Scene 4 Summary

Late that night, Tom comes home drunk, loud, and clumsy. Laura helps him to bed, urging him to keep quiet and apologize to Amanda. He tells her how he went to a magic show, and how the magician's best trick was escaping from a nailed-shut coffin without removing a single nail. He says that would be a handy trick for him, as it might get him out of the awful situation he's in. He passes out on the couch and the next morning has great difficulty getting out of bed. Amanda tells Laura to tell Tom that his coffee's ready, and then sends her out to get butter. She tells Laura to have the grocer put it on their account, and when Laura mentions that the grocer always looks unhappy when she does that, Amanda says it doesn't matter.

When Laura is gone...