Act 3, Scene 5 Summary

Constance enters her personal balcony and sees a cigarette butt on the floor. She picks it up, lights it, and smokes. Below, Juliet steals into the garden dressed in Romeo's clothing. Juliet declares her undying love for Constance; she explains that she knows of Constance's deviancy—that is, 'his' homosexuality—and theorizes that it arises only from inexperience with women. Juliet bluntly offers the joys of sexual intercourse and promises hours of sexual pleasure. When Constance roughly declines Juliet immediately offers to engage in sodomy. A shocked Constance protests Juliet's supposed innocence which Juliet brushes aside as so much nonsense.

Juliet then persistently demands to know of Constance's prior lovers. Constance slowly admits that, in fact, she loved Professor Night and that he took enormous advantage of her. Juliet concludes that, after all, Constance is homosexual but might be...