East Of Eden Page #3

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and you were way over on the other side

of the mountains in Salinas.

- So I figured it'd be all right.

- You think he'll ever find out about her?

He'd never come over here.

Here. You might as well look at this now.

It's a picture of your father

and your mother on their wedding day.

You're the first person

I've ever showed it to.

I knew it.

I knew it was true.

When that old guy told me in the bar,

I knew it.

How did you know it was true?

'Cause she ain't no good

and I ain't no good.

I knew there was a reason why I wasn't.

I hate her.

And I hate him, too.

Come on, I'll take you home.

- You don't have to drive me home!

- I know I don't have to take you home!

Here.

A little bit of the hair

of the dog that bit you.

Come on now.

How did Dad meet her?

Where did she come from?

Nobody ever knew

where she come from, really.

There were a lot of drifters in those days.

Of all the people.

How come he married her?

You have no idea how pretty she was, Cal.

Young and full of spirit.

And your father hadn't been

off the ranch much, you know.

He's not a worldly man.

- Did she shoot him?

- Yes, she did.

How come?

I don't know.

Did he do something to her?

- Did he hurt her?

- No.

It wasn't in him to hurt her.

After she left him, he died.

He walked around, but he died.

He must have done something to hurt her.

No. No, sir.

He gave her everything

that any woman could ask for.

You see, your father has more kindness...

and more conscience

than any man that I've ever known.

He's a good man, Cal.

Don't sell him short, boy.

It's going to work.

If only I can keep them

cold enough long enough.

It's going to work.

All right, there she is. Let's try it.

Step back, girls.

All right, bring her on. Come on.

Now do you think it'll work?

- Good morning, Mr. Trask.

- Good morning.

Somebody swiped our coal chute

right off the wagon.

Dear, dear.

Times are getting pretty lawless.

It's this war in Europe.

There's a wave of lawlessness

spreading through the country.

Anyway, somebody swiped our chute.

- Is that where you're loading?

- Yes.

We'll move on, then. Good day, Mr. Trask.

It's this war in Europe.

Do you know where Aron is?

He's out in the fields. He's checking.

Can I do something for you?

No. There were just some matters

I want to talk over with him.

What have you got there?

I figured it would save some time. So I...

It's very ingenious, Cal. Very ingenious.

Did you think of it?

Yep.

I'm very pleased

with the way you're taking hold...

and are working so well, Cal.

Thanks. Thanks, Dad.

Think you better have your lunch now.

It's time.

Hi, Cal.

- Aron's out in the field.

- I brought his lunch.

- Okay, I'll take it to him.

- Cal.

Lydia, vamoose.

He'll be here in a minute.

I've been fixing Aron's lunch.

I'll fix yours, too, if you like, after this.

No, thanks.

Would you be eating with her

if I weren't here?

Who?

No, I didn't ask her to come up here.

Girls follow you around, don't they?

- Does she bother you?

- She doesn't bother me.

Who is she?

I never saw her before in my life.

I'll bet.

You're really working

at this lettuce business, aren't you, Cal?

Do you think it'll turn out all right?

Your father will lose quite a lot of money

if it doesn't.

Just about all he's got.

I like your father.

Do you?

I threw away about $3,000 once.

Yeah?

- When I was 13.

- You threw it away?

It was a diamond ring worth about that.

At least, my father told me

that's what he paid for it.

I threw it in the river.

Made Dad terribly angry.

I reckon it would.

But I forgave him.

And it's been all right ever since.

- You forgave him?

- Yes.

You forgave him 'cause you threw

a ring of his worth $3,000 into the river?

- That's right.

- And you forgave him?

That's right.

Is there an egg in this basket?

You see, I thought he didn't love me.

That made me feel awful.

Girls love their fathers terribly.

Do they?

My mother died when I was 13...

and Dad got married again soon after that.

Did you know that?

No, I didn't know that.

Are you interested in hearing about me?

Yeah.

When Dad got married again,

it made me sick.

I just hated everybody.

I used to sit and just glare at people...

or I wouldn't even answer

when they spoke to me.

- Why you telling me all this?

- I want to.

I was that way for months.

I just hated everybody.

I thought nobody in the world loved me.

And it was awful.

Then I found this ring

that Dad gave my new mother...

- so I took it and threw it in the river.

- Good.

I thought you'd like that.

- Did he ever find it?

- Never.

They tried.

What'd they do to you?

Dad punished me. Not badly, I guess.

But I felt

he shouldn't have punished me at all.

I felt he should have loved me more

because I did it.

But he didn't.

Isn't it funny?

I'm grown up now...

but I still understand kids better

than I do grownups.

You're not so grown- up.

- I'm very grown- up.

- That's a matter of opinion.

I'm very grown- up.

More so than Dad, because I forgave him

for not understanding.

And the minute I forgave him in my mind...

I felt better.

Now we get along fine.

We love each other.

Not like we did when I was 13...

but enough so we can live together

till I get married.

He's just my father now.

Nothing to rave about.

I still don't like her much,

but then, she's a woman.

My, that girl just hates me, doesn't she?

You better tell her I'm your brother's girl.

I don't have to explain anything

to anybody.

I'll go now and leave the field to her.

My, your hair's in a mess.

Dad, what's that?

That's something Cal rigged up.

It's a good idea.

Aron! I brought your lunch.

Looks like a coal chute.

Coal chute?

Okay, woman, where's the beans?

Cal!

What makes you think you have the right

to come and take something like this?

You probably lost those men their jobs.

Now, you take it back.

He's praising Cal and Cal is lapping it up.

Aron! Look, have one of those

made of wood.

- It'll save a lot of time.

- Yes, sir!

- Good waste of time and money.

- And lettuce.

- What'd you say?

- I said, it's a good idea if it works.

It's gonna work, 'cause it's gotta work.

It's gotta work, 'cause I said so.

If it don't work, it ain't that kid's fault.

I never saw anybody work

so hard in my life.

Let's go, Pete. Now, Leonard!

Good luck, Adam.

Do you know the principle

of the internal combustion engine?

No, I'm afraid not.

Will, I'll never be able to...

Sure you will. You just listen to Roy.

He's been to the automobile school

in Chicago.

Mr. Trask has just revolutionized

the entire vegetable market.

- Wait till those cars get to New York.

- Don't you worry.

It's about time he owned

his own automobile...

and about time he learned to drive it.

- Now don't you think so, Roy?

- I'll do my best.

Now pay strict attention, boys.

Don't touch that!

Wait till it's explained to you.

No, now for heaven's sake,

don't touch anything, anybody.

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