[Slowly the curtain rises. The Birling family and Gerald Croft are looking at each other guiltily. None of them can speak. MR BIRLING is pacing around the room while GERALD, SHEILA, ERIC and MRS BIRLING remain seated at the dining room table. It is impossible for any of them to believe what is happening. As ERIC had said, they were having a nice little engagement party and what a mess the first inspector had made of it.]