STRANGE  INTERLUDE
(Pounding his fist on the rail - letting his pent-up
feelings explode,)
Come on, Gordon!
NINA
(Startled — with nervous' irritation,')
Sam! I told you I have a splitting headache!
( Thinking intensely.)
You vulgar boor! . . . Gordon's engagement to her is all
your fault! . . .
EVANS
(Resentfully.)
I'm sorry. Why don't you take some aspirin?
(Thinking irritably.)
Nina in the dumps! . . . Charlie in mourning! . . . what
a pair of killjoys! ... I wanted to bring Gordon and his
friends on board to celebrate ... no chance! . . . have to
take Madeline . . . stage a party in New York . . . leave
this outfit flat. . . Nina'll be sore as the devil, but shell
have to like it • • •
DARRELL
(Examining Nina critically-thinking,)
She's got into a fine neurotic state . . . reminds me of
when I first knew her . . .
(Then exultantly.)
Thank God, I can watch her objectively again . • . these
last three years away have finally done it ... complete
cure! . . .
(Then remorsefully,)
Poor Nina! . . . we're all deserting her . . •
(Then glancing at Marsden- with a trace of a
sneer.)
Even Marsden seems to have left her for the dead! . . *
277