Marsden
[Wonderingly]
You don’t mean to tell me she has accused you of all this?
Professor Leeds
Oh, no, Charlie! Only by hints—looks—innuendos. She knows she has no real grounds, but in the present state of her mind the real and the unreal become confused—
Marsden
[Thinking cynically]
As always in all minds . . . or how could men live? . . .
[Soothingly]
That’s just what you ought to bear in your mind—the state of hers—and not get so worked up over what I should say is a combination of imagination on both your parts.
[He gets to his feet as he hears voices from the right]
Buck up! This must be Nina coming.
[The Professor gets to his feet, hastily composing his features into his bland, cultured expression]
Marsden
[Thinking self-mockingly but a bit worried about himself]
My heart pounding! . . . seeing Nina again! . . . how sentimental . . . how she’d laugh if she knew! . . . and quite rightly . . . absurd for me to react as if I loved . . . that way . . . her dear old Charlie . . . ha! . . .
[He smiles with bitter self-mockery]
Professor Leeds
[Thinking worriedly]
I hope she won’t make a scene . . . she’s seemed on the
