Requiem for a Nun

REQUIEM FOR A NUN 223

TEMPLE

All right. Why do you think there is something I haven't told yet?

STEVENS

You came back. All the way from California-

TEMPLE

Not enough. Try again.

STEVENS

You were there.

(with her face averted, Temple reaches her hand to the

table, fumbles until she finds the cigarette box, takes a

cigarette and with the same hand fumbles until she finds

the lighter, draws them back to her lap)

At the trial. Every day. All day, from the time court opened-

TEMPLE

(still not looking at him, supremely casual, puts the

cigarette into her mouth, talking around it, the cigarette

bobbing)

The bereaved mother-

STEVENS

Yes, the bereaved mother-

TEMPLE

(the cigarette bobbing: still not looking at him)

-herself watching the accomplishment of her revenge; the tigress over

the body of her slain cub-

STEVENS

-who should have been too immersed in grief to have thought of

revenge-to have borne the very sight of her child's murderer ...

TEMPLE

(not looking at him)

Methinks she doth protest too much?

Stevens doesn't answer. She snaps the lighter on, lights the cigarette,

puts the lighter back on the table. Leaning, Stevens