MARTHA--For over two months. [There is a ring from the front door
bell in the hall.]

LILY--[Jumping up.] I'll bet that's we Jaysons now. [She runs to
the door in the rear and looks down the hall to the right.] Yes,
it's Esther and husband and Aunt Davidson. [She comes back to
MARTHA laughing excitedly. The MAID is seen going to the door.]
The first wave of attack, Martha! Be brave! The Young Guard dies
but never surrenders!

MARTHA--[Displeased but forcing a smile.] You make me feel
terribly ill at ease when you put it that way, Lily. [She rises
now and goes to greet the visitors, who enter. MRS. DAVIDSON is
seventy-five years old--a thin, sinewy old lady, old-fashioned,
unbending and rigorous in manner. She is dressed aggressively in
the fashion of a bygone age. ESTHER is a stout, middle-aged woman
with the round, unmarked, sentimentally--contented face of one who
lives unthinkingly from day to day, sheltered in an assured
position in her little world. MARK, her husband, is a lean, tall,
stooping man of about forty-five. His long face is alert, shrewd,
cautious, full of the superficial craftiness of the lawyer mind.
MARTHA kisses the two women, shakes hands with MARK, uttering the
usual meaningless greetings in a forced tone. They reply in much
the same spirit. There is the buzz of this empty chatter while
MARTHA gets them seated. LILY stands looking on with a cynical
smile of amusement. MRS. DAVIDSON is in the chair at the end of
table, Ieft, ESTHER sits by MARTHA on couch, MARK in chair at
front of table.] Will you have tea now or shall we wait for the
others?