_Col._ (_Aside._) As if it could be anything else. How stupid of me. (_Aloud._) New music?
_Col._ New laid--I mean, fresh from the country--fresh from London, or--yes--I--(_Dora sits on music stool at piano. This scene is played with great constraint on both sides. Colonel bends over Dora at piano._) Going to play any of it now?
_Dora._ No. I must practise it first. I can't play at sight.
_Col._ Can't you really? Don't you believe in--music--at first sight?
(_Dora drops a music book. Colonel picks it up. Dora tries to pick it up. They knock their heads together; mutual confusion. As they rise, each has hold of the book._)
_Dora._ \ I beg your pardon. (_Both trembling._) _Col._ /
(_Dora sits on music stool. As she does so, both leave hold of the book and it falls again._)
_Col._ (_Picking it up._) And I thought you had it, and it appears that neither of us had it. Ha! ha! (_Aside._) Fool that I am! (_Dora sits thoughtfully, Colonel bending over her; a pause._) Won't you play something?
_Col._ Oh, well, play the other one. (_They resume their attitudes; a pause._) The weather has been very warm today, has it not?
_Col._ Are you fond of thunder--I mean fond of music? I should say are you fond of lightning? (_Dora touches keys of piano mechanically._) Do play something.
_Dora._ No, I--I didn't think of what I was doing. What were you talking about?
_Col._ About? You--me--no! About thunder--music--I mean lightning.
_Dora._ I'm afraid of lightning. (Act II.)[9]
The first scene of Act I of _Romeo and Juliet_ is full of interesting physical action--quarrels, fighting, and the halting of the fight by the angry Prince. The physical action, however, characterizes in every instance, from the servants of the two factions to Tybalt, Benvolio, the Capulets, the Montagues, and the Prince. Moreover, this interesting physical action, which is all the more interesting because it characterizes, is interesting in the third place because in every instance it helps to an understanding of the story. It shows so intense an enmity between the two houses that even the servants cannot meet in the streets without quarreling. By its characterization it prepares for the parts Benvolio and Tybalt are to play in later scenes. It motivates the edict of banishment which is essential if the tragedy of the play is to occur.