When?

[CHARLES]
Ella, look at me—
This way, Ella
Ella, concentrate hard
Ella, hear me
And turn before I deal another card

[ELLA]
No, don't look at me
Don't look up, Charles
If you look at me, then
I will look at you happily
And they will see how much I like you

[CHARLES]
When will I ever see you, Ella?
When will we meet?
When will we speak?
When will I once again touch your cheek?
When?

[ELLA]
When will we meet?
I long to know, Charles
How do you dance?
How do you smoke?
What is a party?
What is a joke?
But when?

[CHARLES]
I pass, I pass the hours planning things to teach you

[ELLA]
I pass the hours planning ways to reach you

[CHARLES & ELLA]
When? When? When?

[CHARLES]
One heart, one heart is beating wildly
Can she hear it?

[ELLA]
One heart is beating wildly
Charles is near it
When?

[CHARLES]
When will we be alone together?
When will we meet?

[ELLA]
When will we be alone together?

[CHARLES]
When can we speak?

[ELLA]
When will we meet?

[CHARLES]
When can I once again touch your cheek?

[ELLA]
When can we speak?

[CHARLES & ELLA]
When can I once again touch your cheek?
When?

[CHARLES]
"Ella, gay as a tarantella..."
"Pure as larks singing a cappella..."
"Let my poem be your umbrella..."
Ella, poets who suffer pain
Should fall in love with girls named Jane
Not Ella

[ELLA]
When will we meet?
I long to know
What songs do you like?
Where are you from?
Have you been married?
Why did you come?
When?

[CHARLES]
When, Ella, when?
I long to teach
Your eyes how to read
Hands how to write
Lips how to spell
But night after night—
When?

I see you scouring and mending
Pale and dreamy
Bending and pretending
Not to see me
When? When? When?

[ELLA]
I see you smile at me in Notions
While I'm cooking
Cover your emotions—
Charles, they're looking!
When?

[CHARLES]
When will we ever be together?
When is the time?

[ELLA]
When will we ever be together?

[CHARLES]
Where is the place?

[ELLA]
When is the time?

[CHARLES]
When can I once again touch your face?

[ELLA]
Where is the place?

[CHARLES & ELLA]
When can I once again touch your face?
When? When? When? When? When? When?

[ELLA]
When?
When will we meet?
I long to know
What songs do you like?
Where are you from?
Charles, am I ugly?
Charles, am I dumb?
Charles, do you like me?
Charles, could you love me?
Charles...

[CHARLES]
"Harkins absent
The daylight darkens..."
Ella, what kind of coward am I?
This I will not allow!
Ella, what if they do their worst?
I'll see you first
We'll be together!

Now, Ella, now, girl
I shall show
Your hands how to touch
Eyes how to glow
Lips how to kiss
I've so much to show
Then you will blossom
Then you will grow
And then—!
Then—!