Summary
Act 1Indiscretions begins amidst the turmoil of Yvonne's cluttered bedroom, where chaos reigns supreme. At the center of this storm, Yvonne, a diabetic on the brink of collapse, appears deathly pale. Her husband, George, leaps to the conclusion that she has overdosed on insulin. Both Yvonne’s sister, Leo, and George suspect that the cause of Yvonne's distress is their son Michael’s unannounced absence the night before. As Yvonne struggles to explain, she admits she neglected to eat or balance her insulin due to worrying about Michael. In a bid to revive her, Leo administers sugar dissolved in water, restoring Yvonne back to vitality.
In the aftermath, Yvonne and Leo delve into family matters. Leo shares that an uncle bequeathed his wealth to her, deeming her the sole member of the family who isn’t part of their “raggle-taggle gypsy” ensemble. She embraces the role of financial benefactor, even championing George’s quixotic underwater machine gun project. Despite its impracticality, Leo claims admiration for his relentless pursuit.
Leo posits that Michael likely sought refuge from their disordered household with another woman, and suggests George has done the same. She finds it unsurprising, given Yvonne’s all-consuming devotion to Michael. Yet, Yvonne remains incredulous, dismissing the notion of Michael engaging in an affair, as she clings to the image of him as her child. Meanwhile, the news of her husband's straying leaves her unfazed. Leo reveals that George was initially her own fiancé, but she had orchestrated his union with Yvonne, deeming them a more compatible pair. Leo challenges Yvonne's perception, noting that Michael is no longer a boy, and her efforts to keep him dependent might lead to suffocation.
When Michael finally returns home, he faces a barrage of questions from Yvonne and George about his whereabouts. Opting to confide first in his mother, the two retreat to the sanctuary of her bed. Michael divulges his encounter with Madeleine, a bookbinder who not only supported him financially but also decided to end her involvement with an older man for Michael’s sake. Yvonne, seething with rage, brands Madeleine a manipulative elder trying to exploit her son, and insists on their immediate separation.
Amid the commotion, Leo rushes in to placate Yvonne, only to be struck in the altercation. George calls Michael to another room, leaving Yvonne to confide in Leo, confirming her suspicions that Michael is enamored with another and has forsaken her. Leo chastises Yvonne for her narcissism and urges restraint over her emotions, revealing her own unrequited love for George. Despite sacrificing her life to remain near him, Yvonne remains unperturbed by this confession regarding her husband.
George enters, visibly rattled. Alone with Leo, he confesses that Madeleine, Michael’s newfound affection, is the same woman with whom he himself has been entangled. To further complicate matters, George had woven a web of lies, presenting himself under a pseudonym as a bereaved widower. Madeleine, suspecting foul play, fabricated a story about a strict married sister to cease their encounters, leading George to lease an apartment with borrowed money from Leo. Realizing Madeleine intended to sever ties with him in favor of Michael, George is left reeling.
Leo, moved by George's plight, suggests confronting Madeleine as Michael desires. George plans to preemptively corner Madeleine, threatening exposure of their affair unless she relinquishes Michael. In a reluctant agreement, Yvonne consents to accompany them to Madeleine’s, leaving Michael blissfully unaware of the impending confrontation.
Act 2
The curtain rises on Madeleine’s immaculate flat, where anticipation hangs heavy in the air. As jitters consume her, Michael reassures Madeleine but expresses unease that she hasn’t severed ties with...
(This entire section contains 1790 words.)
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the older lover—who unbeknownst to him is George. Madeleine confesses her attempt to end things was thwarted by a last-minute postponement, though her affection for Michael now eclipses her feelings for the older man.
Leo arrives ahead of George and Yvonne to forewarn Madeleine and Michael of George’s intent to speak with Madeleine privately. When Yvonne and George arrive, Madeleine is startled to recognize George as her former lover yet remains silent. George requests the others to vacate the room, leaving him alone with Madeleine.
Left with only the company of Madeleine, George broods bitterly, feeling as if he's trapped within one of the very stories Madeleine binds—yet this tale, unlike those tragedies, spirals into farce. He charges Madeleine with deceit, to which she retorts that he too spun tales about his status, masquerading as a widower. Defending her own falsehoods, Madeleine insists they were spun out of care for him, meant to spare his emotions. She confides that true love dawned on her only upon meeting Michael, and she expects George to bow out gracefully for Michael’s happiness. George, however, has no intention of retreating. He demands that Madeleine sever ties with Michael by fabricating an affair with an imaginary third man. Should she refuse, George threatens to disclose the affair between them to Michael. Madeleine is astounded by George’s interference and accuses him of corrupting Michael with idleness, alongside Yvonne. Her plan is to reform him and set him on a diligent path. George counters by asserting his sole intention is safeguarding his son’s future joy. Dread paralyzes Madeleine at the thought of Michael uncovering the truth, compelling her reluctantly to acquiesce to George’s demands.
