Long Day's Journey Into Night Page #3

- That's a lie

- And your snears against Dr. Hardy are lies too.

- I recon I'm a fool to argue. You can't change the leopard's spots.

No you CAN'T. You've taught me that lesson only too well, I've lost all hope you'll ever change yours.

You dare tell me what I can afford! You've never known

the value of a dollar in your life and you never will.

At the end of each season you're penniless.

You've thrown your sallary away every week on whores and whiskey.

My salary!? God!

More than you're worth. You couldn't get that if it wasn't for me.

If you weren't my son, there's not a manager in the business that would give you a part.

Your reputation stinks you. As it is I have to humble my pride and beg for you,

say you've turned over a new leaf although I know it's a lie.

I never wanted to be an actor.

- You forced me on the stage.

- That's a lie! You left it to me to get you a job and I've no influence except in the theater.

Forced you?! You never wanted to do anything except loaf in bar rooms.

After all the money I wasted on your education...

and all you did was get fired and disgraced from every college you went.

- Well for God's sake don't drag up that ancient history!

- It's not ancient history that you have to come back every summer to live on me.

Well I earn my board and lodging working on the grounds.

It saves you hiring a man.

You have to be driven even to do that much.

I wouldnt give a damn if you ever displayed the slightest sign of gratitude.

The only thanks is to have you sneer at me for a dirty miser, sneer at my profession,

sneer at every damned thing in the worldexcept yourself.

Thats not true, Papa. You cant hear me talking to myself, thats all.

Ingratitude, the vilest weed that grows!

God! I could see that line coming!

God, how many thousand times!

All right, Papa. Im a bum.

Youre young yet. You could still make your mark.

- You had the talent to become a fine actor! You have it still. Youre my son...!

- Lets forget me. Im not interested in the subject and neither are you.

What started us on this? Oh, Doc Hardy!

- When is he going to call you up about Edmund?

- Around lunch time.

The less you say about Edmunds sickness, the better for your conscience!

Youre more responsible than anyone!

- Thats a lie! I wont stand for that, Papa!

- Its the truth!

He grew up admiring you as a hero!

If you ever gave him advice except in the ways of rottenness, Ive never heard of it!

You made him old before his time, pumping him full of what you consider worldly wisdom,

when he was too young to see that your mind was so poisoned by your own failure in life,

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