sketch

[Through some unhappy chance, they end up in a room together. Alone. In silence.]

R: *abruptly* It wasn't my fault.

L: Oh?

R: Y'know, with Mary.

L: *he knows* Like hell it wasn't.

R: *defensively* Hey, I didn't marry a pretty girl and then ignore her.

L: *coldly* Watch your mouth, Menzogna.

R: *a rather pathetic attempt at cruelty* Working those long hours away from home...

L: *but it strikes home anyway* To give her everything she wanted!

R: *slyly* Except what she really wanted.

L: *stiffly* She never complained about it.

R: She wouldn't have dared. You would've beaten her.

>L: *starts forward* I won't stand for that kind of talk.

R: *now afraid, but brazenly defying his fear* I bet she was just thrilled that I took her to bed.

L: *in a deep growl* You f—ing raped her, you bastard.

R: *stung; he doesn't like to think of it that way* Did she ever say she didn't like it?

L: *hands clenched under his long coat sleeves* She couldn't stop crying.

R: *cruelty comes more naturally now* And begging for more?

L: You insult my wife again, you'll wish you'd never been born.

R: *a shot in the dark* You were always one to act before you thought.

L: *rapidfire, mocking* And you were a 'sensitive' guy.

R: Gorilla.

L: Pansy.

R: *deeply wounded* You wanna take this outside?

L: Man, you and your f—ing ego.

R: *rallies strongly, comes back spiteful* Your wife was good, Farrell. Very good.

L: *leaps forward and grabs him by the throat* Say that again and I'll blow you a new asshole.

R: You just try it, Lou. *his voice is strained by the chokehold yet triumphant* You just try it.

[Illustration: position held by both in the last line.]<