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Before her marriage to Ernest, Gilda had been living an unconventional lifestyle. She railed against the conventions of 1930s society by openly living with two men as a single woman. First, she was the lover of Otto, then Leo. After a couple of years, she became lost and confused about her position in their lives, especially after both men achieved success as a painter and playwright respectively. She moved to New York and married Ernest, an older family friend who always tried to guide her in
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START: Leo (as they reach the bottom of the stairs): Good-morning, Ernest!
Ernest (flabbergasted) : God bless my soul!
Otto (kissing him): He will, Ernest. He couldn't fail to!
Leo (also kissing him) : Dear little Ernest !
Ernest: Where — where in heaven's name have you come from?
[... …]
END: Leo [...] And although she may have worked hard, and although her life is so fully occupied, she is far from being contented. We saw her last night and we know.
Otto: She could never be contented without us, because she belongs to us just as much as we belong to her.
Ernest: She ran away from you.
Leo: She'll come back.
Noel Coward. Design for Living. Doubleday, Doran & Co., 1933. pp.125-129
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