Professor Fayemi's office at 10: 20 p.m. He is restless at his desk, checking the clock constantly. A Knock

PROF.: Enter, please. (Enter Liz.)

LIZ; Good evening, Prof.

PROF.: Ah, Liz, it's you. Come in and make yourself comfortable.

LIZ: I' m sorry for keeping you waiting, Prof.

PROF.: That's alright.

LIZ: (Sitting.) What’s wrong, sir?

PROF.: My dear, Liz, of all forces affecting man’s life love is the strongest. And of all bonds binding man to woman, love stands supreme. My dear Liz, you have blinded me with the brightness of your perfect beauty and to confess not that I love you is to give the lie to the dearest thing in my heart. Liz, you are the most beautiful girl alive, and the brightness of your beauty shames the golden rays of the sun and eclipses the mysterious beauty of the moon. The bright-red hibiscus and the gold-leafed sunflower, the glorious feathers of the peacock and the infinite beauty of the scintillating rainbow, all combined come not near to your perfect beauty. My dear Liz, I love you passionately, and I pray that you will return my love with love. If not, I will surely die of hearth attack.

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(Liz was too shocked to reply. Slowly, she stands up and faces the Prof.)

LIZ: Professor Fayemi, I can't believe my ears.

PROF.: Come on, Liz, you know what I mean. I am simply dying of your love. Only your consent to be mine can save me.

LIZ: (Angrily,) Professor Fayemi, you are a disgrace to your age and social standing.

PROF.: (Shocked.) Are you crazy?

LIZ: (Shouting.) If anyone’s crazy, it's you, Professor Fayemi. Otherwise, you’ll not disgrace yourself before a mere girl, young enough to be your daughter.

PROF.: (Frightened.) Please, Liz, don't shout so loud. The security officer downstairs may hear.

LIZ: (Shouting louder.) I’ll shout as loud as I like. 1’ll expose your filthy nature for the whole world to see.

PROF.: Please, Liz, it was a mistake. I was only joking with you.

LIZ: A mistake! How happy will I be if God had by some divine mistake created you a goat instead of a man. Prof. Don’t think you've heard the last of this shameful business. (Exits)

PROF.: Liz! Liz! She’s gone... she's gone and I stand ruined. If this but leak to the public ear, I am as good as dead. Oh, what made me do this thing? What infernal force made me do this disgraceful thing? What God incorporeal pushed me to this bleak wall, this slimy clime, this slippery realm? Did I perhaps do it in a dream? For if indeed time had cohered with place, she could easily have been my daughter. O unhappy day and joyless night!

(He walks out slowly and sadly.)