A Woman's Vengeance Page #6

Anything!

When will you women understand that

all one asks for, is a little amusement.

And a quiet life!

Instead of which.

Well .. I don't know why the

devil I ever married you.

Why did any man in his right mind

ever marry any woman for that matter?

Henry!

Maurier.

Libbard.

I've just been sent for, to your house.

- What for?

Your maid told me over the phone

that your wife had taken poison.

Taken poison?

Fortunately, it was nothing more than

an overdose of sleeping pills.

I've told them what emergency measures

to take, so I hope it won't be serious.

Get in.

Is it the result of what

happened at the inquest?

Yes .. yes, that and other things.

I got angry because she

took it for granted that I ..

Well that .. I was responsible

for what happened to Emily.

I said a lot of things I

should not have said.

I see.

Libbard .. do you think I did it?

No, I don't.

Then how did it happen?

One of them tries to kill herself.

Perhaps the other succeeded?

But why? Why?

Ask yourself, Maurier.

If you were a woman, would you have

been very happy as Mrs Henry Maurier?

I would rather you didn't come up.

Very well.

Well.

That's that, young woman.

Two days in bed and you

can do what you want.

No more of this sort of thing, remember.

What's to prevent me?

Nothing except your own common

sense and common decency.

If he doesn't love me I

don't want to go on living.

Who cares what you want? Who cares

about your beastly little emotions?

Why not think of somebody

else for a change?

I think of Henry all the time.

You don't. You think of

yourself in relation to Henry.

Which is a very different proposition.

Thank you, Maisey. You may go.

Remember, if you wake up in the

night with cramps in your intestines.

Don't blame Henry.

It's your own fault entirely.

There.

You are quite right, Dr Libbard.

It was wrong.

I promise I won't do it again.

Good girl.

- No. No, I'm not good.

That's why all this is happening.

Tell me, how can I help him?

Well.

In the first place,

you must believe in him.

Through thick and thin in spite of

everything. That's the first thing.

Then whatever happens.

You must be strong.

Be calm. No tears, no harrowing scenes.

They are just an indulgence. That's all.

Some women cry as easily as a big grunt.

And they enjoy it very nearly as much.

So don't do it.

Don't do it.

And finally, remember you

are going to have baby.

That's probably the best thing

that's ever happened to Henry.

So for goodness sake don't

let's make a mess of it.

You see who is here?

Is she alright?

- Flourishing.

And there isn't going to be more of

this sort of nonsense, is there Doris.

I'm so thankful you got here in time.

Yes. But it would have been better if

there hadn't been a need for me to come.

Goodbye, Doris.

Goodbye, Henry.

- Thank you.

Will you forgive me, Doris?

Darling, I'm the one who

needs to be forgiven.

It was all selfishness, really.

I can see it now.

I was trying to spite you.

Trying to get my own back.

I began it I'm afraid.

I ought to have known better.

At eighteen?

To think I tried to kill myself.

And everything so beautiful ..

So mysterious.

Even that fly on the ceiling.

Even that silly old

doll you tore to bits.

And this.

How wonderful it is simply being able

to move from one place to another.

It's empty here.

It's empty there.

Just think of you in your own emptiness.

If everything was so jammed

full you couldn't move.

Like .. like in a coffin.

That's death.

That's hell.

But darling, I was forgetting.

Before you came I rang Imperial Airways.

There's a plane leaving

Croydon in the morning.

This is Friday. There's a

whole weekend in front of us.

We could be in Africa before

they found out, or in Turkey or ..

Henry.

You still believe I did it?

But I don't. I don't.

Then why did you suggest

that I should run away?

Oh, I've been a fool again.

I made you angry.

It's only because I love you so much.

It was because I was so very anxious in

case you couldn't make them understand.

Shall I tell you something?

I said a very stupid

thing this afternoon.

I said I didn't know why

I ever married you.

Well, perhaps I didn't know it then.

But now I do know.

I know very well.

What?

Because I love you.

Oh, my darling.

When the medicine was

brought from the house.

Who poured it out?

Nobody did.

It was brought out in a wine glass.

- In a what?

In a wine glass.

- Oh, I see.

Mr Maurier poured it out in the house?

- Yes.

Could you see him pour it out?

Not from where I was sitting.

But knowing Mr Maurier

as I do, I feel certain ..

That's sufficient. Thank you.

It's utterly unthinkable.

I'm here to determine

facts, Miss Spence.

Not to speculate about

what is or is not thinkable.

Thank you. You may go now.

I propose to recall Mr Maurier.

Henry Maurier.

We now come to.

A rather painful subject.

Tell me.

Were you acquainted with

the present Mrs Maurier ..

Before the death of your first wife?

With respect, sir.

I fail to see what bearing this question

can have on the present enquiry.

You will please allow me to conduct the

proceedings in my court in my own way.

Will you please answer

the question, Mr Maurier?

I had been acquainted with

her for about .. four months or so.

Mrs Maurier's maid has testified.

That after lunch you offered to go

and fetch your wife's medicine.

Is that the case?

- Yes.

Did you bring it back, the medicine?

In the bottle?

No. I poured out two tablespoonfuls

into a wine glass.

And I swear to God I added nothing!

Please, please.

- I'm sorry.

I must protest.

You will kindly confine yourself to

answering my questions, Mr Maurier.

Was anyone with you in the room ..

When you poured out the medicine?

- No.

Clerk, do you have the ledger there.

Will you please show it to this witness.

On the .. fourth line from the top.

Do you recognise your signature?

- I do.

Mrs Filmore's records show.

That on the day before Mrs Maurier died.

You purchased a tin of weedkiller.

Is that the case?

Yes.

Are you aware that the weedkiller

in question is a .. powerful poison?

Yes.

Shortly before purchasing

the weedkiller ..

Did you have a quarrel

with the late Mrs Maurier?

Yes .. I suppose you could call it that.

Thank you. That is all.

Well, here we are. Sure you won't

change your mind and come with us?

No.

We start by feeding the dogs.

It's good to be with dogs for a change.

Takes your mind off your troubles.

Wouldn't have minded being a dog myself.

A comfortable kennel, free meals.

Unlimited access to the females of the

species. When you're old they shoot you.

No wheelchairs, no torture,

no blasted nurses.

One bang and it's over. Ha ha!

Put on your things and come with us. Do.

No, father. I'd rather not.

It would help you to sleep

if you took some exercise.

Please.

A good brisk walk.

That's what you need, dear.

And then five minutes of deep breathing.

I'm a great believer in deep breathing.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote