The Penitent (TCG Edition) Read online

  KATH: Places like this.

  CHARLES: But not with you.

  KATH: That’s right.

  (Pause.)

  CHARLES: What can I bring you?

  KATH: No. No. They told you. You can’t bring me anything here.

  CHARLES: That’s right.

  (Pause.)

  KATH: How is the case going?

  CHARLES: The case is not important. You’re important.

  KATH: The case is important to you.

  CHARLES: But it’s not important to us.

  KATH: Yes. It is.

  CHARLES: All that’s important is you.

  KATH: I don’t think I’m worth it.

  CHARLES: I know. But you are.

  (Pause.)

  How are you?

  KATH: I’m so frightened.

  CHARLES: I know.

  KATH: I don’t know who I am.

  CHARLES: You’re my wife. I love you. And I put you under impossible strain.

  KATH: Perhaps you were doing what you thought was right.

  CHARLES: Thank you. I thank you. But I don’t know it was right. If . . .

  (Pause.)

  If the price of my . . . dilemma . . .

  KATH: Yes.

  CHARLES: Was finding you here.

  KATH: Then perhaps this is part of your “punishment”?

  CHARLES: I don’t know.

  KATH: But here I am.

  CHARLES: You broke. Everyone . . . Has his breaking point. And I’ve always marveled. Since I met you. At your goodness. I’ve put you. In an impossible place. And I think your . . . your break came from, in part, from . . .

  KATH: I . . .

  CHARLES: Your inability to care for me.

  KATH: Is that what you think?

  CHARLES: Yes.

  KATH: I have to go back soon.

  CHARLES: I love you, Kath.

  KATH: Thank you.

  CHARLES: Stay for a while.

  KATH: They have to check on you. They . . .

  CHARLES: I know.

  KATH: To check you in.

  (Pause.)

  Every quarter-hour.

  CHARLES: How are you doing?

  KATH: It’s hard.

  CHARLES: What could I do to make it easier?

  KATH: I don’t know.

  CHARLES: Is it difficult for you, my coming?

  (Pause.)

  They said they’d give us a pass. Tomorrow, if you like. We could go off the grounds. What do you think?

  KATH: I’d rather stay here.

  CHARLES: All right.

  KATH: Have you looked at my reports?

  CHARLES: No.

  KATH: You haven’t?

  CHARLES: No, of course not. And they wouldn’t show them to me.

  KATH: They wouldn’t?

  CHARLES: No.

  KATH: But you’re a doctor.

  CHARLES: But I’m not your doctor.

  (Pause.)

  Kath? How are you, Kath?

  KATH: Not good. They’ll come by in a bit.

  CHARLES: I know.

  KATH: Of course you know.

  (Pause.)

  I couldn’t take it.

  CHARLES: No, I understand.

  KATH: No, you don’t.

  CHARLES: All right. I’m glad you’re safe.

  KATH: I’m not safe.

  CHARLES: Are you going to try it again?

  KATH: I don’t know.

  CHARLES: Well, in any case, you’re safe from that.

  KATH: Yes. That’s the problem.

  CHARLES: The situation. Will pass.

  KATH: That’s not the problem.

  CHARLES: Then, what is the problem?

  KATH: I can’t tell you.

  CHARLES: Then, how can I help you?

  KATH: You can’t help me. Did you look at the charts?

  CHARLES: No. I told you.

  KATH: But you might have lied. People lie. You know that. Everyone lies. Doctors certainly lie. The boy lied.

  (Pause.

  She rises.)

  CHARLES: Talk to me.

  KATH: They said just a few minutes.

  CHARLES: Talk to me.

  KATH: I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

  CHARLES: I’ll ask them to let me stay.

  KATH: I’ll talk to you tomorrow. With the doctor.

  CHARLES: Talk to me now.

  KATH: No. I want the doctors to be there.

  CHARLES: Can you tell me why?

  KATH: So I can be safe.

  CHARLES: What can’t you tell me? After all this time.

