HETTY: Oh, if you love him-- HARRIET:...

HETTY: Oh, if you love him--

HARRIET: I? I haven't any feelings. It isn't my business to love anybody.

HETTY: Then why need you object to calling him my husband?

HARRIET: I resent your appropriation of a man who is managed only through the cleverness of my artifice.

HETTY: You may be clever enough to deceive him, Harriet, but I am still the one who suffers. I can't forget he is my husband. I can't forget that I might have married John Caldwell.

HARRIET: How foolish of you to remember John, just because we met his wife by chance.

HETTY: That's what I want to talk to you about. She may be here at any moment. I want to advise you about what to say to her this afternoon.

HARRIET: By all means tell me now and don't interrupt while she is here. You have a most annoying habit of talking to me when people are present. Sometimes it is all I can do to keep my poise and appear not to be listening to you.

HETTY: Impress her.

HARRIET: Hetty, dear, is it not my custom to impress people?

HETTY: I hate her.

HARRIET: I can't let her see that.

HETTY: I hate her because she married John.

HARRIET: Only after you had refused him.

HETTY: [turning on HARRIET] Was it my fault that I refused him?

HARRIET: That's right, blame me.

HETTY: It was your fault. You told me he was too poor and never would be able to do anything in painting. Look at him now, known in Europe, just returned from eight years in Paris, famous.

HARRIET: It was too poor a gamble at the time. It was much safer to accept Charles's money and position.

HETTY: And then John married Margaret within the year.

HARRIET: Out of spite.

HETTY: Freckled, gawky-looking thing she was, too.

HARRIET: [a little sadly] Europe improved her. She was stunning the other morning.

HETTY: Make her jealous today.

HARRIET: Shall I be haughty or cordial or caustic or--

HETTY: Above all else you must let her know that we are rich.

HARRIET: Oh, yes, I do that quite easily now.

HETTY: You must put it on a bit.

HARRIET: Never fear.

HETTY: Tell her I love my husband.

HARRIET: My husband--

HETTY: Are you going to quarrel with me?

HARRIET: [moves away] No, I have no desire to quarrel with you. It is quite too uncomfortable. I couldn't get away from you if I tried.

HETTY: [stamping her foot and following HARRIET] You were a stupid fool to make me refuse John, I'll never forgive you -- never--

HARRIET: [stopping and holding up her hand] Don't get me all excited. I'll be in no condition to meet her properly this afternoon.

HETTY: [passionately] I could choke you for robbing me of John.

HARRIET: [retreating] Don't muss me!

HETTY: You don't know how you have made me suffer.

HARRIET: [beginning to feel the strength of HETTY'S emotion surge through her and trying to conquer it] It is not my business to have heartaches.

HETTY: You're bloodless. Nothing but sham -- sham -- while I --

HARRIET: [emotionally] Be quiet! I can't let her see that I have been fighting with my inner self.

HETTY: And now after all my suffering you say it has cost you more than it has cost me to be married to Charles. But it's the pain here in my heart -- I've paid the price -- I've paid ---- Charles is not your husband!

HARRIET: [trying to conquer emotion] He is.

HETTY: [follows HARRIET] He isn't.

HARRIET: [weakly] He is.

HETTY: [towering over HARRIET] He isn't! I'll kill you!

HARRIET: [overpowered, sinks into a chair] Don't -- don't -- you're stronger than I -- you're --

HETTY: Say he's mine.

HARRIET: He's ours.

Alice Gerstenberg. Overtones. http://www.one-act-plays.com/dramas/overtones.html

Read Overtones: http://www.one-act-plays.com/dramas/overtones.html