Cæsar's Wife: A Comedy in Three Acts

Name: Cæsar&apos;s Wife: A Comedy in Three Acts
Rating: 5 (2 reviews)
Author: Сомерсет Моэм

Автор

Сомерсет Моэм

Год написания книги

2017

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Never mind that. Is it true? Please be frank with me.

Ronny

Perhaps it is.

Violet

Would she marry you if you asked her?

Ronny

I think so.

Violet

She can't have fallen in love with you without some encouragement.

Ronny

She plays tennis a good deal and she's very fond of dancing. You know, I was rather wretched. Sometimes you looked at me as though you hated me. You seemed to try and avoid me. I wanted to forget. I didn't know what I'd done to make you treat me so cruelly. It was very pleasant to be with someone who seemed to want me. Everything I did pleased her. She's rather like you. When I was with her I was a little less unhappy. When I found she was in love with me I was touched and I was tremendously grateful.

Violet

Are you sure you're not in love with her?

Ronny

Yes, I'm quite sure.

Violet

But you like her very much, don't you?

Ronny

Yes, very much.

Violet

Don't you think if it weren't for me you would be in love with her?

Ronny

I don't know.

Violet

I'd like you to be frank with me.

Ronny

[Unwillingly.] You don't want my love. She's sweet and kind and tender.

Violet

I think she might make you very happy.

Ronny

Who knows?

[There is a pause. Violet forces herself to make the final renunciation. Her fingers move spasmodically in the effort she makes to speak calmly.]

Violet

It seems a pity that you should waste your life for nothing. I'm afraid you'll think me a heartless flirt. I'm not that. At the time I feel all I say. But… I don't quite understand myself. I take a violent fancy to someone, and I lose my head, but somehow it doesn't last. I… I suppose I'm not capable of any enduring passion. There are people like that, aren't there? It goes just as suddenly as it comes. And when it goes – well, it's gone for ever. I can't understand then what on earth I saw in the man who made my heart go pit-a-pat. I'm dreadfully sorry I caused you so much pain. You took it so much more seriously than I expected. And afterwards I didn't know what to do. You must – you must try to forgive me.

[There is a long pause.]

Ronny

Don't you love me at all now?

Violet

It's much better that I should tell you the truth, isn't it? even at the risk of hurting your feelings. I'm frightfully ashamed of myself. I'm afraid you'll think me awfully frivolous.

Ronny

Why don't you say it right out?

Violet

D'you want me to? [She hesitates, but then takes courage.] I'm very sorry, dear Ronny, I'm afraid I don't care for you in that way at all.

Ronny

I'm glad to know.

Violet

You're not angry with me?

Ronny

Oh, no, my dear, how can you help it? We're made as we're made… D'you mind if I go now?

Violet