It's our first anniversary next Wednesday, did you know that?
DISSON . Of course I did. How could I forget? Well go out together in the evening. Just you and I. Alone.
DIANA . Oh. Good.
DISSON . I'm also giving a little tea party in the office, in the afternoon. My mother and father'll be up.
DIANA . Oh good
Pause.
DISSON . How have you enjoyed our first year?
DIANA . It's been wonderful. It's been a very exciting year.
Pause.
DISSON . You've been marvellous with the boys.
DIANA . They like me.
DISSON . Yes, they do. They do.
Pause.
It's been a great boon, to have you work for the firm.
DIANA . Oh, I'm glad. I am glad.
Pause.
Be nice to get away to Spain.
Pause.
DISSON . You've got enough money, haven't you? I mean, you have sufficient money to see you through, for all you want?
DIANA . Oh yes. I have, thank you.
Pause.
DISSON . I'm very proud of you, you know.
DIANA . I'm proud of you.
Silence.
Disson’s office.
DISSON . Have you written to Corley?
WENDY . Yes, Mr Disson.
DISSON . And Turnbull?
WENDY . Yes, Mr Disson.
DISSON . And Erverley?
WENDY . Yes, Mr Disson.
DISSON . Carbon of the Erverley letter, please.
WENDY . Here you are, Mr Disson.
DISSON . Ah. I see you've spelt Erverley right.
WENDY . Right?
DISSON . People tend, very easily, to leave out the first R and call him Everley. You haven't done that.
WENDY . No. ( She turns .)
DISSON . Just a minute. How did you spell Turnbull? You needn't show me. Tell me.
WENDY . TURNBULL.
DISSON . Quite correct.
Pause.
Quite correct Now what about –?
The screen goes black .
Where are you?
Pause.
I can't see you.
WENDY . I'm here, Mr Disson.
DISSON . Where?
WENDY . You're looking at me, Mr Disson.
DISSON . You mean my eyes are open?
Pause.
WENDY . I'm where I was. I haven't moved.
DISSON . Are my eyes open?
WENDY . Mr Disson, really . . .
DISSON . Is this you? This I feel?
WENDY . Yes.
DISSON . What, all this I can feel?
WENDY . You're playing one of your games, Mr Disson. You're being naughty again.
Vision back.
DISSON looks at her.
You sly old thing.
Disley’s surgery.
A torch shines in DISSON’S eyes, first right, then left. Torch out. Light on .
DISLEY . There's nothing wrong with them.
DISSON . What then?
DISLEY . I only deal with eyes, old chap. Why do you come to me? Why don't you go to someone else?
DISSON . Because it's my eyes that are affected.
DISLEY . Look. Why don't you go to someone else?
DISLEY begins to clear away his instruments .
Nothing worrying you, is there?
DISSON . Of course not. I've got everything I want.
DISLEY . Getting a holiday soon?
DISSON . Going to Spain.
DISLEY . Lucky man.
Pause.
DISSON . Look. Listen. You're my oldest friend. You were going to be the best man at my wedding.
DISLEY . That's right.
DISSON . You wrote a wonderful speech in my honour.
DISLEY . Yes.
DISSON . But you were ill. You had to opt out.
DISLEY . That's right.
Pause.
DISSON . Help me.
Pause.
DISLEY . Who made the speech? Your brother-in-law, wasn't it?
DISSON . I don't want you to think I'm not a happy man. I am.
DISLEY . What sort of speech did he make?
Disson’s house. Sitting-room. Evening .
DISSON . Tell me about Sunderley.
WILLY . Sunderley?
DISSON . Tell me about the place where you two were born. Where you played at being brother and sister.
WILLY . We didn't have to play at being brother and sister. We were brother and sister.
DIANA . Stop drinking.
DISSON . Drinking? You call this drinking? This? I used to down eleven or nine pints a night! Eleven or nine pints! Every night of the stinking week! Me and the boys! The boys! And me! I'd break any man's hand for . . . for playing me false. That was before I became a skilled craftsman. That was before . . .
He falls silent, sits .
WILLY . Sunderley was beautiful.
DISSON . I know.
WILLY . And now it's gone, for ever.
DISSON . I never got there.
DISSON stands, goes to get a drink.
