[Illustration]



BELINDA



ACT I


_It is a lovely April afternoon--a foretaste of summer--in_
BELINDA'S garden_.

BETTY, _a middle-aged servant, is fastening a hammock--its first
appearance this year--to a tree down_ L. _In front there is a
garden-table, with a deck-chair on the right of it and a straight-backed
one to the left. There are books, papers, and magazines on the
table_. BELINDA, _of whom we shall know more presently, is on the
other side of the open windows which look on to the garden, talking
to_ BETTY, _who crosses to_ R. _of hammock, securing it to
tree_ C.

BELINDA (_from inside the house_). Are you sure you're tying it up
tightly enough, Betty?

BETTY (_coming to front of hammock_). Yes, ma'am; I think it's
firm.