Some are all for a bell, and again others are for a gong, but ...

[He wields his trusty mallet for three hard whacks on the floor. And
then the two of them draw back the curtains on the second scene.

* * * * *

A line of dark cypress trees; a blue sky and an Italian landscape. A path
to a house. A young man lying on the ground reading. His name is Gelsomino.
The music tells him that he hears Columbine. He stirs, looks round, frowns,
and goes back to his book. Columbine flies out of the house.

ALICE. [Radiant and proud.] This is Columbine.

[And what should Columbine be like? Well, she is just like what you'd
most like her to be. She has a rose in her hand. She stops as she sees
her husband, then shyly puts out her arms to him, but he cannot see
that, for his back is turned. She creeps up to him and drops the rose
on his book. He brushes the rose away and waves her away too.

He's not really angry, but you see he's married to her, and he can't bear
being interrupted.

[Columbine stands looking--deliberately looking her prettiest; wistful,
appealing.

I think that's been her mistake. If she'd ...

UNCLE EDWARD. Sh!