He turns from drinks table .
What are
DISSON . Of course I did. How could I forget? Well go out together in the evening. Just you and I. Alone.
DIANA . Oh. Good.
DISSON . I'm also giving a little tea party in the office, in the afternoon. My mother and father'll be up.
DIANA . Oh good
Pause.
DISSON . How have you enjoyed our first year?
DIANA . It's been wonderful. It's been a very exciting year.
Pause.
DISSON . You've been marvellous with the boys.
DIANA . They like me.
DISSON . Yes, they do. They do.
Pause.
It's been a great boon, to have you work for the firm.
DIANA . Oh, I'm glad. I am glad.
Pause.
Be nice to get away to Spain.
Pause.
DISSON . You've got enough money, haven't you? I mean, you have sufficient money to see you through, for all you want?
DIANA . Oh yes. I have, thank you.
Pause.
DISSON . I'm very proud of you, you know.
DIANA . I'm proud of you.
Silence.
Disson’s office.
DISSON . Have you written to Corley?
WENDY . Yes, Mr Disson.
DISSON . And Turnbull?
WENDY . Yes, Mr Disson.
DISSON . And Erverley?
WENDY . Yes, Mr Disson.
DISSON . Carbon of the Erverley letter, please.
WENDY . Here you are, Mr Disson.
DISSON . Ah. I see you've spelt Erverley right.
WENDY . Right?
DISSON . People tend, very easily, to leave out the first R and call him Everley. You haven't done that.
WENDY . No. ( She turns .)
DISSON . Just a minute. How did you spell Turnbull? You needn't show me. Tell me.
WENDY . TURNBULL.
DISSON . Quite correct.
Pause.
Quite correct Now what about –?
The screen goes black .
Where are you?
Pause.
I can't see you.
WENDY . I'm here, Mr Disson.
DISSON . Where?
WENDY . You're looking at me, Mr Disson.
DISSON . You mean my eyes are open?
Pause.
WENDY . I'm where I was. I haven't moved.
DISSON . Are my eyes open?
WENDY . Mr Disson, really . . .
DISSON . Is this you? This I feel?
WENDY . Yes.
DISSON . What, all this I can feel?
WENDY . You're playing one of your games, Mr Disson. You're being naughty again.
Vision back.
DISSON looks at her.
You sly old thing.
Disley’s surgery.
A torch shines in DISSON’S eyes, first right, then left. Torch out. Light on .
DISLEY . There's nothing wrong with them.
DISSON . What then?
DISLEY . I only deal with eyes, old chap. Why do you come to me? Why don't you go to someone else?
DISSON . Because it's my eyes that are affected.
DISLEY . Look. Why don't you go to someone else?
DISLEY begins to clear away his instruments .
Nothing worrying you, is there?
DISSON . Of course not. I've got everything I want.
DISLEY . Getting a holiday soon?
DISSON . Going to Spain.
DISLEY . Lucky man.
Pause.
DISSON . Look. Listen. You're my oldest friend. You were going to be the best man at my wedding.
DISLEY . That's right.
DISSON . You wrote a wonderful speech in my honour.
DISLEY . Yes.
DISSON . But you were ill. You had to opt out.
DISLEY . That's right.
Pause.
DISSON . Help me.
Pause.
DISLEY . Who made the speech? Your brother-in-law, wasn't it?
DISSON . I don't want you to think I'm not a happy man. I am.
DISLEY . What sort of speech did he make?
Disson’s house. Sitting-room. Evening .
DISSON . Tell me about Sunderley.
WILLY . Sunderley?
DISSON . Tell me about the place where you two were born. Where you played at being brother and sister.
WILLY . We didn't have to play at being brother and sister. We were brother and sister.
DIANA . Stop drinking.
DISSON . Drinking? You call this drinking? This? I used to down eleven or nine pints a night! Eleven or nine pints! Every night of the stinking week! Me and the boys! The boys! And me! I'd break any man's hand for . . . for playing me false. That was before I became a skilled craftsman. That was before . . .
He falls silent, sits .
WILLY . Sunderley was beautiful.
DISSON . I know.
WILLY . And now it's gone, for ever.
DISSON . I never got there.
DISSON stands, goes to get a drink.
He turns from drinks table .
What are
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