the end of the room, turns round
with hint and trips up and down the room with him, one singing and the
other piping.)

TALKER. Friend, we are gay.

SINGER. Very, very gay, Master Johannes. (They turn round and go up and
down the room as before.)

TALKER. Something is stirring our middle-aged blood. I feel years
younger.

SINGER. I have only just been born.

TALKER (with a wave of the hand): Shall we take another turn?

SINGER. At your pleasure. (They go up and down as before.)

TALKER (looking at the other anxiously out of the corners of his eyes).
What do you think has happened to us?

SINGER (with a similar look). I--I wonder.

TALKER (nervously). I suppose the fact that we are going off this
afternoon--the joy of returning to our old gay life is--is affecting us?

SINGER. I--I suppose so. (Without enthusiasm) Yes, that must be it.

TALKER. This cauliflower existence, this settled life which even the
least enterprising cabbage would find monotonous, we have had more than
enough of it, my friend.

SINGER. Yes. (He sighs deeply.) I sigh to think how we have wasted these
eight days.

TALKER. Ah! (He sighs still more deeply.) However, Heaven be praised, we
are for the road this afternoon.

SINGER (gloomily). Heaven be praised! It is a grand life.

TALKER (carelessly). Of course, if you came to me and said, "Johannes,"
you said, "I left my home in a fit of melancholy five months agone; the
melancholy is cured, I will return home again"--why, I would say, "God
bless you, Master Duke; go your way." Well, I can understand such a
thing happening to a man of your age, not born to the wandering as I am.

SINGER. Bless you, Johannes, you are a true gentleman.

TALKER (airily). Say no more, say no more.

SINGER. But I cannot accept this sacrifice. I pledged myself to serve
you for a year, and I'll keep my pledge.

TALKER (considerably upset by this). Wait a moment, Master Duke; I have
myself thought of retiring these many months past. Indeed, it was only
for your sake--

SINGER. No, no, I cannot allow it. It is only for my sake that you are
saying this. We will take the road this afternoon. (Heroically) Indeed,
I would infinitely prefer it. I am enamoured of the wandering life.

TALKER. It is a great life. It means everything to me.

(They stand side by side looking gloomily in front of them. Gradually
they begin to glance towards each other; they catch each other's
eyes--and understand each other thor