class="c2">MIMI comes down L.

Don't you want to work today?

KARL

No.

[Continues reading paper.

[HEINRICH goes into the studio.

MIMI, in bad humor, crosses to C.

Good-bye.

[Turns around.

And tomorrow?

KARL

No.

MIMI, sad

Good-bye. (Wipes her eyes.) You don't love me any more ... you don't love me any more.

KARL

Oh! It's going to start again!

MIMI

Ever since last fall you've been different. I knew it right away when you started to paint landscapes. When you are in love you paint Venuses. I know what it means when you start to paint trees.

KARL

You're silly, Mimi.

MIMI

I know it. With her hat and coat on every model is silly.

KARL

Go home, Mimi.

MIMI, goes to head of couch

Yes, yes. Go home! Be a good girl. For a week now you've sent me home without my even taking my gloves off. I'm no use any more.

[Begins to cry but stops it at once.

Look here: I know everything.

KARL

Really?

MIMI

[From behind him, raises his head.

Look at me! Look at me! You want to get married? Tell me No—you don't dare.

KARL

No.

MIMI, comes to L. of him

Oh, you tell me anything you want to my face; but I know you're going to marry a girl named Elsa—the wife of your friend Mr. Zanden has arranged everything—look at me and deny it, if you dare. After all, what's the use! you wouldn't tell me the truth anyway.

KARL

You little mind-reader.

MIMI

She's a nice one, Mrs. Zanden! Instead of taking you on herself, she marries you to a friend of hers. But I don't care; you don't love me any more—doing landscapes all the time.

KARL

Well, what do you want?

MIMI, crosses to R. of him and kneels

Tell me you do love me. (Pouting.)

KARL, bored

Yes, yes—of course.

MIMI, imitating him

Yes, yes, of course. Is that the best you can do?

KARL

Well, what shall I say?

MIMI

Oh! You painters! It's always the same. First you say: "What an angel! What a Madonna! What a Venus! What color! What hair! What lines!" Then all of a sudden, it's: "Oh, my dear! Why, you've gone yellow." The next day you're green, and then it's: "I have no time today." And, first thing you know, you're—pooh! Landscapes. (Scornfully.)

[She goes to him above table at head of couch, takes his head in her hands.

Don't you like me?

KARL, smiling

Why, yes.

MIMI

If you were really nice, you would at least promise to marry me. All the other artists promised. They weren't so mean as you are! Oh yes, I know I am annoying you. I'm absolutely boring you.

KARL

If you were not such a dear little nuisance— [Reaches up and draws her down to him. —I would have done with you a long time ago.

[Kisses her.

And now, run away, little girl: go home.

MIMI

Don't you want me tomorrow? or the day after tomorrow?

KARL

No.

MIMI, crossing to him at couch

You will never have me pose any more for you at all?

KARL, rises; crosses with her to door R.

I'll look in on you this evening on my way to the Zandens'.

MIMI

But you can't work in my house. I've only a lamp!

KARL

Ha! Ha! Ha! Well, we'll put that out!

[Has taken her to the door.

MIMI

Oh, will we!

[Laughing.

Maybe you'll get put out.

KARL

Bye, bye!

[MIMI exits.

[Lights another cigarette—the bell rings sharply. Calls, somewhat excited.

Heinrich! Heinrich!

HEINRICH, comes in from studio

Yes, sir.

[Runs through the door on the R., which he leaves open, and goes off to open the hall door.

KARL

[Fixes his tie nervously, puts away newspaper, puts out his cigarette in ash tray, and arranges his hair. He goes towards the door through which HERMAN and OLGA enter, HEINRICH closes the door from the outside, KARL bows.

Madame!

[Bows silently to HERMAN.

HERMAN, in a hurry

I only came to bring Olga, my boy: I must go back at once.

[OLGA has been looking around.

OLGA, going to C. and over to L.

So this is the famous studio.

KARL, looking around

Funny, isn't it? More like a junk shop.

HERMAN

We might have chosen another day to begin Olga's portrait—we have waited six years, so we could just as well have waited until tomorrow; but the preparations for tonight's ball made Olga so nervous that I thought it best to bring her here. You know this ball is a kind of house-warming.

[Crosses over to C.

OLGA

We were obliged to invite such a lot of people, to clear off our social obligations.

HERMAN

I wish it was over. I hate these functions. Old Freebody, in whose business I started, was worth ninety millions, and he never gave a party in his life—or anything else, for that matter. When do you want me to call for Olga?

KARL, R. C.

Well, it gets dark very early now: in three quarters of an hour we won't be able to see any more.

HERMAN

Well, then—

KARL, looking at his watch

Let's say four o'clock.

OLGA, after looking at a picture L. very closely

Who is that?

KARL

Oh, some model.

OLGA

Wasn't that the girl we just met on the stairs?

HERMAN crosses quickly to L.

I must have a look at her.

[Looks at picture.

[OLGA stands so as to hide picture.

Oh, better not.

[Makes a gesture as if he had seen something indecent.

Well, every minute counts—I must be off.