YOUNG WIFE. I couldn’t see a thing.

YOUNG MASTER. Your closest friends wouldn’t have recognised you. Even I, if I hadn’t known it was you . . . in that veil.

YOUNG WIFE. Two veils.

YOUNG MASTER. Look, why don’t you come in . . . and take your hat off, at least.

YOUNG WIFE. Alfred, will you please behave yourself ? I told you: five minutes . . . Not a second longer, I swear –

YOUNG MASTER. What about your veil?

YOUNG WIFE. Two veils.

YOUNG MASTER. Both of your veils, then. – At least let me see you.

YOUNG WIFE. Do you love me, Alfred?

YOUNG MASTER (deeply hurt). Emma, how can you ask?

YOUNG WIFE. It’s so hot in here.

YOUNG MASTER. You’ve still got your fur coat on. Mind you don’t catch a cold.

YOUNG WIFE (finally enters the room and throws herself into the armchair). I’m absolutely exhausted.

YOUNG MASTER. May I?

He takes off her veils, removes the hatpin, places hat, pin and veils beside each other on the sofa. She lets it happen. He stands in front of her, shaking his head.

YOUNG WIFE. What?

YOUNG MASTER. I’ve never seen you look so beautiful.

YOUNG WIFE. Really?

YOUNG MASTER. Just . . . to be alone with you . . . Emma . . .

He kneels beside the armchair, holds her hands and covers them with kisses.

YOUNG WIFE. And now let me go. I’ve done what you asked.

He drops his head into her lap.

You promised you’d behave.

YOUNG MASTER. Yes.

YOUNG WIFE. It’s boiling in here.

YOUNG MASTER. You’re still wearing that coat. YOUNG WIFE. Put it with my hat.

He takes off her coat and puts it on the sofa beside the other things.

And now – goodbye.

YOUNG MASTER. Emma! Emma!

YOUNG WIFE. Your five minutes are up.

YOUNG MASTER. You’ve not even been here a minute!

YOUNG WIFE. I want to know the exact time, Alfred.

YOUNG MASTER. It’s exactly . . . six fifteen.

YOUNG WIFE. I should have been at my sister’s ages ago.

YOUNG MASTER. You can see your sister anytime you like.

YOUNG WIFE. Oh, Alfred, why did you get me to do this?

YOUNG MASTER. Because . . . Emma . . . I adore you.

YOUNG WIFE. How many women have you said that to?

YOUNG MASTER. None, since I met you.

YOUNG WIFE. I must be out of my mind. If someone had said, just a week ago . . . just yesterday . . .

YOUNG MASTER. Though we did arrange this the day before yesterday.

YOUNG WIFE. You kept pestering me. It wasn’t me that wanted it. God knows, I didn’t want to. I made my mind up yesterday . . . I even wrote you a long letter, you know, last night.

YOUNG MASTER. I didn’t get it.

YOUNG WIFE. I tore it up. Oh, I knew I should have sent it!

YOUNG MASTER. It’s a good thing you didn’t.