TOM: Weak is not the word Id have chosen, I must say.
MARY: Surely not weak, Harry?
ANNA: Weak is new, Harry. Since when, weak?
HARRY: Ill explain. It came to me in a flash, one night when I was driving home very late it was dawn, to be precise, you see, weak men like me
ANNA [suddenly serious]: Harry, Im not in the mood.
HARRY: Of course you are. We are always in the mood to talk about ourselves. Im talking about you, Anna. Youre like Helen. Now what does Helen say? She says, she doesnt mind who I have affairs with provided they are women shed like herself.
TOM: Charming.
MARY: But Harry, Helens got to say something well, I mean to say.
ANNA: I simply cant stand your damned alibis.
HARRY: Tom must have been bad for you, Anna, if youre going to get all pompous. Helen and I
ANNA [snapping]: Harry, you forget I know Helen very well.
HARRY [not realizing her mood]: Of course you do. And so do I. And you ought to take on Dave the way Helens taken me on
ANNA: Harry, go away.
HARRY [still blithe]: No, Anna. Ive been thinking. Youve got to marry Dave. He needs you.
[MARY makes a warning gesture at HARRY, indicating ANNA.]
[to MARY] Dont be silly, darling. [to ANNA again] Helen knows Ill always come back to her. Anna, Dave needs you. Have a heart. Whatll Dave do?
ANNA [snapping into hysterical resentment]: Ill tell you what hell do. Hell do what you did. You married Helen who was very much in love with you. When she had turned into just another boring housewife and mother you began philandering. She had no alternative but to stay put.
HARRY: Anna, Anna, Anna!
ANNA: Oh shut up. I know Helen, I know exactly what sort of hell shes had with you.
HARRY: Tom, you really have been bad for Anna, youve made her all bitchy.
ANNA: Dave will marry some girl whos in love with him. Oh, hell fight every inch of the way, of course. Then therell be children and hell be free to do as he likes. Hell have a succession of girls, and in between each one hell go back and weep on his wifes shoulder because of his unfortunately weak character. Weak like hell. Shell forgive him all right. Hell even use her compliance as an additional attraction for the little girls, just as you do. My wife understands me, hell say, with a sloppy look on his face. She knows what Im like. Shell always be there to take me back. God almighty, what a man.
HARRY: Anna, you little bitch.
ANNA: Thats right. But theres just one thing, Dave shouldnt have picked on me. Im economically independent. I have no urge for security so I dont have to sell myself out. And I have a child already, so theres no way of making me helpless, is there, dear weak, helpless Harry?
HARRY: Mary, you should have told me Anna was in such a bitchy mood and I wouldnt have come up.
MARY: But I did tell you, and you said, Well Anna wont be bitchy with me.
[The door bell, downstairs.]
MARY: Ill go.
ANNA: Mary, Im out.
MARY: Well dont blame me for Harry, he insisted. [as she goes out] Pussy, pussy, puss, puss.
HARRY: I cant think what Mary would do if Anna did get married.
TOM [spitefully]: They are rather like an old married couple, arent they?
[ANNA pulls down the window with a crash and turns her back on them.]
HARRY: But so nice to drop in on for aid and comfort when in trouble. [to ANNAS back] Anna, Im in trouble.
ANNA: Dont worry, youll be in love with someone else in a few weeks.
HARRY [humorous but serious]: But I wont. This girl, my poppet, shes getting married. [as ANNA shrugs] For Gods sake woman, shut the window, its freezing. [ANNA shuts it, but remains looking down.] She met some swine at a party actually hes very nice. A handsome young swine he really is nice. Shes marrying him actually, I advised her to. Anna!
ANNA: Did you expect her to hang round for the rest of her life in a state of single blessedness because you didnt want to break up your happy home with Helen? [she turns, sees his face, which is genuinely miserable] Oh all right. Im sorry. Im very sorry. [She puts her arms around him.]
HARRY: Theres my Anna. [to TOM] Im sure youve never seen this side of her, but she is a sweet girl, at heart.
TOM: Well, now youve gained your little need of sympathy from Anna, perhaps I may be permitted to say a word or two?
HARRY: No. You two should just kiss and say goodbye and stop tormenting each other.
TOM: Anna I know that what goes on in the street is a hundred times more interesting than I am, but
HARRY: Of course it is, shes waiting for Dave.
ANNA: Im not waiting for Dave.
[She comes away from the window. Sits on the bed, her head in her hands.]
TOM: I want to talk to Anna.
MARY [from downstairs]: Puss, puss, puss, puss.
TOM [mocking her]: Puss, puss, puss, puss.
HARRY: Mary should get married. Anna, you should make Mary get married before its too late.
TOM: Before its too late!
ANNA: Mary could marry if she wanted.
TOM [derisively]: Then why doesnt she?
ANNA: Strange as it might seem to you, she doesnt want to get married just for the sake of getting married.
HARRY: Yes, but thats all very well, Anna. Its all right for you youre such a self-contained little thing. But not for Mary. You should get her married regardless to the first clot who comes along.