Later that same evening, Blanche and Mitch are returning rather late from a date. They are discussing the failure of the evening. Blanche takes the blame for the failure because she feels that it is the lady's duty to "entertain the gentleman." After Blanche tells Mitch that she must soon pack her trunks, he asks her permission to kiss her goodnight. Blanche tells him he should not have to ask, but warns him that he is to go no further because a single girl has to be so careful.
Stanley and Stella are not at home and Blanche asks Mitch to come in for a nightcap. While Blanche is looking for some whiskey, she lights a candle and says in French that she is the lady of the camellias. When Mitch says he does not understand French, Blanche asks him in French if he would like to sleep with her and then says in English that it's a damned good thing that he doesn't understand French. She asks him to take off his coat, but he is ashamed of the way he sweats. He tells her how heavy he is and how easily he sweats, but Blanche maintains that he is just a good healthy man.
Mitch asks where Stella and Stanley are. He then suggests that the four of them should go out together sometime; Blanche explains how much Stanley hates her and wonders if he has told Mitch anything. Mitch pretends that he hasn't, but Blanche feels uneasy. She explains how rude and common he is to her and that as soon as Stella has the baby, she is going to leave. Blanche is convinced that Stanley hates her, and that "that man will destroy me."
