. . purple and gold
and green and scarlet. He brought it and laid it at my feet, and said
that it was my bridal-robe, that I must wear it at my feast.
ETHEL. Oh, how lovely!
FREDDY. [Rises and turns away in despair.] Oh!
ETHEL. Tell me a little about the Sunrise Dance.
OCEANA. It represents the worship of Nature. It portrays an awakening
from slumber . . . you know the soft part of the music at the
beginning . . .
ETHEL. Yes.
OCEANA. Then gradually I rise to my feet and gaze towards the light.
There is the sun shining upon the waves of the sea, and upon the palm
branches. All life is awakening and singing for joy . . . and so the
music rises to an ecstasy.
ETHEL. And do you dance other things?
OCEANA. Oh, yes - lots of things.
ETHEL. Oh, Oceana! I'm just wild to see you!
OCEANA. And I'm wild to dance. I must have some vent pretty soon. You
see, at home I was out of doors all the time. I hunted and fished, I
swam and dived, I danced on the beach. And here . . . why, I walk down
the street, and I daren't even so much as sing out loud. I have to
remember that I'm a young lady, and have an ermine cloak on! Truly, I
don't see how you ever stand it!
ETHEL. We were brought up that way.
OCEANA. Yes; and that's why you're undeveloped and frail. But tell me,
don't you ever have an impulse to play? That beautiful snow out there
- don't you want to tumble round in it and pelt each other with
snowballs?
FREDDY.
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