_Evening of a June day. John Hathaway's Study. Door at right and at left back. Heavy, old-fashioned library furnishings. Walls lined with shelves of books. General disorder of books to produce the effect of recent using. Large flat-topped desk with a double row of drawers stands at front, half way between center and right wall. Desk is covered with books and loose manuscript. Chair at left front. Stool in front of desk. Other chairs toward back._
_When the curtain rises, John Hathaway is seated at desk working. Anne enters at right, bangs the door, and stands with back to it._
_Anne._ I hate Aunt Caroline. (_She hurries forward to stand at opposite side of desk._) Oh, I know what you will say--just preach and preach and call me "Anne" and tell me I must ask her pardon.--Why don't you begin?
_Anne._ Yes, there's the "Anne." I know the rest without your going on:--"Aunt Caroline is a peculiar woman, but is _most_ worthy. Her Puritanism keeps her from understanding your temperament, and you are too young to understand hers,--" and you'll go on preaching and smiling in that horrid way--you always do--and you'll make me see how wrong _I've_ been and how saintly _Aunt Caroline_ is, and at last I'll slink out of the room like a good little pussy-cat to find Aunt Caroline and beg her pardon. But it won't do _this_ time, for I begged her pardon _before_ I lost my temper so that you _couldn't_ send me back.--Oh, Duke, _can't_ we send Aunt Caroline away, and just you and me live here always together. (_She swings round the desk to sit on the stool at his side, her back to him. He turns a little in his chair, letting a hand fall on her shoulder._) When Dad died, he left me with you because next to me he loved you best in all the world. Hundreds and hundreds of times he told me that.--It would have been very nice, Duke, if Dad hadn't died, wouldn't it?
_Anne._ In just that one thing God has not been quite fair to me. Aunt Caroline tries so hard to make me think I am wrong about it.--I know you think so too, but you never argue about it with me. I like you for that, Duke. You see, if Dad had lived, our kingdom would have been complete. Why! a kingdom's only _half_ a kingdom without a king.