Your eyes do not match your words.
In drama scene from the one-act eplay, “Coat of Thieves” Gabriella surprise visits Linus with the sole mission of having them get married.
LINUS: I would offer you a drink, but…
GABRIELLA: I am fine.
LINUS: Didn’t you receive my letter?
GABRIELLA: That is why I am here.
Linus looks away.
LINUS: I never expected to see you.
GABRIELLA: I am here, Linus.
Gabriella hugs Linus.
Linus halfheartedly hugs Gabriella back.
Gabriella pulls away.
LINUS: I wrote to you.
GABRIELLA: You did.
LINUS: I told you everything I needed to tell you in my letter.
GABRIELLA: And I don’t believe a single word of it.
LINUS: Why would you? (smiles)
GABRIELLA: You should know me better.
LINUS: Yes, but I didn’t write my letter to make you come all this way.
GABRIELLA: Too late.
LINUS: This is difficult for me.
GABRIELLA: You look handsome.
LINUS (looking up at Gabriella): You are stunning.
They kiss passionately.
Wait! Wait! We…this will end worse off if –
GABRIELLA: Why does anything have to end?
LINUS: Gabriella, please, it will. I meant every word in my letter.
GABRIELLA: You made me trust in your love for me, so I do not believe what you wrote to me.
LINUS: You should.
GABRIELLA: No. I see the way you look at me. Your eyes do not match your words.
LINUS: Things are different now.
GABRIELLA: Love can change, but it never dies.
LINUS: Gabriella — you shouldn’t be here.
GABRIELLA: Don’t tell me what to do.
LINUS: How can you ignore what I wrote?
GABRIELLA: Why do you betray your own love for me?
LINUS: Why are you never facing reality?
GABRIELLA: My brother will help you.
LINUS: Are you mad?
GABRIELLA: I’ve already spoken to William at length.
LINUS: Why would your brother help us?
GABRIELLA: Because he understands us.
LINUS: Your brother has never thought much of me.
GABRIELLA: He knows more now, from what I have told him.
LINUS: And what did you tell him?
GABRIELLA: That you are a gentleman. (beat) He will help raise your status –
LINUS: Status?! What status?!
GABRIELLA: We will be married!
LINUS: Is that how you wish for me to come up in this world?
GABRIELLA: We will do things the right way. You will have a new path carved out for you –
LINUS: Gabriella! Do you hear yourself? You’ve been trying to fashion me into your own careful design! It’s delusional; it’s wrong! How long have you been tinkering away at these thoughts? Don’t you know I am a man who must carve his own path? A helping hand from your brother? What kind of husband would that make me? I have to be my own person. That is the only way in which I could ever accept you as my wife.
GABRIELLA: There is nothing wrong with receiving help. You have a pride that will destroy you; it will destroy us! Is that what you’d rather do? Kill our love for your own selfish pride?
LINUS: I cannot accept help from your brother. Not from your family.
GABRIELLA: This devil, this ego that stands between us!
LINUS: Why are you doing this??
GABRIELLA: I love you! I love you! I love you!
Gabriella embraces Linus.
Linus gently pulls her off.
LINUS: It is all too late.
GABRIELLA: You will regret everything one day, Linus. And then it will be too late.
LINUS: I need to save what is left of us.
GABRIELLA: Say it.
LINUS: What?
GABRIELLA: Say that you love me.
LINUS: Feelings are meaningless.
GABRIELLA: No!
LINUS: We exist in two separate worlds.
GABRIELLA: We do not! We exist in this world! We exist! I am here; I am flesh; I am standing here in front of you, willing to risk everything, willing to risk my own status!
LINUS: I don’t want you to risk anything. I want you to go on living, to thrive, to live…
- To read the full one-act ePlay, find purchase link below:
In the one act eplay, “Coat of Thieves” Gabriella arrives unexpectedly where Linus resides in order to take him away with her to get married and start on a new life together. 1 Woman, 1 Man. Romance/Drama.
