —which is being used now, but which is totally worthless.
[Painful silence.