Desire Under the Elms Page #3

- I see her.

Howdy. Ma.

I go look at my house.

Her house?

Eben's inside.

Better not tell him it's your house.

I will tell Eben what must be told.

Needn't pay any heed to Eben.

He's a fool.

Soft and simple like his ma.

What? He's a chip of you, spittin' image.

Hard and bitter as a hickory tree.

Dog'll eat dog. He'll eat you, old man.

You get to work.

So that's our new ma?

Where'd you dig her up?

Put her in with the other sows.

What's come over you? Are you drunk?

We're free of you

and this whole damned farm.

We're off to the California gold fields.

You can take this place and burn it.

- Bury it, for all we care.

- We're free as Indians.

- Lucky we don't scalp you.

- Burn the barn, kill the stock.

Drag your woman

by the hair into the woods.

Lust! Lust for gold!

The sinful gold of California.

It's drove you mad.

Want some gold, you old sinner?

- We'll be voyaging on the sea.

- Living free.

- I'll have you in the asylum.

- Goodbye, skinflint!

- You old bloodsucker, goodbye!

- Go, before I horsewhip you.

Let's let some air in the parlour.

One, two, three...

If I get my hands on you,

I'll break your bones!

- What're you doing with the gate?

- We hereby abolish all gates.

We'll take it with us for luck

and set it sailing free down some river.

Ephraim, are they gone now, for good?

We see them no more?

This is nice.

This bedroom, the pretty bed,

it's my room?

Ours.

Si. Yes, Ephraim.

They must have poisoned the stock

or something.

Blankets. They are musty. Grey.

They need sun.

You Eben?

I'm Anna. I wanted so much to meet you.

Maybe you help me?

Your father told me a lot about you.

Don't mind him. He's an old man.

It's nature. The old man

leaning down hard on the young one.

In Naples, where I come from,

I've seen fathers

draw knives against their sons,

when the sons grow old enough

to stand against them.

There will be no knives here, Eben.

I don't like to play-act mother to you.

You... You're too big and strong for that.

If possible, I want to be friends with you.

Maybe with me for a friend

you'll like living here better.

I know how to make it

easy for you with him.

He's ready to do pretty near anything

to please the young wife.

Get one thing straight.

I'm not making any bargains.

Not with you, not with him,

not with anybody.

All right. I'll prepare myself

to have you against me in the beginning.

I don't blame you. I'd feel the same.

If a young girl came,

took my mother's place...

You're not taking my mother's place.

Understand, please.

I've come a long way.

I've had a hard life.

Some time, when you're ready,

I'll tell you. I need a home.

Is that a crime, to need a home?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes