Leave Her to Heaven Page #6

About Danny?

No.

- About me?

- Not especially.

You're looking very well, Ruth.

I've never seen you so happy.

Tell me, do you think

Richard loves me?

Well, now, that's a silly thing to say.

Oh, I know in the beginning

he loved me.

But I'll tell you something funny,

he never liked me.

- He loved you, but he never liked you?

- That's right.

We've never really been friends,

like you and he.

He likes you.

Tell me, has he found a nickname

for you yet?

Well, not exactly.

Sometimes he calls me "the gaI with

the hoe," to kid me about my gardening.

He used to call me Patchouli.

Look at me.

I hate the little beast.

I wish it would die!

Ellen!

Shocked, aren't you?

If you were having the baby,

you'd love it.

Well, I never wanted it.

Richard and I never needed

anything else.

And now this.

How can you say such wicked things?

Sometimes the truth is wicked.

You're afraid of the truth,

aren't you, Ruth?

No, you're the one who's afraid.

Ellen!

Call the doctor.

What happened?

- She must have tripped.

Hello, Dr. Saunders?

This is Ruth Berent.

Please come over at once.

Something terrible has happened.

Well, we couldn't save the child.

It was a boy.

Well.... I hadn't really hoped that...

- As long as she's out of danger.

- Oh, yes, you may rest assured of that.

When she came to, she remembered

nothing about leaving her room.

She thought she must have been

walking in her sleep.

She couldn't have been asleep. I was

with her 20 minutes before it happened.

You can go in and see her now

for a moment if you like.

First his brother...

...and now his son.

Yes?

No, she's not here at the moment.

I'd be glad to take a message.

Yes, I will.

Don't mention it.

Ruthie, my lass, the surf was wonderfuI.

You should've come in for a dip.

Too cold for me.

You're a softy.

You always were.

Hmm.

Richard's new book.

Nice.

Where is everybody?

Dick's gone for a walk.

Mother's in her room.

I'm worried about Mother these days,

the way she keeps to her room.

- Isn't she well?

- Perfectly well.

Then why do you suppose

she insists on acting like a hermit?

- Why don't you ask her?

- She won't talk to me.

I can't imagine what's come over her.

Oh, by the way,

that phone call was for you.

Somebody from the traveI bureau

in town.

Said it was all right about the

transportation and hoteI reservations.

Who's going places and where?

I am. Mexico.

Well, why the wanderlust

all of a sudden?

I just thought I'd like

to get away for a while.

From what?

Is there anything strange

about wanting to take a trip?

No, I suppose not, but why Mexico?

I've always wanted to see Mexico.

I've never heard you

say anything about it before.

What part of Mexico?

Taxco.

- When are you going?

- Next week.

- With Mother?

- No.

- By yourself?

- By myself.

What are you running away from?

Is it me?

When we were kids, you tormented me

every way you could think of.

- You can't do that anymore.

- Is it Richard?

I'm going away because I can't stand

living in this house any longer.

The whole place is filled with hate.

Your hate.

Not hate, love, Ruth.

Richard's love for me.

All these weeks I was

in the hospitaI, helpIess...

...you had him here to yourself,

but it didn't do you any good, did it?

He loves me more than ever.

That's what you can't abide.

- That's why you envy me, isn't it?

- I don't envy you, Ellen.

All my life I've tried to love you,

to please you.

All of us have. Mother, Father and

now Richard, and what have you done?

With your love, you wrecked Mother's

life and pressed Father to death.

With your love,

you've made a shadow of Richard.

No, Ellen, I don't envy you.

I'm sorry for you.

You're the most pitifuI creature

I've ever known.

Hello, Richard.

Have a nice walk?

You haven't shaved, darling,

but I'll forgive you.

Your new book just came.

I've been glancing through it.

I noticed the dedication:

"To the gaI with the hoe. "

I'd hoped it would be

"To Patchouli. "

But I suppose she did help you

with it a lot.

Oh, well, there'll be other books.

Darling, I had no idea the setting

of your book was Mexico.

I didn't even know you'd been there.

Why didn't you tell me?

Is anything wrong, Richard?

You're so strange.

You've been avoiding me.

Going off by yourself.

Where do you go?

What do you think about?

Whatever it is,

can't you share it with me?

We haven't done that for a long time,

shared things.

Ever since Danny...

You've never forgiven me

for that, have you?

You've always blamed me.

You did tell me not to let him swim

the lake unless you were with us...

...but we wanted to surprise you.

Danny was so happy planning

to surprise you.

He swam 3/4 the day before...

...and he was sure he could make it.

The water was so warm.

I thought there was no danger.

I must've looked away for a moment,

then when I looked back, he was sinking.

I pulled at the oars and then lost one,

and then I grew panicky.

It was like a nightmare.

Like walking in your sleep?

Yes.

Yes, I began to paddle

and the boat didn't seem to move.

So you let him drown.

Didn't you?

- Didn't you?

- Richard, you're hurting me.

What happened that day

at Back of the Moon?

You'd got rid of everybody else.

Your mother, Ruth, Thorne.

There was only Danny left.

What were you thinking of?

You never really cared for him.

You only pretended to.

What happened?

Did he refuse to leave?

Don't, Richard. Don't.

- Is that why you killed him?

- I didn't mean to let him drown.

But you did, didn't you?

You're a perfect swimmer...

...and the boat was so far away,

he was going down for the third time.

You killed him.

You let Danny drown, didn't you?

- Didn't you?

- Yes.

I did. I let him drown,

and I'd do it again.

I didn't want him around.

I didn't want anyone but you.

I knew it.

I must have known it all along...

...but I kept pushing it out

of my mind.

I couldn't believe it.

I didn't want to believe it.

How could I?

You loved me, you said.

Wanted only to make me happy.

Yes, that was all I ever wanted,

Richard. Your happiness, only that.

I didn't mean to let Danny drown.

I didn't plan it, I swear I didn't.

But when he went under...

...I thought if he never came up,

I'd have you all to myself.

I thought if he was gone,

you'd have only me.

And while I was thinking that,

he was gone.

I was sorry then, and frightened. I tried

to find him, tried honestly, tried hard.

But it was too late.

Why don't you kill me, Richard?

You could so easily, you know.

And the baby.

- You never wanted it, did you?

- No.

Don't you see? I didn't want

anyone around. Only you.

I wanted to be just with you. I couldn't

stand having anyone between us.

Oh, I love you so, Richard.

I love you so.

I'm leaving you, Ellen.

Mr...

...Russell...

...Quinton.

District...

...attorney.

Sussex.

Flight 17, the sunset

special, now loading at gate seven.

Mr. Richard Harland wanted

at the telephone.

Inquire at Information.

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