THE PRETENDER
HENRY:
(shaking his head)
Well, I wish I knew the whole truth.
JESSE:
I'll thank you, Henry, to be more polite to my wife.
HENRY:
You think I'm impolite?
543
JESSE:
You're trying to suggest that Marianne's not telling the truth.
HENRY:
(turning from
JESSE)
Sister, I wish I liked your story better.
JESSE:
I think I'm going to have to ask you to leave, Henry.
HENRY:
And I think I'm going to have to refuse your request. Other-
wise nobody will ever know what happened to Marianne tonight.
JESSE:
You're being presumptuous.
HENRY:
And you're just a damn fool.
JESSE:
Now I don't want to have to put you out, especially after I in–
vited you here. Please go, before we quarrel.
MARIANNE:
(to
HENRY)
Did I ever refuse to do anything you wanted
me to, Henry?
HENRY:
Not that I recollect.
MARIANNE:
(sweetly)
Then won't you do something for me?
HENRY:
Why sure.
MARIANNE:
I mean I want you to go.
HENRY:
I don't know about that.
MARIANNE:
Please. Please, Henry. How do you think I feel? With two
big men shouting at me and browbeating me and bullying me?
HENRY:
There's only one man here able to shout at you, and brow–
beat you and bully you, and if he goes now, I can see you're going
to
be
left in command of the field.
MARIANNE
sits down, covers her face and sobs.
HENRY:
Why, Marianne, you're crying.
MARIANNE:
(Raises her head, and it is evident that her sobbing has
been theatrical.)
Won't you please go now, Henry, for God's sake.
HENRY
goes to the door leading to the road and turns back.
HENRY:
(to
JESSE)
Make her tell you the truth.
Exit
HENRY.
We hear the sound of his car driving off. A pause.
MARIANNE:
Don't you have any questions to ask me, Jesse?
JESSE:
I'm sure you can answer them, Marianne.
MARIANNE:
But don't you have any questions?
JESSE:
No, not right at this moment.
MARIANNE:
My story satisfies you?
JESSE:
(after some consideration)
Yes.
MARIANNE:
It
didn't satisfy Henry.
JESSE:
You wouldn't lie to me, Marianne, I know that.
MARIANNE:
(after a pause)
Wouldn't I now?
JESSE:
You mean you would?
