M A UA ^ VQ^ T^APP C^l^^o^2)(ELS A exits, into the kQuse.}

CAPTAIN:: Max, .it's .a good thing .you hav:en?t any character,because if you had I'm convinced Vd hate; you.

NAX: You couldn)t hate me. I'm too lovable.'fFiR^m enters fr^m the house.)

FRANZ: Herr Detweiler, there s a call for you. It s from-MAX: (Qmclcly) l?tl take it.

(MA^. exits into the Iiou^e^ folto'wedby FRAHZ. Atthis moment, the CAPTAlHr$ attentwn. is. atimctedhy thesound af voices yffdeling ond pQming from. the direcliQn ofthe garden, U'.'L^ GKETL run-on and stoops over. Nextwe see MART A leapfrog over GRETL and stoop. She is

^ folhwd byBRlGfTTA, KURT, LOUfSA, FRlEDRICHfmdLiESL^ all leapfrogging. They are dressed in playclothesmade from the curtains we have seen in MAR!Ass bedroom.The last one on, yQdeling along with fke childrenf dressedin a dirndl made from the mo.tenal the CAPTAIN sent. her,is MARIA. Her leapfragging tcik^s her tQ the feet of theC APT AW. She straightens iip in pleased siifprisejNARIA: Oh, Captain—you^re homelCHILDREN: (Joy fully) Fathert ^ayiet, you're home!

(The CAP TAW takes his whistle from his pocket andblows a premptory blast. The children dismayed, line upin military fashion.)-

(^-^^rt-CAPTAIN: Straight line^ne CAPTAIN crosses behind^%.?^? ^em, inspecting their strange garb with evident dis-

ftJl^Tion pleasure. He takes a kerchief made of the curtain ma-terial from LOUISA'S head.) Get cleaned up' Get intoyour uniforms and report back here! (The children glanceappealingly toward MARIA,) At oncel (The children mninto the house.} Frauleinl Whete did they get these ab-ominations--out of a nightmare?

MARIA^No^out of^^^s^ curtains-the curtains that used tohang in my bedroom 7 There was plenty of v/ear left inthem.

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CAPTAIN: Just a monient. Do you mean to say the peopleof the neighborhood have seen my children wearing oldcurtains?

MARIA: Oh, yes, they ?ve become very popular. Everyonesmiles at them.

CAPTAIN: 1 don't wonder.MARIA: They say, "There go Captain von Trapp's childreii"CAPTAIN: My children have always been a credit to my

name.

MARIA: But, Captain, they weren't. They were just unhappylittle marching machines.

CAPTAIN: I don't care to hear from you about my childten.MARIA: Well, you must hear from someone. You?Te not home

long enough to know them.CAPTAIN: I said I don't want to hear-MAKE A: I know you don't-but you?ve got to, Take Liesl—

Lies! isnrt a child any more. And if you keep treatingher as one, Captain, you^re going to have a mutiny onyour hands. And Friedrich—Friedrich's afraid to be him"self—he )s shy-be^s aloof, Friedrich needs you—he needsyour confidence--

CAPTAIN: Don yt tell me about my son.MARIA: Brigitta could tell you about him. She could tell you

a lot more if you got to know her> because she noticesthings. And she always tells the truth—especially whenyou don ?t want to hear it. Kurt-is sensitive-he" s easilyhurt-andyou ignore him-you brush him aside the way youdo all of them. (The CAPTAIH starts to leave.}! haven'tfinished yetl Louisa-'wattts to have a good time» You'vejust got to let her have a good time. Marta—I don t knowabout yet—but someone has to find out about het. Andlittle Gretl-just wants to be loved-Oh, please, Captain,love Gretl, love all of them. They need you.

CAPTAIN: Stop! Stop ill You will pack your things and re-turn to the Abbey as soon as you can.

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MARIA: I?m sorry. 1 shoiildn^t have s^id thos^ fhlngs—notin the way $ said them.

CAPTAIN: After you've CHILDREN: (Sm^ing offstage)The hills are alive^ith the souad of music.With songs they have sungFor a thousand years.

The hills fill my heartWith the sound of musicMy heart wants to singEvery song it hears*

gone there'll fee- f^ehear the voices of th,6children singing offstage, jWhales that?

MARIA: Singing.CAPTAIN: Whots ^nging?MAR^A: Your children.CAPTAIN: My children

singing? z-i •' •<v--i- '"T/&^^ .MARIA: I wanted them to

sing for Frau Scbraederwhen they met her. ^ €<z^l o'f M.^uia -1 C^ph^tn ^v^Uho^(ELSA enters from the upper Frenck windQws, ^ing

toward the CAPTAIN, who is D.L, She steps L. of C. Thechildren follow ELSA an, still singing, FR1EDRJCH ac-companyin^ them on a guitar. They sian4 in a diagonal linein front of the French windows.)ELSA: Georg, you must hear-CHILDREN: (Singing)

My heart wants to beatLike the wingsOf the birds that riseFrom the lake to the trees,My heart wants to sighLike a chime that fliesFrom a church on a breeze.

(The CAPTAIN turns front and joins in the song.)CAPTAIN AND CHILDREN: (S^ing)

I go to the hillsWhen my heart is lonelyI know 1 will hear

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