Why, ever since father said I looked as you used to I've been thinking
about what you must have been like as a girl, and it came over me how
_useless_ I am. I've never done anything. And you must have done a lot.

EVERITT

I should say she did!

WALTER

There! Say, Alice, how'd you like to live in that white house we passed,
the one with the orchard?

ALICE

Really? And _do_ things?

MRS. EVERITT

Charles!

EVERITT

This is the most extraordinary night I ever heard of. Here I was, feeling
like a condemned criminal because I'd lost my business, afraid to tell
Mary and you children, and now you all seem positively glad of it. I
expected all kinds of trouble, and all at once.... _What the deuce is it?_

HAROLD

Rain--rain.... Mother, why can't the brook come back to the _same_ little
girl?

PICTURES

_A studio on the Rue Notre-Dame-des-Champs. There is a small entrance
hall, kitchenette, and a balcony before which curtains are drawn. It is a
winter afternoon, and a young man is busy at an easel placed close beside
the north light. A young woman arranges tea things on the table._

SILVIA

Joe.

JOE

Um.

SILVIA

Joe!

JOE

Um--um! _(She walks over, draws his watch from his pocket and shows him
the time)_

SILVIA

It's nearly four o'clock.

JOE

Just a minute--the light's fine, and I want to finish.

SILVIA

Yes, I know, but he may be here any minute.

JOE

Tea on?

SILVIA

Yes.

JOE

Well, that'll keep him while I get ready. That's mostly what they came
for, anyhow.

SILVIA

But he's different. He isn't a Cook's tourist--

JOE

No, he's a relative!

SILVIA

You wouldn't say that if one of _your_ family dropped in. Besides, I've
never even seen him. And he's something of a collector, Joe. He _buys_
pictures.

JOE

So I hear. The last thing he bought was a Bougereau!

SILVIA

Well, he's a _relative_ ... and when he sees your last things!

JOE

Um.... There, it's all done.

SILVIA

I'm crazy to see it, Joe, but run up and get ready. _Sh!_ (_A knock at the
door. Joe runs upstairs to the balcony. Silvia opens the door and admits
Mr. Wentworth, rather stout and with gold spectacles_)

MR. WENTWORTH

Mrs. Carson?

SILVIA

Yes. This is Mr. Wentworth? Joe and I have been expecting you. Let me take
your coat. The studio's rather upset just now--

MR. WENTWORTH

Delightful! How I love the atmosphere of work in a studio! I used to paint