Betrayal. Harold Pinter

right.

      Pause.

      Yes, everyone was there that day, standing around, your husband, my wife, all the kids, I remember.

      EMMA What day?

      JERRY When I threw her up. It was in your kitchen.

      EMMA It was in your kitchen.

      Silence.

      JERRY Darling.

      EMMA Don’t say that.

      Pause.

      It all . . .

      JERRY Seems such a long time ago.

      EMMA Does it?

      JERRY Same again?

      He takes the glasses, goes to the bar. She sits still. He returns, with the drinks, sits.

      EMMA I thought of you the other day.

      Pause.

      I was driving through Kilburn. Suddenly I saw where I was. I just stopped, and then I turned down Kinsale Drive and drove into Wessex Grove. I drove past the house and then stopped about fifty yards further on, like we used to do, do you remember?

      JERRY Yes.

      EMMA People were coming out of the house. They walked up the road.

      JERRY What sort of people?

      EMMA Oh . . . young people. Then I got out of the car and went up the steps. I looked at the bells, you know, the names on the bells. I looked for our name.

      Pause.

      JERRY Green.

      Pause.

      Couldn’t see it, eh?

      EMMA No.

      JERRY That’s because we’re not there any more. We haven’t been there for years.

      EMMA No we haven’t.

      Pause.

      JERRY I hear you’re seeing a bit of Casey.

      EMMA What?

      JERRY Casey. I just heard you were . . . seeing a bit of him.

      EMMA Where did you hear that?

      JERRY Oh . . . people . . . talking.

      EMMA Christ.

      JERRY The funny thing was that the only thing I really felt was irritation, I mean irritation that nobody gossiped about us like that, in the old days. I nearly said, now look, she may be having the occasional drink with Casey, who cares, but she and I had an affair for seven years and none of you bastards had the faintest idea it was happening.

      Pause.

      EMMA I wonder. I wonder if everyone knew, all the time.

      JERRY Don’t be silly. We were brilliant. Nobody knew. Who ever went to Kilburn in those days?Just you and me.

      Pause.

      Anyway, what’s all this about you and Casey?

      EMMA What do you mean?

      JERRY What’s going on?

      EMMA We have the occasional drink.

      JERRY I thought you didn’t admire his work.

      EMMA I’ve changed. Or his work has changed. Are you jealous?

      JERRY Of what?

      Pause.

      I couldn’t be jealous of Casey. I’m his agent. I advised him about his divorce. I read all his first drafts. I persuaded your husband to publish his first novel. I escort him to Oxford to speak at the Union. He’s my . . . he’s my boy. I discovered him when he was a poet, and that’s a bloody long time ago now.

      Pause.

      He’s even taken me down to Southampton to meet his Mum and Dad. I couldn’t be jealous of Casey. Anyway it’s not as if we’re having an affair now, is it? We haven’t seen each other for years. Really, I’m very happy if you’re happy.

      Pause.

      What about Robert?

      Pause.

      EMMA Well . . . I think we’re going to separate.

      JERRY Oh?

      EMMA We had a long talk . . . last night.

      JERRY Last night?

      EMMA You know what I found out . . . last night? He’s betrayed me for years. He’s had . . . other women for years.

      JERRY No? Good Lord.

      Pause.

      But we betrayed him for years.

      EMMA And he betrayed me for years.

      JERRY Well I never knew that.

      EMMA Nor did I.

      Pause.

      JERRY Does Casey know about this?

      EMMA I wish you wouldn’t keep calling him Casey. His name is Roger.

      JERRY Yes. Roger.

      EMMA I phoned you. I don’t know why.