[PART II]
CHARACTERS
EDGAR
ALICE
CURT
ALLAN, the son of CURT
JUDITH, the daughter of EDGAR
THE LIEUTENANT
A rectangular drawing-room in white and gold. The rear wall is broken by severed French windows reaching down to the floor. These stand open, revealing a garden terrace outside. Along this terrace, serving as a public promenade, runs a stone balustrade, on which are ranged pots of blue and white faience, with petunias and scarlet geraniums in them. Beyond, in the background, can be seen the shore battery with a sentry pacing back and forth. In the far distance, the open sea.
At the left of the drawing-room stands a sofa with gilded wood-work. In front of it are a table and chairs. At the right is a grand piano, a writing-table, and an open fireplace.
In the foreground, an American easy-chair.
By the writing-table is a standing lamp of copper with a table attached to it.
On the walls are severed old-fashioned oil paintings.
ALLAN is sitting at the writing-table, engrossed in some mathematical problem. JUDITH enters from the background, in summer dress, short skirt, hair in a braid down her back, hat in one hand and tennis racket in the other. She stops in the doorway. ALLAN rises, serious and respectful.
JUDITH. [In serious but friendly tone] Why don't you come and play tennis?
ALLAN. [Bashful, struggling with his emotion] I am very busy——
JUDITH. Didn't you see that I had made my bicycle point toward the oak, and not away from it?
ALLAN. Yes, I saw it.
JUDITH. Well, what does it mean?