Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE GENTILE WIFE Act I Scene: The drawing room of a hotel apartment. Elaborate. Door a little left at back. A recessed window on left wall. A large door at right angles (right) leads into bed room which is partly visible. The entrance door left leads into a private passage way which has, of course, a door beyond which communicates with the public corridor. Naida is opening the private door. She is an attractive woman of about twenty-seven. Jane Allen comes into the passage and greets Naida. She is quite pretty and overdressed. Naida Why, it's little Jane Allen. How are you? Oh, I am so glad to see you Naida. You haven't changed a bit. Naida How did you find me? Whatever made you think of coming to see me? Curiosity. Naida Janel Of course not, darling. I wanted to see you again afterall these months . . . naturally. You know I always adored you if you can't sing High E without standing on your tip toes. It's a nice hotel, isn't it ? What a lovely little room! How many have you? Naida Only this . . . and the other. But sit down. Come over here. . . . You get such a wonderful view of Fifth Avenue from here. I never get tired of sitting here and watching all the things going by way down there below me. Isn't it dreadful to think how much you have to pay in New York for the privilege of seeing other people look like ants? But tell me something about your marriage. No one dreamed of your doing such a thing. It's positively thrilling. We were all talking about you the other night. You were so determined. You were the most ambitious one of our crowd. Why you were set on grand opera—no less. Are you going on with your music, Naida ? Naida Of course. Why not? I don't intend to give up my career just because I happen to be married. Happen t...