e two chapeaux do you
prefer, Mr. Camberley?

DENNIS. Might I express a preference for the black one with the pink
roses?

KATE. It is very elegant, is it not? (She puts it on.)

DENNIS. Vastly becoming, upon my life. . . . I might mention that I am
staying at the club. Is your ladyship doing anything to-morrow?

KATE. Nothing of any great importance.

(He offers his arm and she takes it.)

DENNIS (as they go to the door). Then perhaps I may be permitted to
call round to-morrow morning about eleven, and make inquiries as to
your ladyship's health.

KATE. It would be very obliging of you, sir.

[They go out together.

THE ROMANTIC AGE

A COMEDY IN THREE ACTS

CHARACTERS

HENRY KNOWLE.
MARY KNOWLE (his wife).
MELISANDE (his daughter).
JANE BAGOT (his niece).
BOBBY COOTE.
GERVASE MALLORY.
ERN.
GENTLEMAN SUSAN.
ALICE.

* * * * *

ACT I
The hall of MR. KNOWLE'S house. Evening.

ACT II
A glade in the wood. Morning.

ACT III
The hall again. Afternoon.

* * * * *

This play was first produced by Mr. Arthur Wontner at the Comedy
Theatre on October 18, 1920, with the following cast:

Henry Knowle--A. BROMLEY-DAVENPORT.
Mary Knowle--LOTTIE VENNE.
Melisande--BARBARA HOFFE.
Jane--DOROTHY TETLEY.
Bobby--JOHN WILLIAMS.
Gervase Mallory--ARTHUR WONTNER.
Ern--ROY LENNOL.
Gentleman Susan--H.O. NICHOLSON.
Alice--IRENE RATHBONE.

THE ROMANTIC AGE

ACT I

(We are looking at the inner hall of MR. HENRY KNOWLE'S country house,
at about 9.15 of a June evening. There are doors R. and L.--on the
right leading to the drawing-room, on the left to the entrance hall,
the dining-room and the library. At the back are windows--French
windows on the right, then an interval of wall, then casement
windows.)

(MRS. HENRY KNOWLE, her daughter, MELISANDE, and her niece, JANE
BAGOT, are waiting for their coffee, MRS. KNOWLE, short and stoutish,
is reclining on the sofa; JANE, pleasant-looking and rather obviously
pretty, is sitting in a chair near her, glancing at a book; MELISANDE,
the beautiful, the romantic, is standing by the open French windows,
gazing into the night.)

(ALICE, the parlourmaid, comes in with the coffee. She stands in front
of MRS. KNOWLE, a little embarrassed because MRS. KNOWLE'S eyes are
closed. She waits there until JANE looks up from her book.)

JANE. Aunt Mary, dear, are you having coffee?

MRS. KN