Broken Glass by Arthur Miller Read Free Book Online Page B

bet.
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HYMAN, urith utter intimacy: Everybody’s peculiar in one way or another but I’m not here to judge people. Why don’t you try to tell me what happened? His grin; making light of it. Come on, give it a shot.
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GELLBURG : All right... Sighs. I get into bed. She’s sound asleep ... Breaks off. Resumes; something transcendent seems to enter him. Nothing like it ever happened to me, I got a ... a big yen for her. She’s even more beautiful when she sleeps. I gave her a kiss. On the mouth. She didn’t wake up. I never had such a yen in my life.
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Long pause.
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HYMAN: And?
    Gellburg silent.
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Did you make love?
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GELLBURG, an incongruous look of terror, he becomes rigid as though about to decide whether to dive into icy water or flee: ... Yes.
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HYMAN, a quickening, something tentative in Gellburg mystifies: How did she react? -It’s been some time since you did it, you say.
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G ELL B U RG: Well yes.
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HYMAN: Then what was the reaction?
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GELLBURG: She was ... Searches for the word. Gasping. It was really something. I thought of what you told me—about loving her now; I felt I’d brought her out of it. I was almost sure of it. She was like a different woman than I ever knew.
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HYMAN: That’s wonderful. Did she move her legs?
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GELLBURG, unprepared for that question: ... I think so.
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HYMAN: Well did she or didn’t she?
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GELLBURG: Well I was so excited I didn’t really notice, but I guess she must have.
    HYMAN: That’s wonderful, why are you so upset?
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GELLBURG: Well let me finish, there’s more to it.
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HYMAN : Sorry, go ahead.
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GELLBURG:—I brought her some breakfast this morning and—you know-started to—you know-talk a little about it. She looked at me like I was crazy. She claims she doesn’t remember doing it. It never happened.
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Hyman is silent, plays with a pen. Something evasive in this.
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How could she not remember it?
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HYMAN: You’re sure she was awake?
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GELLBURG : How could she not be?
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HYMAN: Did she say anything during the ... ?
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GELLBURG: Well no, but she’s never said much.
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HYMAN: Did she open her eyes?
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GELLBURG: I’m not sure. We were in the dark, but she usually keeps them closed. Impatiently: But she was ... she was groaning, panting ... she had to be awake! And now to say she doesn’t remember?
    Shaken, Hyman gets up and moves; a pause.
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HYMAN : So what do you think is behind it?
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GELLBURG: Well what would any man think? She’s trying to turn me into nothing!
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HYMAN: Now wait, you’re jumping to conclusions.
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GELLBURG: Is such a thing possible? I want your medical opinion-could a woman not remember?
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HYMAN, a moment, then: ... How did she look when she said that; did she seem sincere about not remembering?
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GELLBURG: She looked like I was talking about something on the moon. Finally, she said a terrible thing. I still can’t get over it.
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HYMAN: What’d she say?
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GELLBURG : That I’d imagined doing it.
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Long pause. Hyman doesn’t move.
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What’s your opinion? Well ... could a man imagine such a thing? Is that possible?
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HYMAN, after a moment: Tell you what; supposing I have another talk with her and see what I can figure out?
    GELLBURG, angrily demanding: You have an opinion, don’t you?—How could a man imagine such a thing!
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HYMAN: I don’t know what to say ...
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GELLBURG: What do you mean you don’t know what to say! It’s impossible, isn’t it? To invent such a thing?
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HYMAN, fear of being out of his depth: Phillip, don’t cross-examine me, I’m doing everythig I know to help you! —Frankly, I can’t follow what you’re telling me—you’re sure in your own mind you had relations with her?
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GELLBURG: How can you even ask me such a thing?