SANDY: I meant I’ve been looking forward to seeing you. JUDITH: How perfectly sweet of you. Would you like a drink? SANDY: No thanks. I’m in training. JUDITH (_sitting on sofa and motioning him to sit beside her_): How lovely. What for? SANDY: I’m boxing again in a couple of weeks. JUDITH: I must come to your first night. SANDY: You look simply splendid. JUDITH: I’m so glad. You know, you mustn’t mind if Simon and Sorel insult you a little—they’ve been very bad-tempered lately. SANDY: It’s awfully funny you having a grown-up son and daughter at all. I can hardly believe it. JUDITH (_quickly_): I was married very young. SANDY: I don’t wonder. You know, it’s frightfully queer the way I’ve been planning to know you for ages, and I never did until last week. JUDITH: I liked you from the first, really, because you’re such a nice shape. SANDY (_slightly embarrassed_): Oh, I see.... JUDITH: Small hips and lovely long legs—I wish Simon had smaller hips. Do you think you could teach him to box? SANDY: Rather—if he likes. JUDITH: That’s just the trouble—I’m afraid he won’t like. He’s so dreadfully un——that sort of thing. But never mind; you must use your influence subtly. I’m sure David would be pleased. SANDY: Who’s David? JUDITH: My husband. SANDY (_surprised_): Oh! JUDITH: Why do you say “Oh” like that? Didn’t you know I had a husband? SANDY: I thought he was dead. JUDITH: No, he’s not dead; he’s upstairs. SANDY: You’re quite different from what you were the other day. JUDITH: It’s this garden hat—I’ll take it off. (_She does so._) There. I’ve been pruning the calceolarias. SANDY (_puzzled_): Oh?—— JUDITH: I love my garden, you know—it’s so peaceful and quaint. I spend long days dreaming away in it—you know how one dreams. SANDY: Oh, yes. JUDITH (_warming up_): I always longed to leave the brittle glamour of cities and theatres and find rest in some old-world nook. That’s why we came to Cookham. SANDY: It’s awfully nice—Cookham. JUDITH: Have you ever seen me on the stage? SANDY: Rather! JUDITH: What in? SANDY: That thing when you pretended to cheat at cards to save your husband’s good name. JUDITH: Oh, “The Bold Deceiver.” That play was never quite right. SANDY: You were absolutely wonderful. That was when I first fell in love with you. JUDITH (_delighted_): Was it, really? SANDY: Yes; you were so frightfully pathetic and brave. JUDITH (_basking_): Was I? SANDY: Rather! [_There is a pause._ JUDITH: Well, go on.... SANDY: I feel such a fool, telling you what I think, as though it mattered. JUDITH: Of course it matters—to me, anyhow. SANDY: Does it—honestly? JUDITH: Certainly. SANDY: It seems too good to be true—sitting here and talking as though we were old friends. JUDITH: We _are_ old friends—we probably met in another life. Reincarnation, you know—fascinating! SANDY: You do say ripping things. JUDITH: Do I? Give me a cigarette and let’s put our feet up. SANDY: All right.