The Women
By Clare Luce Boothe1937. Mrs. Moreahead advises her grown daughter, Mary, after Mary discovers her husband is having an affair.
MRS. MOREHEAD
Stephen is a man. He's been married for twelve years. He's not tired of you. He's tired of himself. Tired of feeling the same things in himself year after year. Time comes when every man's got to feel something new - when he's got to feel young again, just because he's growing old.
Women are just the same. But when we get that way we change our hairstyles. Or get a new cook. Or redecorate the house. But a man can't do over his office, or fire his secretary. Not even change the style of his hair. And the urge usually hits him hardest just when he's beginning to lose his hair. No, dear, a man has only one escape from his old self: to see a different self - in the mirror of some woman's eyes.
This girl probably means no more to him than that new dress means to you. He's not giving anything to her that belongs to you, or you would have felt that yourself long ago. He loves you, baby. Now listen to me: go away somewhere for a month or two. There's nothing like a good dose of another woman to make a man appreciate his wife. Mother knows!
Keeping still, when you ache to talk, is about the only sacrifice spoiled women like us ever have to make. If you accuse him, you'll never get a chance to forgive him. He'd have to justify himself. He can't and he can. Don't make him try. Either way you'd lose him. And remember, dear, it's being together at the end that really matters.
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