[_She picks up her bag and gloves and goes off._] CURTAIN “THIS WAS A MAN” Act Two ACT II _The scene is EVELYN BATHURST’S flat. It is a manly apartment, furnished with precision but no imagination. There is a door up left opening into a small hall and thence to the front door. Up right is EVIE’S bedroom and down left a service door. Between these two is the fireplace, in front of which is a large sofa and a couple of armchairs. The windows occupy the right wall. The table, center, is laid for two._ [_When the curtain rises, it is about 9.15 p.m. and BLACKWELL is putting the finishing touches, which consist of a bowl of roses and a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket. He is regarding his handiwork pensively when there comes the sound of a key in the front door. After a moment EVELYN and CAROL enter. EVELYN is wearing a dinner jacket; CAROL, an elaborately simple dinner dress and cloak._] CAROL What a nice flat! EVELYN I’ve been here for years. CAROL It’s all quite typical of you. EVELYN How do you know? CAROL Well, don’t you think it is? EVELYN I’ve never thought about it much. CAROL Solid and rather austere. EVELYN That sounds beastly. CAROL No. I like it. EVELYN I’m glad. Let me take your cloak. [_He takes her cloak and lays it over a chair._] Cocktails please, Blackwell. BLACKWELL Yes, sir. [_He goes off._] CAROL I suppose he’s been with you as long as the flat? EVELYN Longer, really; he was my batman when I was a raw subaltern. CAROL [_Smiling_] You must have been rather nice as a subaltern. EVELYN Oh no, I wasn’t. You ask Edward. CAROL Edward adores you. EVELYN We’re very old friends. CAROL It’s always puzzled me. You’re so very different from each other. EVELYN Edward’s a damn sight cleverer. CAROL Now then— EVELYN But he is. CAROL You seem to have done very well at your job and you’re always winning things. EVELYN I haven’t done anything. CAROL Nonsense. [_She wanders round the room, looking at photographs._] Who’s this? EVELYN Mary Liddle. I was engaged to her once. CAROL Oh, I see. EVELYN I suppose you want to know why nothing ever came of it. CAROL Of course. EVELYN She ran off with some one she hardly knew. CAROL What a shame! EVELYN I expect I bored her stiff— CAROL Were you very much in love with her? EVELYN Yes. I think I was. CAROL I can’t imagine you in love. EVELYN It doesn’t happen often. CAROL [_Smiling and patting his arm_] Never mind, Evie. EVELYN I don’t. It’s a relief really. [_BLACKWELL enters with the cocktails; they both take them._] EVELYN Dinner please, Blackwell. BLACKWELL Very good, sir. [_He goes out._] CAROL [_At another photograph_] Is this your mother? EVELYN Yes. CAROL You’re awfully like her. EVELYN It’s the nose, I think. CAROL And the chin—so firm and unrelenting. I love firm chins. EVELYN