1977
Later
Jerry's House. Study. 1977. Spring.
JERRY sitting. ROBERT standing, with glass.
JERRY
It's good of you to come.
ROBERT
Not at all.
JERRY
Yes, yes, I know it was difficult … I know … the kids
ROBERT
It's all right. It sounded urgent.
JERRY
Well … You found someone, did you?
ROBERT
What?
JERRY
For the kids.
ROBERT
Yes, yes. Honestly. Everything's in order. Anyway, Charlotte's not a baby.
JERRY
No.
Pause
Are you going to sit down?
ROBERT
Well, I might, yes, in a minute.
Pause
JERRY
Judith's at the hospital … on night duty. The kids are here … upstairs.
ROBERT
Uh – huh.
JERRY
I must speak to you. It's important.
ROBERT
Speak.
JERRY
Yes.
Pause
ROBERT
You look quite rough.
Pause
What's the trouble?
Pause
It's not about you and Emma, is it?
Pause
I know all about that.
JERRY
Yes. So I've … been told.
ROBERT
Ah.
Pause
Well, it's not very important, is it? Been over for years, hasn't it?
JERRY
It is important.
ROBERT
Really? Why?
JERRY stands, walks about.
JERRY
I thought I was going to go mad.
ROBERT
When?
JERRY
This evening. Just now. Wondering whether to phone you. I had to phone you. It took me … two hours to phone you. And then you were with the kids … I thought I wasn't going to be able to see you … I thought I'd go mad. I'm very grateful to you … for coming.
ROBERT
Oh for God's sake! Look, what exactly do you want to say?
Pause
JERRY sits.
JERRY
I don't know why she told you. I don't know how she could tell you. I just don't understand. Listen, I know you've got … look, I saw her today … we had a drink … I haven't seen her for … she told me, you know, that you're in trouble, both of you … and so on. I know that. I mean I'm sorry.
ROBERT
Don't be sorry.
JERRY
Why not?
Pause
The fact is I can't understand … why she thought it necessary … after all these years … to tell you … so suddenly … last night …
ROBERT
Last night?
JERRY
Without consulting me. Without even warning me. After all, you and me …
ROBERT
She didn't tell me last night.
JERRY
What do you mean?
Pause
I know about last night. She told me about it. You were up all night, weren't you?
ROBERT
That's correct.
JERRY
And she told you … last night … about her and me. Did she not?
ROBERT
No, she didn't. She didn't tell me about you and her last night. She told me about you and her four years ago.
Pause
So she didn't have to tell me again last night. Because I knew. And she knew I knew because she told me herself four years ago.
Silence
JERRY
What?
ROBERT
I think I will sit down.
He sits.
I thought you knew.
JERRY
Knew what?
ROBERT
That I knew. That I've known for years. I thought you knew that.
JERRY
You thought I knew?
ROBERT
She said you didn't. But I didn't believe that.
Pause
Anyway I think I thought you knew. But you say you didn't?
JERRY
She told you … when?
ROBERT
Well, I found out. That's what happened. I told her I'd found out and then she … confirmed … the facts.
JERRY
When?
ROBERT
Oh, a long time ago, Jerry.
Pause
JERRY
But we've seen each other … a great deal … over the last four years. We've had lunch.
ROBERT
Never played squash though.
JERRY
I was your best friend.
ROBERT
Well, yes, sure.
JERRY stares at him and then holds his head in his hands.
Oh, don't get upset. There's no point.
Silence
JERRY sits up.
JERRY
Why didn't she tell me?
ROBERT
Well, I'm not her, old boy.
JERRY
Why didn't you tell me?
Pause
ROBERT
I thought you might know.
JERRY
But you didn't know for certain, did you? You didn't know!
ROBERT
No.
JERRY
Then why didn't you tell me?
Pause
ROBERT
Tell you what?
JERRY
That you knew. You bastard.
ROBERT
Oh, don't call me a bastard, Jerry.
Pause
JERRY
What are we going to do?
ROBERT
You and I are not going to do anything. My marriage is finished. I've just got to make proper arrangements, that's all. About the children.
Pause
JERRY
You hadn't thought of telling Judith?
ROBERT
Telling Judith what? Oh, about you and Emma. You mean she never knew? Are you quite sure?
Pause
No, I hadn't thought of telling Judith, actually. You don't seem to understand. You don't seem to understand that I don't give a shit about any of this. It's true I've hit Emma once or twice. But that wasn't to defend a principle. I wasn't inspired to do it from any kind of moral standpoint. I just felt like giving her a good bashing. The old itch … you understand.
Pause
JERRY
But you betrayed her for years, didn't you?
ROBERT
Oh yes.
JERRY
And she never knew about it. Did she?
ROBERT
Didn't she?
Pause
JERRY
I didn't.
ROBERT
No, you didn't know very much about anything, really, did you?
Pause
JERRY
No.
ROBERT
Yes you did.
JERRY
Yes I did. I lived with her.
ROBERT
Yes. In the afternoons.
JERRY
Sometimes very long ones. For seven years.
ROBERT
Yes, you certainly knew all there was to know about that. About the seven years of afternoons. I don't know anything about that.
Pause
I hope she looked after you all right.
Silence
JERRY
We used to like each other.
ROBERT
We still do.
Pause
I bumped into old Casey the other day. I believe he's having an affair with my wife. We haven't played squash for years, Casey and me. We used to have a damn good game.
JERRY
He's put on weight.
ROBERT
Yes, I thought that.
JERRY
He's over the hill.
ROBERT
Is he?
JERRY
Don't you think so?
ROBERT
In what respect?
JERRY
His work. His books.
ROBERT
Oh his books. His art. Yes his art does seem to be falling away, doesn't it?
JERRY
Still sells.
ROBERT
Oh, sells very well. Sells very well indeed. Very good for us. For you and me.
JERRY
Yes.
ROBERT
Someone was telling me – who was it – must have been someone in the publicity department – the other day – that when Casey went up to York to sign his latest book, in a bookshop, you know, with Barbara Spring, you know, the populace queued for hours to get his signature on his book, while one old lady and a dog queued to get Barbara Spring's signature, on her book. I happen to think that Barbara Spring … is good, don't you?
JERRY
Yes.
Pause
ROBERT
Still, we both do very well out of Casey, don't we?
JERRY
Very well.
Pause
ROBERT
Have you read any good books lately?
JERRY
I've been reading Yeats.
ROBERT
Ah. Yeats. Yes.
Pause
JERRY
You read Yeats on Torcello once.
ROBERT
On Torcello?
JERRY
Don't you remember? Years ago. You went over to Torcello in the dawn, alone. And read Yeats.
ROBERT
So I did. I told you that, yes.
Pause
Yes.
Pause
Where are you going this summer, you and the family?
JERRY
The Lake District.
