GEORGIANA. Heaven forbid! The only trouble with Steve is he's weak. He'd have been all right if he'd been a girl--or married to a president of Sorosis, or a daughter of the Present Revolution! COAST. Miss Georgiana, take off that nose and let me ask you something. GEORGIANA. Not at all, my dear Sammy. I know what it is you want to ask me! I'm much obliged and I won't. COAST. You won't marry me! GEORGIANA. No! COAST. Why not? GEORGIANA. Because I don't love you. COAST. Who do you love? GEORGIANA. That's not your business! COAST. Do you love any one? GEORGIANA. [_After a moment's hesitation, lies._] No! COAST. [_With insinuation._] Why don't you get Dick Coleman to help Steven? GEORGIANA. [_Taking off the nose._] Why do you ask me that now in that way? COAST. Information! GEORGIANA. Dick's a lawyer. What could he do for Steven? COAST. That's not the information I wanted. GEORGIANA. But it's all the information you'll get! [_Gets off the hobby horse and comes down a little._ COAST. [_Follows her._] Georgiana, marry me, and I'll look after Steven all the rest of his life. GEORGIANA. Sammy, you don't want me to marry you if I don't love you. COAST. Yes, I do. Listen! I'd risk your not loving me; there's nothing on God's earth I wouldn't do to make you love me. GEORGIANA. That's the trouble with you men, you think you can make a woman love you whether she wants to or not, but you can't!--neither can you keep her from loving you if she does, whether she wants to or not. [_Throws nose away; crossing to the Left, sits in the rocking chair there._ COAST. I'd give you everything! GEORGIANA. That you can buy! COAST. Do you mean that you'd rather be dead poor than marry me? GEORGIANA. No, I don't say that! When I've lost everything and Steven and Louise are bankrupt, and we haven't a penny-- COAST. Yes! GEORGIANA. I might--I say I might-- COAST. Honest! GEORGIANA. [_Laughing._] Oh, dear, no! COAST. I take you at your word, anyhow. [_The children's voices are heard._ CHILDREN. [_Off Left._] Come on back to our room and have some more fun. GEORGIANA. Sh! Here come the children. [_Rises._ COAST. Damn the children! GEORGIANA. Sam! [_She puts finger up,_ COAST _kisses it._ COAST. Pardon! But I don't give up! Understand--I'm going to marry you! GEORGIANA. [_Teasing him._] When? When? [_The children rush in screaming._ THE CHILDREN. Aunt Georgiana! Here's papa! Here's papa! [_And_ STEVEN CARLEY _enters Left. He is a slender, smooth-shaven, young-old looking man, his voice and body almost vibrating with nerve; a personality that so often appeals to the tenderness in women, while it irritates men. He brings his hat and coat with him._ STEVEN. Hello, Sam! COAST. Morning! STEVEN. Many happy returns, Georgy. GEORGIANA. Oh, no, thank you! It's not for me yet, thank goodness! PHILIP. Now let's play hide and seek. THE CHILDREN. Hide and seek!