Mourning Becomes Electra Page #4

I see what it's going to mean.

That you'll have me under your thumb

the rest of my life.

Take care, Vinnie. You'll be responsible if...

If what?

Nothing.

I only meant if I went off with Adam.

But of course you know I can't do that.

There is nothing I can do now

but obey your orders.

You ought to see it's your duty

to Father,

and not my orders.

Now call him in and

tell him what you've got to do.

Give me a chance to get out

the back way.

And I want him out of this house

before I get back.

If he's not, I'll write Father again.

Adam.

She knows?

Yes. Close the doors.

Don't be frightened, Christine.

Shenandoah, I long to hear you

Way-ay you rollin' river

Well, did you put it strong to him

like I told you?

I made a fool of myself.

There's no connection,

do you understand?

It was just some crazy idea

of yours.

All right, Vinnie.

If you want it left that way,

I'll leave it that way.

You sound as if you didn't

believe me.

Sure, sure I believe you.

I believe in anything you tell me

to believe.

I ain't been with the Mannons 60 years

without learning that.

Seth...

Ayeh?

What was that Marie Brantme like?

Oh, she was always laughing

and singing.

Frisky and full of life.

Talked foreign like your Ma, too.

There was somthing wild and free

about her.

Everyone took to Marie.

Even your Paw.

Father, too?

Ayeh.

He was a boy at the time,

just feeling his oats.

But he was wild about her.

That's why he hated her worse

than anyone

when it got found out

that she and his uncle David was...

mixed up together.

I don't believe that about Father.

You've had too much whiskey.

We've got to decide what to do.

The time for skulking and lying is over

and, by heavens, I'm glad of it.

It's a coward's game

and I've no stomach for it.

I simply couldn't believe he would

ever come home again.

I prayed for him to be killed

in the war.

Oh, if he were only dead.

That chance is finished now.

Yes, in that way.

What made you sit there?

It's his chair.

Oh, it's just silly talk about resemblances.

When he comes home

I'll not give Vinnie the satisfaction

of telling him.

I'll tell him myself.

I'd give my soul to see his face

when he finds out that you love

Marie Brantme's son.

Then I'll take you away openly

and we'll laugh at him.

If he tries to stop me...

What would you do?

If I ever laid my hands on him

I'd kill him.

And be hanged for murder?

If I insult him in the street

he'll have to fight.

Do you imagine

you could force him to fight a duel?

He'd simply feel bound to do his duty

as a former judge

and have you arrested.

It would be a poor revenge

for your mother's death

to let him make you a laughing stock.

If I take you off on my ship

the laugh will be on him.

Don't you realize

he would never divorce me?

What would I be

in the eyes of the world?

My life would be ruined and

I'd ruin yours.

You'd grow to hate me.

Don't talk like that, Christine.

I'll grow old so soon. I'm afraid of time.

So my my sailing on your ship

you'll find you won't have a ship.

He'll get you blacklisted.

If he had only been killed.

We could be married now.

And I would bring you my share

of the Mannon fortune.

It's only justice.

It's what his father stole from yours.

You could buy your own ship

and be your own master then.

That's always been my dream.

You've been on board

the Flying Trades, Christine.

She's as beautiful a ship

as you are a woman.

If she was mine I'd take you

on a honeymoon to China.

And on the voyage back

we'd stop at the blessed isles

I told you about.

There's the right place for love

and a honeymoon.

Yes, but Ezra is alive.

I know. It's only a dream.

You remember my telling you

he had written complaining of pains

about his heart.

I went to see Dr. Blake,

our family doctor,

and showed him Ezra's letter.

He's the town's worst gossip.

I'm sure everybone knows

about Ezra's weak heart by this time.

What are you driving at, Christine?

If he died suddenly now...

no one would think

it was anything but heart failure.

I was reading a book in Father's

medical library

It was as if some fate in me

forced me to see it.

I've written it here.

You sail for Boston tomorrow,

don't you?

Get this the minute you reach there.

You can make up a story

about some sick dog on your ship.

As soon as you get it

bring it to me here.

You can't do a thing like that, Christine.

You'll be suspected.

He's taking medicine.

I'll give him his medicine.

I'll blend it carefully.

But if he dies suddenly, won't Vinnie...

She's worried already about his heart.

What about Orin?

He'll be coming back, too.

Orin will believe anything

I want him to.

Poison.

It's a coward's trick.

You think you'd be braver

to give me up to him

and let him take away your ship?

Didn't you say you wanted

to kill him?

But I'd give him his chance.

Did he give your mother her chance?

What makes you suddenly so scrupulous

about his death?

It must be the Mannon in you

coming out.

Are you going to prove

the first time

your love is put to a test

that you are a weak coward

like your father?

Christine, if it was any man who

said that to me I...

Have you ever thought of this?

That he's coming back to my bed.

Perhaps your love is only a lie

you told me

to take a cheap revenge on him.

Stop!

I'll do anything you want.

I'm a fool to have any feeling about

how Ezra Mannon dies.

Now you're the man I love again.

Not a hypocritical Mannon.

Do you hear?

The salute to his homecoming.

Remember your dreams

of your own ship.

Above all, remember you love me.

All your own. Your wife.

Now you must go.

She'll be coming back soon

and you're not good at hiding

your thoughts...

Hurry.

I don't want you to meet her.

You'll never dare leave me now,

Adam.

For your ships, or your sea,

or your native island girls

when I grow old and ugly.

Father, oh, Father.

Vinnie.

Christine.

Ezra.

You're looking well, Christine.

And you're prettier than ever.

Compliments from one's husband.

How gallant you've become, Ezra.

Where is Orin?

Orin was wounded.

Wounded?

I knew it.

I knew when you forced him

into your horrible war.

He's dead, isn't he?

Don't say that.

It isn't true, is it, Father?

Of course it isn't.

Your mother's

jumping to conclusions about her baby.

I've made a man of him, Christine.

He did one of the bravest things

I've seen in this war.

He's still weak but he'll be

perfectly all right in a few days.

I don't want you to baby him

when he comes home, Christine.

You needn't worry.

That passed when he left me.

The carriage is waiting, Ezra.

Welcome home, General,

welcome home.

How are you, Dr. Blake?

You've done a great job, sir.

This town is proud of you.

Terrible news, isn't it,

the assassination of President Lincoln?

We don't know what's going to happen

to the country now.

Yes, a frightful calamity.

But it can't change the course

of events.

Let us hope not.

You look tired, General.

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