  (Pause.)

  KATH: I had an affair.

  CHARLES: Is that why you’re here?

  (Pause.)

  Kath. You had an affair.

  KATH: Yes.

  CHARLES: With whom?

  KATH: With Richard.

  (Pause.)

  CHARLES: How long did it go on?

  KATH: Some time.

  CHARLES: I see.

  (Pause.)

  Is it over?

  KATH: Yes.

  CHARLES: Well, then, it’s done.

  (Pause.)

  KATH: I have to go.

  (Kath rises and knocks on the door.)

  You used to tell me I’m “some girl.”

  CHARLES: You’re my girl.

  KATH: I’m not a girl.

  CHARLES: That’s how I think of you.

  KATH: But that’s not what I am.

  CHARLES: I understand.

  KATH: What do you understand?

  CHARLES: That you . . .

  KATH: All right.

  CHARLES: . . . were under intolerable stress . . .

  KATH: . . . All right.

  CHARLES: . . . that, in that state . . .

  KATH: Yes.

  CHARLES: He sed . . .

  KATH: He didn’t seduce . . .

  CHARLES: Wait, that he, whatever name you want to . . .

  KATH: Richard didn’t seduce me.

  CHARLES: No, I understand . . .

  KATH: What do you understand?

  CHARLES: That something “snapped.”

  KATH: Yes . . .?

  CHARLES: . . . That perhaps he offered you, a . . .

  KATH: Yes?

  CHARLES: A “haven” . . . I don’t know—a respite, he . . .

  KATH: Yes, that’s right . . .

  CHARLES: That, that, you need love. And that your love . . .

  KATH: Go on.

  CHARLES: That our love was, what, “thwarted.” By the, the stress. Of our position. And when this occurred, and that occurred, then you took refuge. With someone with whom you could be free.

  (Pause.)

  And I don’t begrudge you. Your affair. I’m not angry with you. I’m not going to leave you. In fact, I need to find peace. With you.

  KATH: . . . To find peace.

  CHARLES: And ask your forgiveness. And thank you.

  KATH: . . . Thank me . . .?

  CHARLES: For staying with me. All this time. When I was struggling.

  KATH: You were struggling?

  CHARLES: With this. With. My “practice.” With, with my “profession.” I couldn’t help the boy, I could help no one, I couldn’t help you. Whom did I aid? With what “knowledge”? They’re right. And I took money. To “listen.” To do nothing. They’re right.

  KATH: . . . Yes . . .?

  CHARLES: . . . And I knew it was a sham. And. Whatever misfortune, I’ve encountered. And brought upon you. I understand it. It came from a sinful, vile hypocrisy. And pride on my part. Which led to this. Of course it did..

  KATH: And you say you’re at fault.

  CHARLES: I am.

  KATH: When did you realize it?

  CHARLES: You know when I did.

  KATH: Tell me.

  CHARLES: When the boy. Shot those people. When I read his ravings.

  (Pause.)

  When . . .

  KATH: And what did you do?

  CHARLES: I confessed myself before God. An
d pleaded for mercy.

  KATH: And your prayers were answered?

  CHARLES: They were “heard.” Which is more than I deserve.

  KATH: And so you found the answer in God.

  CHARLES: That’s right. I don’t ask you to believe it. Or to accept it. But . . .

  KATH: . . . But?

  CHARLES: My God, we were involved in a tragedy, the State argues that his act was rational, the Defense wants me to explain why he should be excused.

  KATH: No, we couldn’t excuse him.

  CHARLES: I couldn’t. Or myself. For participating in the farce. That somehow I could help him.

  KATH: And so you refused to testify.

  CHARLES: That’s right.

  KATH: At whatever the cost.

  CHARLES: That’s right.

  KATH: As a sort of penance . . .

  CHARLES: As a moral choice.

  KATH: And how did you arrive at your choice?

  CHARLES: I prayed.

  KATH: And your prayers were answered.

  CHARLES: I believe they were.

