FLORA Oh dear.

DAS I have to thank Lord Macaulay for English, you know. It was his idea when he was in the government of India that English should be taught to us all. He wanted to supply the East India Company with clerks, but he was sowing dragon’s teeth. Instead of babus he produced lawyers, journalists, civil servants, he produced Gandhi! We have so many, many languages, you know, that English is the only language the nationalists can communicate in! That is a very good joke on Macaulay, don’t you think?

FLORA Are you a nationalist, Mr Das?

DAS (Lightly) Ah, that is a very interesting question! But we shouldn’t have stopped all this time. It’s getting late for you, I must work more quickly tomorrow.

FLORA It’s only half-past ten.

DAS No, it’s already April, and that is becoming late.

FLORA Yes, it seems hotter than ever. Would you like some more lemonade?

DAS No, thank you, no lemonade. Miss Crewe, you haven’t looked at my painting yet.

FLORA No. Not yet. I never look. Do you mind?

DAS No.

FLORA You do really. But I once asked a painter ‘Can I look?’ and he said, ‘Why? When I paint a table I don’t have to show it to the table.’

DAS I said you had been painted before.

FLORA Only once.

DAS A portrait?

FLORA Not in the way you mean. It was a nude.

DAS Oh.

FLORA Unusually. He painted his friends clothed. For nudes he used models. I believe I was his friend. But perhaps not. Perhaps a used model only. It hardly matters. He was dead so soon afterwards. (Pause) He was not so kind to me as you are.

DAS Do you have the painting?

FLORA No.

DAS Where is it?

FLORA Nowhere. A man I thought I might marry burned it. My goodness, what a red-letter day you are having. There’s a man on a horse.

We have already heard the horse. We do not see the horse.

DURANCE (Offstage) Good morning! Miss Crewe, I think!

FLORA (Standing up) Yes—good morning! (To Das) Do you know him?

DAS He is the Assistant.

DURANCE (Offstage) May I get down a moment?

FLORA Of course. What a beautiful animal! (To Das) Assistant what?

DAS (To Flora) Captain Durance!

DURANCE Thank you

FLORA Come on up, do join us.

DURANCE arrives on foot.

DURANCE Oh—it’s Mr Das, isn’t it?

DAS Good morning, sir. But we have never met.

DURANCE Oh, but I know you. And Miss Crewe, your fame precedes you.

FLORA Thank you … and you …

DURANCE I’m from the Residency. David Durance.

FLORA (Shaking hands) How do you do?

DURANCE Oh, but look here—I’m interrupting the artist.

FLORA We had stopped.

DURANCE May one look? Oh, I say! Coming along jolly well! Don’t you think so, Miss Crewe?

DAS I must be going. I have overstayed my time today.

FLORA But we’ll continue tomorrow?

DAS Yes. Perhaps a little earlier if it suits you. I can leave everything …