The Children's Hour

Martha:
There's always been something wrong. Always, just as long as I can remember. But I never knew what it was until all this happened.

Karen:
Stop it Martha! Stop this crazy talk!

Martha:
You're afraid of hearing it, but I'm more afraid that you.

Karen:
I won't listen to you!

Martha:
No! You've got to know. I've got to tell you. I can't keep it to myself any longer. I'm guilty!

Karen:
You're guilty of nothing!

Martha:
I've been telling myself that since the night I heard the child say it. I lie in bed night after night praying that it isn't true. But I know about it now. It's there. I don't know how, I don't know why. But I did love you! I do love you! I resented your plans to marry. Maybe because I wanted you. Maybe I've wanted you all these years. I couldn't call it by name before, but maybe it's been there since I first knew you.

Karen:
But it's not the truth, not a word of it is true! We've never thought of each other that way.

Martha:
No, of course you didn't. But who's to say I didn't. I'd never felt that way about anybody before you. I've never loved a man. I never knew why before, maybe it's that.

Karen:
You're tired and worn out.

Martha:
It's funny. It's all mixed up. There's something in you, and you don't know anything about it because you don't know it's there. And then suddenly, one night a little girl gets bored and tells a lie, and there, for the first time, you see it. Then you say to yourself, did she see it? Did she sense it?

Karen:
But you know it could have been any lie. She was looking for anything to...

Martha:
But why this lie? She found the lie with the ounce of truth. Don't you see? I can't stand to have you touch me! I can't stand to have you look at me! Oh, it's all my fault. I have ruined your life and I have ruined my own. I swear I didn't know it! I didn't mean it! Oh, I feel so damn sick and dirty I can't stand it anymore!

Karen:
All this isn't true. You've never said it; we'll forget it by tomorrow.

Martha:
Tomorrow? That's a funny word. Karen, we would have had to invent a new language, as children do, without words like tomorrow.

Mrs. Lily Mortar :
God will punish you.

Martha:
He's doing all right.