She might have said she would do it because she had taken a tremendous fancy to me. She might have said something like that—something really warm and cordial, you understand.

[Looks at her.] Is that how you would like to have it?

Yes, precisely. [She wanders about the room, stops at the bookcase and looks at the books.] What a lot of books you have.

Yes, I have got together a good many.

Do you read them all, too?

I used to try to. Do you read much?

No, never! I have given it up. For it all seems so irrelevant.

That is just my feeling.

[HILDA wanders about a little, stops at the small table, opens
the portfolio and turns over the contents.

Are all these your drawings yours?