Long Day's Journey Into Night Page #6

I'm going upstairs... for a moment.

If you'll excuse me.

I have to fix my hair.

That is, if I can find my glasses.

- I'll be right down.

- Mary.

Yes dear, what is it?

- Nothing.

- You're welcome to come up and watch me if you're so suspicious.

As if that could do any good, you'd only postpone it.

- I'm not your jailor, this isn't a prison.

- No, I know you can't help thinking it's a home.

I'm sorry dear.

I don't mean to be bitter.

It... It's not your fault.

- Another shot in the arm.

- Cut out that kind of talk.

Yes, hold your foul tongue and your rotten broadway loafers lingo!

Have you no pity or decency? You ought to be thrown out into the gutter

If I did it you know damn well who would weep you and plead

for you and excuse you and complain until I let you come back.

God! Don't I know that?

No pity?

I have all the pity in the world for her because I understand what a

hard game to beat she is up against. Which is more than you ever had

No, the cures are no damn good except for a while.

The truth is there is no cure and we've been saps to hope.

- They never come back.

- "They never come back"

Everything's in the bag, it's all a frame up we're all

fall guys and suckers and we can't beat the game.

- God, if I felt the way you do...

- I thought you did! Your poetry isn't very cheery nor the stuff you read and claim to admire.

Shut up both of you! There's little choice between the philosophy you

learn from broadway loafers and the one Edmund got from his books.

They're both rotten to the core. You both flauted the faith you were

born and brought up in, the one true faith of the catholic church

- and your denial has brought nothing but self-destruction.

- That's the bunk Papa.

We don't pretend at any rate. I don't notice you've

worn any holes in the knees of your pants going to mass.

It's true, I'm a bad catholic in the observance. God forgive me.

But I believe.

And you're a liar, I may not go to church but every night

and morning of my life I get down on my knees and pray.

Did you pray for Mama?

I did, I've prayed to God these many years for her.

But what's the good of talk?

Only, I wish she hadn't led me into hope this time.

By God! I never will again.

That's a rotten thing to say Papa.

Well I'll hope, she's only just started,

it can't have got a hold on her yet, she can still stop.

You can't talk to her now, she'll listen but she won't listen.

Yes, every day from now on will be the same drifting

away from us until at the end of each night...

Cut it out Papa!

I'll go up and get dressed.

I'll make so much noise she can't suspect I've come up to spy on her.

- What did Doc. Hardy say about the kid?

- It's what you thought... he's got consumption.

- Damn it!

- There's no possible doubt, he says.

- Aw hell, he'll have to go to a sanitorium.

- Yes. The sooner the better, Hardy says, for him and everyone around him.

He claims:
in six monts to a year, Edmund will be cured, if he obeys orders.

Who would have thought a child of mine?

Doesn't come from my side of the family.

- Wasn't one of us who didn't have lungs as strong as an ox!

- Who gives a damn about that part of it?

Where does Hardy want to send him?

That's what I've to see him about.

- Well for God's sake pick out a good place and not some cheap dump.

- I'll send him wherever Hardy thinks best.

Well don't give Hardy your old over the hills to

the poor house song about taxes and mortgages

- I'm no millionaire that can throw money away. Why shouldn't I tell Hardy the truth?

- Because he'll think you want him to pick a cheap dump.

And because he'll know it isn't the truth, especially if he hears afterwards you've seen McGuire

and let that flannel-mouth, gold-brick merchant sting you with another piece of bum property!

- Keep your nose out of my business!

- This is Edmund's business!

What I'm afraid of is, with your irish bogtrotter idea that consumption is fatal

you'll figure it's a waste of money to spend any more than you can help

- You liar!

- All right, prove I'm a liar! That's what I want, that's why I brought it up.

I have every hope Edmund will be cured and keep your dirty tongue off Ireland.

You're a fine one to sneer with a map of it on your face.

Not after I wash my face.

Well... I've said all I have to say, it's up to you.

What do you want me to do this afternoon now that you're going uptown?

I've done all I can do on the hedge until you cut more of it and

you don't want me to go ahead with your clipping I know that.

No, you'd get it crooked. Like you get everything else.

Well I'd better go uptown with Edmund then.

Bad news coming on top of what's happened with Mama may hit him hard.

Yes go with him Jamie, Keep up his spirits if you can.

If you can without making it an excuse to get drunk.

What would I use for money?

The last I heard they were still selling booze not giving it away.

I'll get dressed.

You haven't... seen my... glasses anywhere have you Jamie?

- You haven't seen them have you James?

- No my dear.

What's the matter with Jamie?

Have you been nagging at him again?

You really sh...shouldn't treat him with such contempt all the time.

He's not to blame, if he'd been brought up in a real home I'm sure it would have been dif...

You're not much of a weather profet James.

See how hazy it's getting.

- I can hardly see the other shore.

- Yes I spoke too soon we're in for another night of fog I'm afraid.

- Well... I won't mind it tonight.

- No. I don't imagine you will... Mary.

I... I don't... see Jamie

- going down to the hedge. Where...where did he go?

- He's going with Edmund to the doctor's, he went upstairs to change his clothes.

- I have to do the same or I'll be late for my appointment.

- Please wait a little while.

At least until one of the boys... comes down.

- You... you'll all be... leaving me so soon.

- It's you who are leaving us Mary.

Well that... that's a silly thing... to say James.

How could I leave?

There's nowhere I could go. Who would I go to see?

- I have no friends.

- That's your own fault.

Surely there's something that you could do this

afternoon that would be good for you Mary.

Take a drive in the automobile, get away from the house get a little sun and fresh air.

I bought the automobile for you. You know I don't care for the damn things,

I'd rather walk any day or take the trolly.

I had it here waiting for you when you came back from the sanitorium.

I thought it would give you pleasure and distract your mind.

You used to ride in it every day, you hardly use it at all lately.

Payed more money than I could afford.

There's the chauffeur, I have to feed and board

and pay high wages wether he drives you or not.

Waste!

Same old waste that will land me in the poor house at my old age.

What good has it done you?

I might as well have thrown the money out the window.

It was a waste of money James.

You shouldn't have bought a second hand automobile.

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