  KATH: Then, you must be a good man.

  CHARLES: I would like to be.

  KATH: And came here to profess your love to a bad woman.

  CHARLES: I don’t believe you’re bad.

  KATH: . . . No . . .

  CHARLES: I believe. You were driven.

  (Pause.)

  KATH: I think about him.

  CHARLES: But it’s over. Is it over?

  KATH: Oh yes.

  CHARLES: Then, you don’t need to tell me anything more.

  KATH: Do you love me that much?

  CHARLES: I do.

  KATH: And what will happen now?

  CHARLES: You’ll come back, and . . .

  KATH: You’d “take me back.”

  CHARLES: Of course.

  KATH: And “forgive me”?

  CHARLES: Yes. I will.

  KATH: And if I don’t want to come back?

  (Pause.)

  CHARLES: Do you want to go to Richard?

  KATH: I can’t.

  CHARLES: Why not?

  KATH: Because he respects his family.

  (Pause.)

  And he. Would not expose them. To the shame. To which you have, so easily, exposed me. Did you think of me? For one moment? When you “found religion”? When you “changed your life”? And was I supposed to put on a fucking veil, and walk behind you? Meekly. While our friends left, while your patients left and the world turned on you, while they took your license? And the one man, I could turn to. For comfort? Comforted me. As long as he could. And when he could not . . .

  CHARLES: I understand.

  KATH: You understand what?

  CHARLES: That people can die of a broken heart.

  KATH: Yes. That’s right.

  CHARLES: And I understand how one may heal it.

  KATH: How is that?

  CHARLES: By turning to God.

  KATH: When did you turn to God?

  CHARLES: When I had nothing.

  KATH: Yes. When things became so bad that you had nothing. And wanted to die.

  CHARLES: The boy wrote that I hated him. Because I “wouldn’t help him.” But I tried to help him.

  KATH: Yes, of course you did.

  CHARLES: . . . According to my understanding. And I failed.

  (Pause.)

  After the murders? I was set upon.

  KATH: Yes. You were.

  CHARLES: And I turned to God. For wisdom, Kath. Because I didn’t understand. Why I was being punished. Why was I being punished?

  KATH: Are you asking me?

  CHARLES: Why in the name of God am I being punished?

  KATH: Because you gave the boy back the gun.

  (Pause.)

  You gave him back the gun. It’s in your files. Richard told me. The boy brought the gun into the office. And he told you what he planned to do. And at the end of the hour you said, “That’s all we have time for today.” And he took the gun and killed those people. It’s in your notes.

  (Pause.)

  Richard, you know, he always loved me. We were going to go away. But when he read the files. When he learned what you did, how could he stay with me? Because it would come out. You know that. I understood. It was not only him, but his children. And his family, whose name would then forever be linked with ours. With the name of a monster. And he just couldn’t do it. I understood. But it broke his heart. It broke his heart.

  (Pause.)

  And, so, you’ve killed us all. You good, good man.

  END

  DAVID MAMET’s numerous plays include Oleanna, Glengarry Glen Ross (winner of the Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award), American Buffalo, Speed-the-Plow, Boston Marriage, November, The Anarchist and Race. He wrote the screenplays for The Verdict, The Untouchables and Wag the Dog, and has twice been nominated for an Academy Award. He has written and directed ten films, including Homicide, The Spanish Prisoner, State and Main, House of Games, Spartan and Redbelt. In addition, he wrote the novels The Village, The Old Religion, Wilson and many books of nonfiction, including Bambi vs. Godzilla: On the Nature, Purpose and Practice of the Movie Business; Theatre; Three Uses of the Knife: On the Nature and Purpose of Drama and the New York Times bestseller The Secret Knowledge: On the Dismantling of American Culture. His HBO film Phil Spector, starring Al Pacino and Helen Mirren, aired in 2013. He was co-creator and executive producer of the CBS television show The Unit. His novel Chicago was published in 2018. He is a founding member of the Atlantic Theater Company.