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The Débutante
CONNAGE:Herfatherhasmarshalledeightbachelormillionairestomeether.
ALEC:Youmightformasquadandmarchthroughthehalls.
MRS.CONNAGE:I’mperfectlyserious—forallIknowshemaybeattheCocoanutGrovewithsomefootballplayeronthenightofherdebut.YoulookleftandI’ll—
ALEC:(Flippantly)Hadn’tyoubettersendthebutlerthroughthecellar?
MRS.CONNAGE:(Perfectlyserious)Oh,youdon’tthinkshe’dbethere?
CECELIA:He’sonlyjoking,mother.
ALEC:Motherhadapictureofhertappingakegofbeerwithsomehighhurdler.
MRS.CONNAGE:Let’slookrightaway.
(Theygoout.ROSALINDcomesinwithGILLESPIE.)
GILLESPIE:Rosalind—OncemoreIaskyou.Don’tyoucareablessedthingaboutme?
(AMORYwalksinbriskly.)
AMORY:Mydance.
ROSALIND:Mr.Gillespie,thisisMr.Blaine.
GILLESPIE:I’vemetMr.Blaine.FromLakeGeneva,aren’tyou?
AMORY:Yes.
GILLESPIE:(Desperately)I’vebeenthere.It’sinthe—theMiddleWest,isn’tit?
AMORY:(Spicily)Approximately.ButIalwaysfeltthatI’dratherbeprovincialhot-tamalethansoupwithoutseasoning.
GILLESPIE:What!
AMORY:Oh,nooffense.
(GILLESPIEbowsandleaves.)
ROSALIND:He’stoomuchpeople.
AMORY:Iwasinlovewithapeopleonce.
ROSALIND:So?
AMORY:Oh,yes—hernamewasIsabelle—nothingatalltoherexceptwhatIreadintoher.
ROSALIND:Whathappened?
AMORY:FinallyIconvincedherthatshewassmarterthanIwas—thenshethrewmeover.SaidIwascriticalandimpractical,youknow.