Doctor Stanton, haven't you?

MURRAY. Yes.

EILEEN. Did he examine you?

MURRAY. Yes. (_Carelessly._) Oh, he found me O.K. I'm fine and dandy,
as I said before.

EILEEN. I'm glad, Stephen. (_After a pause._) Tell about yourself--what
you've been doing. You've written a lot lately, haven't you?

MURRAY (_frowning_). No. I haven't been able to get down to
it--somehow. There's so little time to yourself once you get to know
people in New York. The sale of the stories you typed put me on easy
street as far as money goes, so I've felt no need---- (_He laughs
weakly._) I guess I'm one of those who have to get down to hard pan
before they get the kick to drive them to hard work.

EILEEN (_surprised_). Was it hard work writing them up here? You used
to seem so happy just in doing them.

MURRAY. I was--happier than I've been before or afterwards.
(_Cynically._) But--I don't know--it was a new game to me then and I
was chuck full of illusions about the glory of it. (_He laughs
half-heartedly._) Now I'm hardly a bit more enthusiastic over it than I
used to be over newspaper work. It's like everything else, I guess.
When you've got it, you find you don't want it.

EILEEN (_looking at him wonderingly--disturbed_). But isn't just the
writing itself worth while?

MURRAY (_as if suddenly ashamed of himself--quickly_). Yes. Of course
it is. I'm talking like a fool. I'm sore at everything because I'm
dissatisfied with my own cussedness and laziness--and I want to pass
the buck. (_With a smile of cheerful confidence._) It's only a fit.
I'll come out of it all right and get down to brass tacks again.

EILEEN (_with an encouraging smile_). That's the way you ought to feel.
It'd be wrong--I've read the two stories that have come out so far over
and over. They're fine, I think. Every line in them sounds like you,
and at the same time sounds natural and like people and things you see
every day. Everybody thinks they're fine, Stephen.

MURRAY (_pleased, but pretending cynicism_). Then they must be rotten.
(_Then with self-assurance._) Well, I've plenty more of those stories
in my head. Every time I think of my home town there seems to be a new
story in someone I've known there. (_Spiritedly._) Oh, I'll pound them
out some time when the spirit moves; and I'll make them so much better
than what I've done so far, you won't recognise them. I feel it's in
me to do it. (_Smiling._) Darn it, do you know just talking about it
makes me fe