MURRAY (holding her hand for a moment—earnestly). Don't mind your first impressions here. You'll look on everything as a matter of course in a few days. I felt your way at first. (He drops her hand and shakes his finger at her.) Mind your guardian, now! (She forces a trembling smile.) See you at breakfast. Good night.
(Eileen goes out to the hall in rear. Miss Howard comes in from the door just after her, carrying a glass of milk.)
MISS HOWARD. Almost bedtime, Mr. Murray. Here's your diet. (He takes the glass. She smiles at him provokingly.) Well, is it love at first sight, Mr. Murray?
MURRAY (with a grin). Sure thing! You can consider yourself heartlessly jilted. (He turns and raises his glass towards the door through which Eileen has just gone, as if toasting her.)
"A glass of milk, and thou
Coughing beside me in the wilderness—
Ah—wilderness were Paradise enow!"
(He takes a sip of milk.)
MISS HOWARD (peevishly). That's old stuff, Mr. Murray. A patient at Saranac wrote that parody.
MURRAY (maliciously). Aha, you've discovered it's a parody, have you, you sly minx! (Miss Howard turns from him huffily and walks back towards the office, her chin in the air.)