MARTHA--[Stunned.] I? Unwisely intimate--? [Suddenly laughing with amus.e.m.e.nt.] Well, you sure are funny people!

LILY--No, we're not funny. We'd be all right if we were. On the contrary, we're very dull and deadly. Bigelow really has a villainous rep. for philandering. But, of course, you didn't know that.

MARTHA--[Beginning to feel resentful--coldly.] No, I didn't--and I don't care to know it now.

LILY--[Calmly.] I told them you wouldn't relish their silly advice. [In a very confidential, friendly tone.] Oh, I hate their narrow small-town ethics as much as you do, Martha. I sympathize with you, indeed I do.

But I have to live with them and so, for comfort's sake, I've had to make compromises. And you're going to live in our midst from now on, aren't you? Well then, you'll have to make compromises, too--if you want any peace.

MARTHA--But-compromises about what? [Forcing a laugh.] I refuse to take it seriously. How anyone could think--it's too absurd.

LILY--What set them going was Big's being around such an awful lot the weeks Curt was in New York, just after you'd settled down here. You must acknowledge he was-very much present then, Martha.

MARTHA--But it was on account of his children. They were always with him.

LILY--The town doesn't trust this sudden fond parenthood, Martha. We've known him too long, you see.

MARTHA--But he's Curt's oldest and best friend.

LILY--We've found they always are.

MARTHA--[Springing to her feet--indignantly.] It's a case of evil minds, it seems to me--and it would be extremely insulting if I didn't have a sense of humor. [Resentfully.] You can tell your family, that as far as I'm concerned, the town may--

LILY--Go to the devil. I knew you'd say that. Well, fight the good fight. You have all my best wishes. [With a sigh.] I wish I had something worth fighting for. Now that I'm through with college, my occupation's gone. All I do is read book after book. The only live people are the ones in books, I find, and the only live life.

MARTHA--[Immediately sympathetic.] You're lonely, that's what, Lily.

LILY--[Drily.] Don't pity me, Martha--or I'll join the enemy.

MARTHA--I'm not. But I'd like to help you if I could. [After a pause.]

Have you ever thought of marrying?

LILY--[With a laugh.] Martha! How ba.n.a.l! The men I see are enough to banish that thought if I ever had it.

MARTHA--Marriage isn't only the man. It's children. Wouldn't you like to have children?

LILY--[Turning to her bluntly.] Wouldn't you?

MARTHA--[ Confused. ] But--Lily--

LILY--Oh, I know it wasn't practicable as long as you elected to wander with Curt--but why not now when you've definitely settled down here? I think that would solve things all round. If you could present Father with a grandson, I'm sure he'd fall on your neck. He feels piqued at the John and Esther families because they've had a run of girls. A male Jayson! Aunt Davidson would weep with joy. [Suddenly.] You're thirty-eight, aren't you, Martha?

MARTHA--Yes. LILY--Then why don't you--before it's too late? [MARTHA, struggling with herself, does not answer. LILY goes on slowly.] You won't want to tag along with Curt to the ends of the earth forever, will you? [Curiously.] Wasn't that queer life like any other? I mean, didn't it get to pall on you?

MARTHA--[As if confessing it reluctantly.] Yes--perhaps--in the last two years.

LILY--[Decisively.] It's time for both of you to rest on your laurels.

Why can't Curt keep on with what he's doing now--stay home and write his books?

MARTHA--Curt isn't that kind. The actual work--the romance of it--that's his life.

LILY--But if he goes and you have to stay, you'll be lonesome-- [meaningly] alone.

MARTHA--Horribly. I don't know what I'll do.

LILY--Then why--why? Think, Martha. If Curt knew--that was to happen--he'd want to stay here with you. I'm sure he would.

MARTHA--[Shaking her head sadly.] No. Curt has grown to dislike children. They remind him of--ours that were taken. He adored them so--he's never become reconciled.

LILY--If you confronted Curt with the actual fact, he'd be reconciled soon enough, and happy in the bargain.

MARTHA--[Eagerly.] Do you really think so?

LILY--And you, Martha--I can tell from the way you've talked that you'd like to.

MARTHA--[Excitedly.] Yes, I--I never thought I'd ever want to again.

For many years after they died I never once dreamed of it-- But lately--the last years--I've felt--and when we came to live here--and I saw all around me--homes--and children, I--[She hesitates as if ashamed at having confessed so much.]

LILY--[Putting an arm around her--affectionately.] I know.

[Vigorously.] You must, that's all there is to it! If you want my advice, you go right ahead and don't tell Curt until it's a fact he'll have to learn to like, w.i.l.l.y-nilly. You'll find, in his inmost heart, he'll be tickled to death.

MARTHA--[Forcing a smile.] Yes, I--I'll confess I thought of that. In spite of my fear, I--I've--I mean--I--[She flushes in a shamed confusion.]

LILY--[Looking at her searchingly.] Why, Martha, what--[Then suddenly understanding--with excited pleasure.] Martha! I know! It is so, isn't it? It is!

MARTHA--[In a whisper.] Yes.

LILY--[Kissing her affectionately.] You dear, you! [Then after a pause.] How long have you known?

MARTHA--For over two months. [There is a ring from the front door bell in the hall.]

LILY--[Jumping up.] I'll bet that's we Jaysons now. [She runs to the door in the rear and looks down the hall to the right.] Yes, it's Esther and husband and Aunt Davidson. [She comes back to MARTHA laughing excitedly. The MAID is seen going to the door.] The first wave of attack, Martha! Be brave! The Young Guard dies but never surrenders!

MARTHA--[Displeased but forcing a smile.] You make me feel terribly ill at ease when you put it that way, Lily. [She rises now and goes to greet the visitors, who enter. MRS. DAVIDSON is seventy-five years old--a thin, sinewy old lady, old-fashioned, unbending and rigorous in manner. She is dressed aggressively in the fashion of a bygone age.

ESTHER is a stout, middle-aged woman with the round, unmarked, sentimentally--contented face of one who lives unthinkingly from day to day, sheltered in an a.s.sured position in her little world. MARK, her husband, is a lean, tall, stooping man of about forty-five. His long face is alert, shrewd, cautious, full of the superficial craftiness of the lawyer mind. MARTHA kisses the two women, shakes hands with MARK, uttering the usual meaningless greetings in a forced tone. They reply in much the same spirit. There is the buzz of this empty chatter while MARTHA gets them seated. LILY stands looking on with a cynical smile of amus.e.m.e.nt. MRS. DAVIDSON is in the chair at the end of table, left, ESTHER sits by MARTHA on couch, MARK in chair at front of table.] Will you have tea now or shall we wait for the others?

ESTHER--Let's wait. They ought to be here any moment.

LILY--[Maliciously.] Just think, Martha had forgotten you were coming.

She was going motoring with Bigelow. [There is a dead silence at this--broken diplomatically by SHEFFIELD.]

SHEFFIELD--Where is Curt, Martha?

MARTHA--Hard at work in his study. I'm afraid he's there for the day.

SHEFFIELD--[Condescendingly.] Still plugging away at his book, I suppose. Well, I hope it will be a big success.

LILY--[Irritated by his smugness.] As big a success as the brief you're writing to restrain the citizens from preventing the Traction Company robbing them, eh Mark? [Before anyone can reply, she turns suddenly on her aunt who is sitting rigidly on her chair, staring before her stonily like some old lady in a daguerreotype--in a loud challenging tone.] You don't mind if I smoke, Aunt? [She takes a cigarette out of case and lights it.]

ESTHER--[Smiling.] Lily!