OCEANA. Are you afraid? HENRY. Good heavens, no! OCEANA. Put it out. [He pats his tongue out and she examines it.] So! A man with a red tongue! And in a civilized city! HENRY. Oughtn't it to be red? OCEANA. And he doesn't know what it ought to be! How delicious! [She steps back from him.] And so you are Letitia's husband. Tell me, are you happy with her? HENRY. [Startled; stares at her intently.] No, no... you ought not to ask me that. OCEANA. Why not? HENRY. [In a low voice.] Because you know. OCEANA. Yes, that's true. [A pause; she changes the subject.] I have heard my father speak of you often. HENRY. He remembered me, did he? I was only twenty when he went away. OCEANA. He said that he taught you to play single-stick. HENRY. Ah yes, to be sure! OCEANA. He taught me also. HENRY. You? OCEANA. It was our favorite game. HENRY. It's a rather rough game for a woman. OCEANA. I love it. We'll have a bout. HENRY. I'm afraid... I don't think I could. OCEANA. Why not? HENRY. [Laughs.] I should find it a psychical impossibility to hit a woman. OCEANA. You might find it a physical impossibility in this case. [With sudden excitement.] Why, my trunks have come! We could have a go before dinner. Couldn't we, Freddy? FREDDY. I suppose so. OCEANA. Oh, it's just what I'm pining for! To get my blood stirring again! And you, too... surely you must be chafing, out of patience! [She stops abruptly.] Oh! MRS. MASTERSON. [Enters left.] Henry! HENRY. Yes? MRS. MASTERSON. When did you get here? HENRY. Just a minute ago. MRS. MASTERSON. You've met Anna, I see. OCEANA. Yes, Aunt Sophronia... we're getting along famously. MRS. MASTERSON. Letitia's looking for you, Henry. HENRY. Where is she? MRS. MASTERSON. She went home to find you. HENRY. Humph! I came here for her. MRS. MASTERSON. She wants you at once. HENRY. All right. Good-bye, Oceana. OCEANA. Until later. HENRY [exit centre with MRS. MASTERSON.] OCEANA. So that is Henry! Tell me, Ethel, have they any children? ETHEL. Yes... two. OCEANA. How long have they been married? ETHEL. Six years. OCEANA. Six years! And is he really happy? ETHEL. Why... you know Letitia. OCEANA. Yes, but I don't know Henry. ETHEL. [Laughs.] I guess he's so-so. Like most of us. OCEANA. [Half to herself.] I'll find out for myself. ['Phone rings; FREDDY rises.] What's that? It's the 'phone. [Rises.] I hadn't noticed it before! How interesting! ETHEL. That's so! You never saw one? FREDDY. [At 'phone.] Hello! Yes, this is Mrs. Masterson's. This is her son. Can't I take the message? Oh, from Miss Pilkington. Oh! Why, that's too bad! Why no, of course not. Tell Miss Pilkington we're as sorry as can be! No, I'll attend to it. Good-bye. [Turns.] Miss Pilkington can't come! ETHEL. What? FREDDY. She's slipped in the snow and hurt her ankle. ETHEL. Oh, Freddy! OCEANA. What a shame! [They stare at one another.] ETHEL. Was that she at the 'phone? FREDDY. No, her maid. She's laid up.