She trims the candle so that it goes out. The stage turns dark and the partition is pushed back to its former position.
THE DAUGHTER. Men are to be pitied.
THE OFFICER. You think so?
THE DAUGHTER. Yes, life is hard—but love overcomes everything. You shall see for yourself.
[They go toward the background.
The background is raised and a new one revealed, showing an old, dilapidated party-wall. In the centre of it is a gate closing a passageway. This opens upon a green, sunlit space, where is seen a tremendous blue monk's-hood (aconite). To the left of the gate sits THE PORTRESS. Her head and shoulders are covered by a shawl, and she is crocheting at a bed-spread with a star-like pattern. To the right of the gate is a billboard, which THE BILLPOSTER is cleaning. Beside him stands a dipnet with a green pole. Further to the right is a door that has an air-hole shaped like a four-leaved clover. To the left of the gate stands a small linden tree with coal-black trunk and a few pale-green leaves. Near it is a small air-hole leading into a cellar.[1]
THE DAUGHTER. [Going to THE PORTRESS] Is the spread not done yet?
THE PORTRESS. No, dear. Twenty-six years on such a piece of work is not much.
THE DAUGHTER. And your lover never came back?
THE PORTRESS. No, but it was not his fault. He had to go—poor thing! That was thirty years ago now.
THE DAUGHTER. [To THE BILLPOSTER] She belonged to the ballet? Up there in the opera-house?