one showing “The Gibson Upright”—­a happy family, including children and a grandparent, exclaiming with joy at sight of this instrument.  Another shows a concert singer singing widely beside “The Gibson Upright,” with an accompanist seated.  Another shows a semi-colossal millionaire, and a workingman of similar size in paper cap and apron, shaking hands across “The Gibson Upright,” and, printed:  “$188.00—­The Price for the Millionaire, the Same for Plain John Smith—­$188.00.”  This poster and the others all show the slogan:  “How Cheap, BUT How Good!”

     Nothing is new in this room, but everything is clean and
     accurately in order.  The arrangement is symmetrical.

As the curtain rises_ Nora Gorodna is seen at work on the sample “Gibson Upright.”  The front is not removed; but through the top of the piano she is adjusting something with a small wrench. Nora is a fine-looking young woman, not over twenty-six; she wears a plain smock over a dark dress.  As she is a piano tester in the factory she is dressed neither so roughly as a working woman nor perhaps so fashionably as a stenographer.  She is serious and somewhat preoccupied.  From somewhere come the sounds of several pianos being tuned.  After a moment Nora goes thoughtfully to the desk and looks at the rose in the glass; then lifts the glass as if to inhale the odour of the rose, but abruptly alters her decision and sets the glass down without doing so.  She returns quickly and decisively to her work at the piano, as if she had made a determination.

     A bell at the door on our left rings. Nora goes to the door
     and opens it.

Nora:  Good morning, Mr. Mifflin.

Mifflin [entering]:  Good morning, Miss Gorodna.

[Mifflin is a beaming man of forty, with gold-rimmed eyeglasses and a somewhat grizzled beard which has been, a week or so ago, a neatly trimmed Vandyke.  He wears a “cutaway suit,” not much pressed, not new; a derby hat, a standing collar, and a “four-in-hand” dark tie; hard, round cuffs, not link cuffs.  He carries a folded umbrella, not a fashionable one; wears no gloves; and has two or three old magazines and a newspaper under his arm.]

Mifflin:  I believe I’m here just to the hour, Miss Gorodna.

Nora:  Mr. Gibson has been very nice about it.  He told me he would give you the interview for your article.  He’s in the factory—­trying to settle some things he can’t settle.  I’ll let him know you’re here.