Mourning Becomes Electra Page #6

Oh, all right.

Good night, Vinnie.

Go to bed soon, like a good girl.

Yes, Father.

Good night.

Christine.

What made you jump when I spoke?

I thought you were asleep.

I haven't been able to sleep.

I've been lying here thinking.

I haven't been able to sleep either.

Don't light the candle.

I want to see you.

You like the dark where you can't see

your old man of a husband, is that it?

If you're going to say stupid things

I'll go in my own room.

Don't go.

I don't want to be alone.

I feel strange, Christine.

You mean ill?

Your heart?

Is that what you're waiting for?

Stop talking like that.

Wait.

I'm sorry I said that.

It isn't my heart.

It's as if something in me were...

listening.

watching

waiting for something to happen.

This house isn't my house.

This room isn't my room.

They're empty.

Waiting for someone to move in.

And you're not my wife.

You're waiting for something.

What would I be waiting for?

For death to set you free.

Leave me alone. Stop nagging at me

with your crazy suspicions.

Not your wife.

You act as if I were your wife,

your property.

You were lying to me as

you always lied.

You make me feel hateful

and unclean to myself.

I'd feel more honor between

myself and...

Look out, Ezra. I won't stand...

I was hoping my homecomeing

would mark a new beginning

a new love between us.

I told you my secret feelings.

I tore my insides out for you thinking

you'd understand.

Did you think you could make me

forget all the years?

Oh, no, Ezra. It's too late.

You want the truth?

You've guessed it.

I've never once been yours.

I never could be.

Oh, I wanted to be when I married you

but you made it so I couldn't.

You filled me with disgust.

You say that to me.

No. Be quiet.

We mustn't fight.

It'll bring on the pain.

You wanted the truth

and you're going to get it now.

Be quiet, Christine.

I lied about Captain Brant.

He's Marie Brantme's son.

And it was I he came to see,

not Vinnie.

You dare, the son of that...

All my trips to New York

weren't to visit Father...

but to be with Brant.

He's gentle and tender. He's everything

you've never been.

I love him.

You common, vile... I'll kill you.

Quick. The medicine.

The medicine.

Father.

He just had an attack.

Father.

Oh, he's fainted.

He's all right now.

Let him sleep.

Father.

She's guilty.

Not... medicine.

Father.

It's my own.

He's asleep.

He's dead.

Why did he point at you like that?

Why did he say you were guilty?

Well answer me!

I told him the truth about Adam.

You told him that

when you knew his heart...

You did it on purpose.

You murdered him.

No, it was your fault.

You made him suspicious.

He forced me to tell him.

Look at me!

He said not medicine.

What did he mean?

I don't know.

You do know. Tell me.

Are you accusing your mother of...

Yes, I am, you...

You can't be that evil.

I feel faint.

I must go and lie down, I...

You murdered him just the same

by telling him.

You think you'll be free now

to marry Adam.

But you won't.

Not while I'm alive.

Father!

Don't leave me alone.

Come back to me.

Tell me what to do.

Tell me what to do.

It isn't for me to question

the arrangements, Mrs Mannon...

but it does seem as if Ezra

should have been laid out in Town Hall

where the whole town

could have paid their respects to him.

Yes, yes, remember he was

mayor of the town, a national war hero...

Are you sure you don't want

a public funeral?

It's not a question of what I want.

I must follow out his wishes.

Yes, of course...

Well, I must say it's just like Ezra,

he liked things private and quiet.

Never was one for show.

Yes, he did the work

and let the others do the showing off.

Yes, indeed.

Good night, Mrs Mannon.

You have our deepest sympathies.

Has Orin come yet?

Not yet,

but they ought to be here soon.

Can't you lie down, Mrs Mannon?

No, I should have gone to the train

but all those people coming

to stand around and stare at the dead.

And at me.

I know, but there won't be

any more now.

Come and sit down.

I can't abide that woman.

There's something queer about her.

She looks terrible, doesn't she?

Queer the difference between her

and Lavinia the way they take his death.

Lavinia doesn't seem to fell the grief

as much as she ought to.

Oh, she feels it all right.

Only she's too Mannon to show it.

She had a quarrel with her mother, too.

I heard it.

What was it over?

She was going to the train alone.

Her mother seemed real angry.

She bid Peter Niles go along.

Josiah!

Coming, Emma.

I'm not surprised what's happened.

He had angina.

I knew it even before he got home

from the things he wrote his wife.

She was worried about him.

Naturally, doctor.

The minute they sent for me I knew

what had happened.

She'd given him his medicine

but it was too late.

Too bad, too darn bad.

The town won't find another

as able as Ezra now.

No, that's right.

Come along, come along, my dear.

Orin!

Vinnie!

Well, you certainly are a sight

for sore eyes.

How are you, anyway you

bossy old fuss-buzzer?

Here's Peter.

How are you, Peter?

Say, how are you, Orin,

that's the question.

Oh, all right, I guess.

Where's Mother?

At home.

Reverend Hills is there

and some other people arranging

for the funeral.

Oh.

Oh, here, let me take care of that.

Thanks, Peter.

Howdy, Orin.

How are you, Seth?

Glad to see you.

Get on, boy.

Home at last.

You don't know how I dreamed of this,

Vinnie.

The house looks ghostly and dead.

It's only the moonlight, you chump.

Like a tomb.

That's what Mother used to call it.

It is a tomb just now, Orin.

I'd forgotten.

I simply can't realize he's dead.

I never knew his heart was weak.

He told me the trouble wasn't serious.

Father told you that?

Hm.

I was hoping he had.

Peter, would you run along inside, please.

I want to speak with Orin a moment.

Sure. Sure, Vinnie.

What's wrong with you, Vinnie?

Oh, I know what a shock his death

is to you.

Isn't it a shock to you, Orin?

Certainly, but...

Oh, I can't explain. Give me a chance

to get used to things.

How can you be so unfeeling?

You wanted me to be a hero,

didn't you?

Well, murdering doesn't improve

one's manners.

Listen, Vinnie, what was that stuff

you wrote me about some...

Captain Brant coming to see Mother?

There's no time to talk now.

I want to warn you to be

on your guard.

Don't believe the lies she'll tell you.

Wait till you've talked to me.

You mean Mother?

What are you talking about, anyway?

Honestly, Vinnie, I thinks that's carrying

an everlasting squabble with Mother

a bit too far.

You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

What are you being so mysterious

about, anyway?

Is it Brant?

Why didn't you call me, Peter?

Orin!

Mother!

My boy, my baby!

Oh, Mother, it's good to see you.

Poor darling.

How you must have suffered.

But it's all over now.

I've got you back again.

Let's go in, dear.

There's someone else waiting who will

be glad to see you.

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