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Read Ebook: Possession: A Peep-Show in Paradise by Housman Laurence
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Ebook has 395 lines and 8797 words, and 8 pages
JULIA. To consult William's wishes, I meant.
LAURA. But I want him. I've a right to him. If he didn't mean to belong to me, he ought not to have married me.
JULIA. People make mistakes sometimes.
LAURA. Then they should stick to them. It's not honourable. Julia, I mean to have William!
JULIA . You and he must arrange that between you.
LAURA . William! William, I say! William!
JULIA. Oh, Laura, you'll wake the dead!
LAURA . William!
JULIA. Apparently you are to have your wish.
LAURA. William, is that you?
WILLIAM . Yes, my dear; it's me.
LAURA. Can't you be more distinct than that?
WILLIAM. Why do you want me?
LAURA. Have you forgotten I'm your wife?
WILLIAM. I thought you were my widow, my dear.
LAURA. William, don't prevaricate. I am your wife, and you know it.
WILLIAM. Does a wife wear widow's weeds? A widow is such a distant relation: no wonder I look indistinct.
LAURA. How did I know whether I was going to find you here?
WILLIAM. Where else? But you look very nice as you are, my dear. Black suits you.
LAURA. William, who are you living with?
WILLIAM. With myself, my dear.
LAURA. Anyone else?
WILLIAM. Off and on I have friends staying.
LAURA. Are you living with Isabel?
WILLIAM. She comes in occasionally to see how I'm getting on.
LAURA. And how are you 'getting on'--without me?
WILLIAM. Oh, I manage--somehow.
LAURA. Are you living a proper life, William?
LAURA. There's a great deal I want to know. But I wish you'd come in and shut the door, instead of standing out there in the passage.
LAURA. Then I don't call it a door.
WILLIAM . When is a door not a door? When it's a parent.
LAURA. William, I want to talk seriously. Do you know that when you died you left a lot of debts I didn't know about?
WILLIAM. I didn't know about them either, my dear. But if you had, it wouldn't have made any difference.
LAURA. Yes, it would! I gave you a very expensive funeral.
WILLIAM. That was to please yourself, my dear; it didn't concern me.
LAURA. Have you no self-respect? I've been at my own funeral to-day, let me tell you!
WILLIAM. Have you, my dear? Rather trying, wasn't that?
LAURA. Yes, it was. They've gone and put me beside you; and now I begin to wish they hadn't!
WILLIAM. Go and haunt them for it!
LAURA . I had to go into a smaller house, William. And people knew it was because you'd left me badly off.
WILLIAM. That reflected on me, my dear, not on you.
LAURA. It reflected on me for ever having married you.
WILLIAM. I've often heard you blame yourself. Well, now you're free.
WILLIAM. You can be if you like. Hadn't you better?
LAURA . Don't you see I'm still in mourning for you, William?
WILLIAM. I appreciate the compliment, my dear. Don't spoil it.
LAURA. Don't be heartless!
WILLIAM. I'm not: far from it. I'm afraid I must go now.
LAURA. Why must you go?
WILLIAM. They are expecting me--to dinner.
LAURA. Who's 'they'?
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