NA. I'm sorry to hear it.

COAST. Louise was a pretty good liar when she was a kid. She ought to
help her husband along a little.

GEORGIANA. That's just it! if Steve had the right sort of wife,--but all
Louise wants is social position and more money.

[_She sits on the hobby horse, amusedly._]

COAST. If Louise was like you!

[GEORGIANA _puts the nose on quickly and rocks._

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.