The Constant Lover
by St. John HankinGenre: Romance
Setting:
Format of Original Source: Play
Recommended Adaptation Length:
Candidate for Adaptation? Not Reviewed
EXCERPT:
EVELYN. Reggie? [The sparrows’ chatter starts again.]
CECIL [nods]. Reggie’s in love with you, isn’t he? So am I. And both at once too! I’m only in love with one person at a time.
EVELYN [rebelliously]. I can’t help Reggie being in love with me.
CECIL. And I can’t help my being in love with you. That’s just my point. I knew you’d see it.
EVELYN. I don’t see it at all. Reggie is quite different from you. Reggie’s love is true and constant….
CECIL. Well, I’m a constant lover if you come to that.
EVELYN. You aren’t. You know you aren’t.
CECIL. Yes, I am. A constant lover is a lover who is constantly in love.
EVELYN. Only with the same person.
CECIL. It doesn’t say so. It only says constant.
EVELYN [half-laughing]. How ridiculous you are! [Turns away.]
CECIL [sigh of relief]. That’s right. Now you’re good-tempered again.
EVELYN. I’m not.
CECIL. What a story!
EVELYN. I’m not. I’m very, very angry.
CECIL. That’s impossible. You can’t possibly be angry and laugh at the same time, can you? No one can. And you did laugh. You’re doing it now.
[She does so unwillingly.]
So don’t let’s quarrel any more. It’s absurd to quarrel on such a fine day, isn’t it? Let’s make it up, and be lovers again.
[The sparrows die away.]
EVELYN [shaking her head]. No.
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