George then spins a tale to Yvonne, Leo, and Michael, claiming Madeleine confessed her involvement with another man, nixing the possibility of marrying Michael. Initially incredulous, Michael’s suspicions are confirmed when Madeleine offers no denial, leading him to acknowledge his mother’s earlier warnings. Yvonne, feeling victorious, reclaims her influence over her son. When Madeleine implores Michael to leave, she crumbles onto the stairs as George makes his exit.
Leo, staying behind to console Madeleine, sends Michael home with Yvonne. She astutely deduces that the third man is a fabrication, coerced out of Madeleine by George. Confessing her initial skepticism towards both George and Michael’s romantic choices, Leo admits her admiration for Madeleine has grown. She proposes an alliance with Madeleine to combat Yvonne and George’s machinations. Though hesitant, Madeleine agrees to try. Leo encourages Madeleine to visit them the next day at five o’clock, promising to rectify the "mess" created by George.
Act 3
Within the confines of Yvonne and George’s residence, the fallout leaves Michael shattered and Yvonne exultant, believing she has reclaimed her son. George divulges his affair with Madeleine to Yvonne, who remains indifferent except for its potential repercussions on Michael’s awareness. Leo condemns George’s actions against Madeleine as inexcusable, only for him to remind her of the orchestration being hers. Leo insists on secrecy, admitting her misjudgment of Madeleine and the folly of her past actions, vowing now to set things right. Though George is reluctant, Leo insists that he must make a personal sacrifice, mirroring her own. She confesses her enduring love for him, revealed now as a misplaced sacrifice for his happiness. George cautions Leo that Yvonne might never consent to their plan to reunite the separated lovers.
Leo outlines her strategy: they will claim to Yvonne and Michael that Madeleine deemed herself unworthy, concocting the third man as a ruse to liberate Michael. She describes their family as a "wreck," determined to salvage what remains before it’s too late. Overcome with shame, George agrees she is right.
Yvonne reports Michael’s despair is so deep she almost concedes to let Madeleine have him, hindered only by what she perceives as Madeleine’s moral failings. George declares Madeleine blameless, revealing the third man as non-existent, and admits his coercion, driven by vengeance. Chastised by Yvonne for risking Michael, George acknowledges their collective selfishness nearly destroyed both Michael and Madeleine. Yet hope remains to save them. Yvonne balks at the idea of the marriage proceeding, deeming Madeleine beneath their social class. George counters, asserting there is nothing commendable about their family, while Madeleine offers Michael "real possibilities and fresh air and open space." Yvonne hesitates on Leo and George’s proposal. They inform her of Madeleine’s impending visit and insist Yvonne must confess to Michael. Fear and confusion grip Yvonne.
Michael enters, apologizes to Yvonne for sending her away, and informs George of his decision to accept a job in Morocco. Confronted with the grim prospect of losing Michael, Yvonne becomes desperate to reveal the truth, hoping to anchor him in Europe beside her. George proclaims Madeleine’s innocence, explaining her fictional third man story was a means to set Michael free due to her perceived lack of worthiness for their class. Determined, Michael vows to find Madeleine, only to learn from Leo that she has been sheltering her all along. Overwhelmed, Michael faints.
The Unexpected Reunion
With a heart full of relief, Madeleine steps into the room, her face lighting up as she reunites with Michael, who has just awakened from his fainting spell. Meanwhile, George and Leo become aware that Yvonne is nowhere to be seen. A voice echoes from the bathroom—it's Yvonne, calling out that she's simply administering her insulin. However, she soon emerges, faltering and ultimately collapsing onto the bed.
Just as Michael prepares to escort Madeleine to his room, a cry of panic interrupts them—it's Yvonne, her voice shrill with fear. Leo quickly declares that she has poisoned herself. Yvonne confesses that upon witnessing Michael with Madeleine, as well as George with Leo, she felt like an unwanted burden, driving her to a desperate and misguided act. Now filled with remorse, she yearns for life, longing to witness Michael's joy. In a poignant turn, she expresses a budding affection for Madeleine. As Madeleine contemplates leaving, Leo insists that Michael will require her presence, just as George will need Leo.
From the depths of her despair, Yvonne hears this and curses them all, vowing to poison them just as she poisoned herself.
The Final Moments
As Yvonne's life ebbs away, she makes a chilling threat to divulge to Michael that George was once Madeleine’s lover. In a desperate bid to silence her, George plants a kiss on her lips, while Leo distracts Michael and Madeleine, suggesting they reattempt calling the doctor. Yvonne wavers between a thirst for vengeance and a wish to see the couple content, but her time runs out.
After Yvonne's passing, George urges Michael to focus on his mother. Michael, defensively stamping his foot, insists she's not his mother but his closest friend. Madeleine, aghast, accuses Michael of madness. Overcome, Michael collapses in tears at the bed, and Madeleine moves to console him. The doorbell rings, revealing the cleaner. Leo calmly informs her that her services are unnecessary, as everything is already under control.
