Ethan Frome Page #4

when I lost it nursing your mother!

You lost your health... and

my folks told me at the time

that you couldn't do no less

than marry me after...

You'll have to send her back.

The doctor doesn't understand

how I've stood it so long,

slaving the way I've had to.

You don't have to lift a finger.

I'll do everything!

You've neglected the farm enough already!

Better send me over to

the almshouse and done with it.

I guess there's been fromes

there before now.

I thought you were getting $30

from Andrew hale for that lumber.

Hale never pays under three months.

You told me yesterday

that you fixed it with him to pay cash down.

You said that was why you couldn't come

with... it was a misunderstanding.

You ain't got the money?

And you ain't going to get it?

Well, how could I know that

when I engaged the girl?!

You know it now!

You're a poor man's wife!

I do the best I can!

Of course you do.

We'll manage...

you, me, and Mattie.

No, there'll be Mattie's board less, anyhow.

Mattie's...

You didn't think I was going to

keep two girls, did you?

Well, no wonder you're

scared at the expense.

Mattie's not a hired girl.

She's your relation.

And we've kept her for a whole year.

Now it's another relative's turn.

I never bargained to take her for life.

You can't put her out like a thief.

What's she going to do?

What do you think folks

are going to say about you?

I know well enough what they say of me

having kept her here as long as I have.

The girl will be over

from bettsbridge tomorrow.

She'll need someplace to sleep.

Felt a mite better.

Dr. buck says that I ought to

eat all I can

to keep my strength up, even

if I ain't got any appetite.

Jotham's going back to work.

Aunt Martha's troubles are about the same.

Even Dr. buck says that he ain't

never seen a man or woman

with worse intestines than she's got.

That pie of yours, Mattie,

always sits a mite heavy.

I got those stomach powders

last year in Springfield.

I ain't tried them for a while.

Maybe they'll help with heartburn.

Let me get them for you.

No.

They're in a place you don't know about.

Who did this?!

Who did this?!

I went to get those powders

I had put in father's spectacle case

up there where I keep special things.

Cousin maple's pickle dish...

it's been up there on purpose

since we was married.

It ain't never been down

since except for cleaning,

and then I always lifted it

with my own hands.

The cat did it, zeena.

The cat?

That's what I said. Well, how'd

the cat get into my China closet?

It was chasing mice.

Well, I knew she was

a smart cat, but I didn't know

she was smart enough to pick up the pieces

and try and set them back together!

I did it.

It's my fault.

Mattie...

The cat did break the dish,

but I got it down from the China closet.

And why did you do that?

I wanted to make the supper table...

Pretty.

Not even when the minister came to dinner

did I bring that dish out.

You're a bad person, Mattie silver.

I should have listened

to folks. They warned me.

Zeena! It's the way your father begun.

You waited till my back was turned...

And took the one thing

that I set most store by

of anything that I've got.

It'll be good when you're gone!

Get away! Get away!

Get away!

I want to see what you're taking

before that gets closed up.

No.

She'll hear you.

I need you.

So that's what woke me up last night.

I heard something funny last night.

That's what woke me up...

that stupid fox dying.

What time did you say Daniel

byrne would be around, jotham?

Daniel byrne?

About noon.

That trunk of Mattie's...

it's too heavy for the sleigh.

And Daniel byrne will be around

to take it over to the flats.

What she has in it...

No more than what she came with.

That's all?

The hired girl's coming

on the 4:
00.

Jotham can pick her up,

and while he's doing that,

he can take Mattie to wait

for the 5:
00 to stamford.

More coffee, jotham?

A huckaback towel is missing.

I went through her trunk, but...

I'm sure I lent her one

when she was sick last spring.

Feeling a bit better.

The appetite's back for now.

It's just Mattie getting down her trunk.

Alone?

The stove in Mattie's room

ain't been drawing right for nine month now.

I want you to fix it up

before the girl gets here!

If it was good enough for Mattie,

it's good enough for a hired girl!

Thank you, zeena.

That's good, Daniel.

Mattie! No!

No! No!

Aaagh!

No!

Let me do it!

No.

No!

Mattie...

Mattie, please.

I'll drive Mattie to the train.

Jotham said he'd...

I said I'm driving her.

Give our regards to your aunts.

They are often in my thoughts.

This is for the train.

It plus what you've shown me

you've saved is exactly enough.

Hyah!

Hyah!

Come on!

Come on!

Come on, hyah!

I heard about this man.

He's about my age.

He comes from over the Mountain.

He went west with this girl.

He left his wife,

a-and they went west.

But he came back...

they did...

to visit relatives.

I saw them, Matt.

They were pointed out to me

a couple of summers ago at shadd's falls.

They... they had a baby

with them...

a beautiful girl baby.

But what's interesting is

the wife, who he left,

s-she didn't do

so badly either.

He'd given her the farm, and she'd sold it.

And with that and the alimony,

she'd started a lunch room in bettsbridge.

And...

It's a... it's

a good lunch room.

I know the one you mean, Ethan.

For $50, Matt, we could

take the train out west...

Or Florida.

I've been to Florida.

$50.

I'm going to save it up.

And we'd send her money, Matt.

I owe her that much.

I... I couldn't just...

No.

Giddyup!

Why are you stopping, Ethan?

The hired girl will be waiting.

Well, let her wait.

You'd have to if she didn't.

I'm going to buy you

something. Come on.

Ethan...

Come on.

Show me what you want.

I'm going to buy you something.

Hello, Matt.

Ethan.

Denis.

Ruth.

Mattie.

Mrs. varnum.

We don't often see you

in town during the day.

No.

Let's leave, Ethan.

What about this?

I'll buy this.

You shouldn't be spending...

I want to buy you something, Mattie.

I told you that.

I didn't know it was your birthday, Matt.

Well, you didn't tell nobody.

It's not my birthday.

I'll take this, denis.

I asked ned for something

just like it for Christmas.

But with the wedding so soon and...

and getting the house...

I... I heard about

zeena going over to bettsbridge

to see that

new Dr. buck, Ethan.

I'm real sorry zeena's feeling so bad again.

I hope he thinks he can do

something for her.

Thank you for thinking about her.

I don't know anybody around here

who's had more sickness than zeena.

No.

And after all the help

she's given other people...

nursing people...

I know that.

If your ma hadn't had her

to look after her...

Mattie...

Let's go to the station, Ethan. Put it on.

I don't care who knows it's from me.

We said we were going coasting, Matt.

We said we were going, and we ain't.

You want to do the big run?

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