Ethan Frome Page #2

after all the pie I saw you eating.

Sit down if you'd like.

Make me nervous, darting around like that.

You can sit on the bed.

Move some things over.

Careful.

I'll do it.

You just sit there.

Let me do that.

You should have asked me.

You could have hurt yourself.

It's stuck.

Well, don't hurt yourself.

I think zeena Pierce

had been noticing Ethan frome

for more than just that one afternoon.

He was a big, strong man,

and he was going to need someone sometime

to do the work his mama had been doing.

And if there's one thing every

woman looks for in a man...

it's to be needed.

Your breakfast will get cold.

I'll...

I'll bring it down later.

She never did leave.

Maybe they shouldn't have stayed together.

Maybe if it had been spring,

it might have been different.

But it was winter.

Watch the ice!

So they married.

Wh-o-o-o-oa!

The big tree there on this hill

where they're coasting...

right after, they wanted to cut it down,

but they never did.

That's where it happened.

What happened?

I hate showing you this.

After five winters had passed,

Ethan found himself with a wife

who'd become quite sickly.

Folks said about zeena that she'd caught

every illness she'd ever heard of,

and leaving Starkfield

was no longer even something to talk about,

to dream about.

I don't see why we need someone.

Well, she don't cost anything

'cause she's a relative.

She's got nowheres else to go.

She might be someone to talk to.

Where is she going to stay?

Where I stayed when I came to help your ma.

In my old room?

Should she sleep in the kitchen?

But that's my room, zeena.

That's where I keep my books...

I made you a good breakfast, Ethan.

Just knowing I'm going to get some help

has made me feel a lot better.

Isn't that strange?

This is Starkfield, miss.

Mattie silver was the daughter

of zeena's cousin,

and she'd had her share of hardship...

her father's death,

the disclosure of his many debts,

her mother's death.

She was left with $50

to make her way

from the sale of her old piano,

all of which made her kind

of... Fragile and shaken

and hardly the best choice

to take over the chores

zeena was too sickly to attend to.

But Mattie silver needed somewhere to live,

and zeena needed someone to help.

And so these three were brought together.

How was the trip, dear?

Cousin zeena.

Never been so tired in all my life.

Ethan will get you a cup of tea.

You're looking as tall as aunt Clara.

Must run in the family.

Is she asleep?

You see how she looked?

The child is ill herself.

You didn't tell me she was sickly.

It's a long ways from stamford. She's tired.

I know when someone is ill.

How is she going to get better in the cold?

We need someone to help, zeena.

That's what you said.

We need a strong girl.

A healthy girl.

What are we going to do?

I guess a year went by.

Mattie never did get the feel

for housekeeping,

but she was worried

zeena would send her away,

so she kept trying.

And Mattie got better.

Spring came, then summer.

And instead of getting sicker...

She got better.

Mattie, he asked me.

And by the next winter,

everyone began to notice

that this pale, fragile girl

had become a healthy, youthful,

and very alive young woman.

The whole village had noticed

the change in her.

Even me.

Want to go down the steep slope?

If you want.

Come on!

Come on.

Are you hurt?

No.

I didn't know you were such a dancer.

What happened? What? Ruth?

What?

Ruth!

I ain't hurt.

It's just a bruise.

We jumped off just in time.

My foot got stuck.

I couldn't steer.

I was scared,

and I thought he was trying to tickle me!

Thanks, Ethan.

I'll see her the rest of the way home, ned.

All right.

Bye-bye, grandpa.

I'll just be a minute.

Good night!

How are you getting home?

I got my dad's sleigh.

I even got the roan Colt hitched to it,

so we'd be there in no time.

I'll see you back at home, Mattie.

Wait, Ethan.

Denis here can give us both a ride

if he's driving out.

It's a... Two-seater,

Mattie.

Good night!

You should have taken the ride.

It's cold.

Maybe I will another night.

Tonight I feel like walking.

You should've come a little earlier.

Everybody was dancing.

I said I was coming to fetch you.

Did you think I'd forget?

Zeena don't like you walking home alone.

I don't either.

That was something

with Ruth and ned, wasn't it?

Ned doesn't know how to steer. No.

I should take you coasting sometime.

Yes!

Ethan, I love coasting!

Ruth and I are always saying...

always saying what?

That we both love coasting and we never go.

Denis eady must have asked you.

Well, why would I go anywhere with him?

Didn't see you.

Isn't that Orion yonder?

And the big fellow

to the right is aldebaran.

And the bunch of little ones,

like bees swarming,

they're the pleiades.

Doesn't looking at it

make you feel like it's all a picture?

It's so pretty.

Makes me happy just watching it.

I can see the moon in your eyes.

The key ain't here.

Maybe zeena forgot.

Zeena wouldn't forget something like that.

It must've fallen.

But it's so late, Ethan.

We should have been home an hour ago.

We'll find it.

It's open.

You forget about us, zeena?

No, I felt so mean tonight,

I didn't go to bed yet.

Fox here again?

Yep.

I'm so sorry!

I...

can't you be careful?

I'll clean it, zeena.

I'll do it!

I will have to do it.

You going somewhere, zeena?

Is something burning?

God!

Zeena's going to aunt Martha's

in bettsbridge for the night.

For the night?

There's a new doctor there.

I got such shooting pains now.

They're clear way down to my ankles.

I can't go on much more like this, Ethan!

I ain't never felt this mean before.

What you got to do you got to do.

I'm praying this new doctor

will have something for me.

You must be hurting.

You ain't never stayed away

the night before.

I'd go with you myself,

but there's the work to do.

Well, for one day, Ethan, I can...

can't do what I got to do.

Got to

haul them logs to Mr. hale.

We ain't finished loading them yet, Ethan.

I'll take what we've loaded.

Mr. hale, he told me he was

in a hurry for any logs.

He's building that new house

for ned and Ruth varnum.

I promised him.

You didn't tell me...

and he said he's going to

pay me a $30 advance.

He did?

$30?

Well, I won't be feeling so bad

spending money on this new doctor.

Of course, I'll take you over

to the flats for the train.

Jotham can take me.

You have to go see Mr. hale.

You'll take me, jotham.

I sure hope this doctor can help, zeena.

If you can get the taste out,

that'll do for pickles.

$30?

Come on.

Let's go, boy.

Good morning, Ethan.

You treat them horses

like they were pets, Ethan.

Your father would be proud.

That ain't a full load

you got out there, is it?

I was going into town anyway,

so... I thought...

I was, wondering

if you could give me

an advance on the lumber.

Ethan, business is

downright slack to begin with.

You know I'm fixing up a

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes