Long Day's Journey Into Night Page #3

Can't you speak up?

Around 3 o'clock this morning, I woke up and

I heard Mama moving around in the spare room.

Then she went to the bathroom. Now, I pretended to be asleep and she

stopped outside in the hall to listen as if she wanted to make sure I was.

For God's sake! Is that all?

She told me herself the foghorn kept her awake all last night. And every night since

Edmund's been sick she's been up and down going to his room to see how he was.

Yes, that's right. She did stop to listen outside his room.

But it was her being in the spare room that scared me.

Papa, I can't help remembering that when she starts sleeping alone in there

it's always been a sign.

But it isn't this time. It's easily explained.

Where else could she go last night to get away from my snoring?

How you can live with a mind that sees nothing but the

worse motives behind everything is beyond me.

Don't pull that! I just said I was all wrong.

- I suppose I'm as glad of that as you are.

- Yes. Yes. I'm sure you are Jamie.

It's been like a curse she can't escape if worry over Edmund.

- It was her long sickness after bringing him into the world that she first ..

- She didn't have anything to do with it.

- I'm not blaming her.

- Well who are you blaming? Edmund? For being born?

- You damn fool, no one was to blame.

- That bastard of a doctor was. From what Mama said he was another cheap quack like Hardy.

- You wouldn't pay for a first class doctor.

- You liar!

So I'm to blame, am I? That's what you're driving at.

You evil minded loafer.

- What were you two arguing about?

- Same old stuff.

I heard you saying something about a doctor

and your father acusing you of being evil minded.

Oh That? Well I was just saying again that Doc. Hardy

isn't my idea of the world's greatest physician.

No. No. I wouldn't say he was either.

That Bridgette! I...I thought I'd never get away.

She told me all about her second cousin on the police force in St. Louis.

Well if you're going to work on the hedge, why don't you go?

I... I mean... take advantage of the sunshine before the fog comes back.

Because I... I know it will.

That is... The reumathism in my hands knows it.

It's a better weather profet than you are James.

How ugly they are. Who would ever believe they were once beautiful.

Now now Mary... None of that foolishness.

They're the sweetest hands in the world.

Come on Jamie!

The way to start work is to start work.

The hot sun will sweat some of that booze fat off your middle.

We're all so proud of you Mama, so darn happy!

But you've still got to be careful.

I mean you mustn't worry so much about Edmund.

He'll be all right.

Of couse he'll be all right

And I.. I don't know what you mean.

Warning me to be careful...

All right Mama. I'm sorry I spoke.

Here you are! I was just going upstairs to look for you.

I didn't want to mix up in any arguments, I feel too rotten.

I'm sure you don't feel half as bad as you make out, you're such a baby.

You like to get us worried so we'll make a fuss over you...

No, no. I'm only teasing you dear, I know how miserably unconfortable you must be.

But you feel better today, don't you?

All the same you... you've grown much too thin. Come on, sit down.

All you need is your mother to nurse you.

Because you are, you're still the baby of the family to me you know?

- Never mind me, you take care of yourself. That's all that counts.

- But I am.

Heavens... don't you see how fat I've grown?

I'll have to have all my dresses let out.

They started clipping the hedge.

Poor Jamie. How he hates working in front where everyone passing can see him.

Not that I want anything to do with them.

I've always hated this place and everyone in it.

But your father liked it

and insisted on building this house and I've had to come here every summer.

It was wrong from the start.

Everything was done in the cheapest possible way.

Your father would never spend the money to make it right.

It's just as well we haven't any friends.

I'd be ashamed to have them step in the door.

But... yo...your father has never wanted family friends.

All he likes is to hobnob with men, in bar-rooms or at the club.

You and Jamie are the same way. But you're not to blame.

I know it's useless to talk but...

sometimes I... I feel so lonely.

You've got to be fair Mama.

It may have been all his fault in the beggining but you know

that latter on, even if he'd wanted to, we couldn't have had people here.

- Don't I... I can't bear having you remind...

- Don't take it that way please Mama, I'm trying to help.

Because it's bad for you to forget, the right way is to remember then you'll always be on your guard.

I... I don't understand why you should suddenly say such things.

What put it in your mind this morning?

- Nothing, it just... well I... b... because I feel rotten and blue I suppose.

- Tell me the truth.

- Why you so... suspicious all of a sudden?

- I'm not.

Yes you are, I feel it.

- Your father and Jamie too, particularly...

- Now don't start imagining things Mama.

It makes it so much harder living in this atmosphere of constant suspicion, knowing

that everyone is spying on me, that none of you believe in me or trust me.

- That's crazy Mama.

- If there was only...

- We do trust you.

- ...some place I could go to get away for a day or even an afternoon, some woman friend I could talk to

not about anything serious, simply laugh and gossip and forget for a while.

- Someone besides the serveants, that stupid Cathleen.

- Stop it Mama, you're getting yourself worked up over nothing.

Your father goes out, he meets his friends in bar-rooms or at the club. You and Jamie have

the boys, you know, you go out but I'm alone I've always been alone.

- Now you know that's a fib, one of us always stays around to keep you company.

- Because you're afraid to trust me alone.

I insist you tell me why you... act so differently this morning.

Why you felt you had to remind me.

It's stupid, it's just because I wasn't asleep when you came into my room last night.

You didn't go back to your and Papa's room you went into the spare room for the rest of the night.

Because your father's snoring was driving me crazy.

For heavens sake!

Haven't I often used the spare room as my bedroom?

But I... I...

I see what you thought, that was..

- I didn't think...

- Well I...

So... you were... you were pretending to be asleep, in order to spy on me.

No, I did it because I knew if you found out I was feverish and couldn't sleep you'd be upset.

- Jamie was pretending to be asleep too, I'm sure and I suppose your father...

- Stop it Mama

Oh Edmund! I can't bear it when even you...

It would serve all of you right if it was true.

- Mama don't say that! That's the way you...

- Stop suspecting me!

Please dear. You hurt me.

I couldn't sleep because I was thinking about you.

Th-that's the real reason. I've been so worried ever since you got sick.

- That's foolishness, you know it's just a bad cold.

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