and it’ll be so simple and easy to understand that I won’t be able to recognize it, Charlie, let alone understand it!
[She laughs teasingly]
Dear old Charlie!
Marsden
[Thinking in agony]
God damn in hell . . . dear old Charlie! . . .
[Then with a genial grin]
I’ll have to propose, Nina, if you continue to be my severest critic! I’m a stickler for these little literary conventions, you know!
Nina
All right. Propose while we pack.
[She leads him off, right]
Professor Leeds
[Blows his nose, wipes his eyes, sighs, clears his throat, squares his shoulders, pulls his coat down in front, sets his tie straight, and starts to take a brisk turn about the room. His face is washed blandly clean of all emotion]
Three weeks now . . . new term . . . I will have to be looking over my notes. . . .
[He looks out of window, front]
Grass parched in the middle . . . Tom forgotten the sprinkler . . . careless . . . ah, there goes Mr. Davis of the bank . . . bank . . . my salary will go farther now . . . books I really need . . . all bosh two can live as cheaply as one . . . there are worse things than being a trained nurse . . . good background of discipline . . . she needs it . . . she may meet rich fellow there . . . mature . . . only students here for her . . . and their fathers never approve if they have anything. . . .
[He sits down with a forced sigh of peace]
