Desire Under the Elms Page #4

Why else would I marry an old man?

- I'll tell him you said that.

- I'll say you're lying.

And he will drive you off this place.

Understand one thing.

The lady of the house arrived today,

for good.

This is my farm, my home.

Inside is my kitchen.

I put out these blankets

and I sleep on them myself at night.

And upstairs is my bedroom.

And my bed.

I am not bad, Eben,

except against an enemy.

I have to fight in my life,

or else I'll get nothing.

You and me, let us be friends.

- We're going to be a long time together.

- We could never be friends.

I'll go wash my dishes now.

- Stop that! Stop it, I said.

- Ephraim!

- I'm trying to make it nice.

- Put everything back, close the shutters.

Do what you want with the rest

but this room stays the way it was,

door closed. Understand?

- It's so cold and dusty.

- It stays that way.

This was Eben's mother's room.

She was weak, she was no good for me.

This is where she hid,

taught him to read, sang him songs.

Taught him everlasting rebellion.

It's a woman's room.

I never was welcome in it.

When she died, I closed it for good.

It's not going to be open now.

Is that plain enough?

There are plenty of other rooms,

now stay in 'em.

What are you cackling about?

- You.

- What about me?

You're all shiny for Sunday

like a prize bull at the fair.

I'll put flowers in your hair.

- You're not so beautiful.

- You don't mean that.

Ever since I came here

you've been fighting nature,

trying to tell yourself I'm not pretty.

Isn't the sun strong and hot?

Burning.

Burning into the earth.

Making things to grow.

Burning inside of you.

I'm from a country

that knows about the sun.

I have the sun inside me.

You're from here, from these stony hills.

But you know about the sun, too.

The people who live with the sun

know that they cannot win against it.

Nature will beat you.

You might as well

confess to it now as later.

If Pa heard you, he'd beat you.

You've made such a dreamy idiot

out of the old devil.

Isn't it easier for you

with him changed and soft?

No. I'll still fight him and you too.

I'm on to you.

You're aiming to take everything.

You can't own me.

- Eben.

- What do you want?

- Eben! Where are you going?

- Just down the road a spell.

- To the village?

- Maybe.

To see that woman, I suppose.

What's her name?

What woman?

The village is full of women.

You know the one I mean. The widow.

Oh, Min. Yes, I might drop in on her.

Sunday afternoon's

a good time for visiting.

- Why do you waste time on her?

- You said it, didn't you?

- Can't beat nature.

- She's ugly and old.

- Some say she's prettier than you.

- Every no-good drunk.

Maybe. But she's better than you.

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