LINDA [rising indignantly]: He doesn’t wear a red beret!

MITCH: Marries a poor punk that stands up naked for thirty cents an hour. . . .

LINDA: He doesn’t stand up naked!

MITCH: Well, anyway, you married him, didn’t you?

LINDA: Yes, I married him! I was crazy about him!

BABE: Hear that, Mitch? She WAS crazy about him, but she ain’t any more!

LINDA [smiling and walking over to window]: Was, am, and always will be! [She looks out.] Still raining—my heavens! Jim will be drowned!

BABE [winking at Mitch while Linda’s back is turned]: Honey, if you’re so crazy about this artist guy, why don’t you give him an even break?

LINDA: What do you mean, an even break? I do everything that I can do to help Jim out! I wash his clothes, pose for him, mix his paints. . . .

BABE: I don’t mean that. You know what I mean—he’ll never get nowhere tied to your apron strings!

LINDA [her face darkening]: Tied to my apron strings?

BABE: These artists never get married, honey, until they’ve made a success. They can’t afford to. It ruins their ca-reer!

MITCH: Funny she ain’t thought of that herself! The Babe is right, Duchess! You gotta look at it that way—you don’t want to be a rock around this guy’s neck!

LINDA: A rock around Jim’s neck? [There is a minute of silence. Babe and Mitch eagerly studying the gathering darkness on Linda’s face.]

LINDA [as if to herself]: A rock—No, I couldn’t be that! [She walks distractedly about the room.]

BABE [harshly]: That’s what you’ll be! Mark my word!

MITCH [following Linda]: Babe’s right about it, Duchess! That’s the way you got to look at it! If you really love this guy . . .

BABE [eagerly]: You don’t want to spoil his chances!

LINDA [clasping her ears]: Stop! I won’t listen to any more of it! You’re just trying to ruin everything!

BABE: Think of the future, Duchess!

MITCH: Yeah, the future!

BABE: You’re making an awful mistake, Honey, if you don’t consider . . .

MITCH: You’ve got too much sense—

LINDA: Oh, stop! Please. . . .

BABE: Just think! If he wasn’t tied up what he could do!

LINDA: Tied up? No!

BABE: If he wasn’t tied up like this he could go to Europe and study in one of them fancy schools over there! That’s where all the real artists go!

MITCH: Sure! They ain’t got a chance if they don’t!

BABE: How old is he, Duchess? I bet he’s just a kid!

MITCH: Listen! A smart young feller who ain’t tied up with no dame—

BABE: He can always make his own way!

LINDA: No, no! I couldn’t go on without Jim!

BABE: Yes, you could, and you will. The show’s pulling out tonight. You’re going with us!

LINDA: Oh, please—you’re making me dizzy!

MITCH: We open tomorrow in Chicago. Play there one week. Then South to St. Louis. New Orleans for Mardi Gras time. After that we go West. A coast-to-coast tour!