The Little Foxes Page #7

I'm beginning to understand.

I knew you would as soon

as you had time to think it over.

Yes, sir, Horace,

this 75,000 will get you a million.

Yes, Horace, it will!

What did you have to promise Marshall

besides your money?

Water power,

free and plenty of it.

- You have that?

- Easy.

You'd think the governor of a great

state would make his price higher...

just out of pride.

And cheap labor.

"The wages has got to be cheaper

than Massachusetts," Marshall says.

And that averages eight a week.

You bought the water from the governor.

It was his to sell?

Go on, Ben.

"Eight a week?" I say to Marshall.

"I'd work for eight a week myself. "

There ain't a man in this section,

black or white...

who wouldn't give his right arm

for three silver dollars every week.

They'll take less than that when

you play them off against each other.

Your father said

he made the thousands...

- and you boys would make the millions.

- Millions for us too.

Us? You and me?

I don't think so.

You've got enough money, Regina.

We'll just sit by

and watch the boys grow rich.

Then this means

you're finally turning us down?

Is it possible

that's what you mean?

I don't want any part of it.

I've been trying to tell you that.

- I want to know your reasons.

- I don't know myself. Leave it at that.

We shall not leave it at that.

I want to know your reasons now.

- We've been waiting like children...

- Yes, to nag at me to invest my money.

If you're disappointed, I'm sorry.

But I must do what I think best.

Now, good night.

Please wait downstairs.

- Oscar and I will go home now.

- Please wait downstairs!

There will be

no more talking about this.

I'm sick and tired of hearing about it.

I've given my answer, and that is all.

I think we'll have to talk

about it, Horace.

Just you and me.

I never did believe

he was going in with us.

I thought he'd go in.

What do you expect me to do?

Nothing.

You done your almighty best.

There's nothing you can do.

Maybe there's something

I could do for us.

Or, I might better say,

Leo could do for us.

- Ain't that true, son?

- What do you mean?

Leo's got a friend.

Leo's friend owns $90,000 worth

of Union Pacific bonds.

Leo's friend don't look

at the bonds much...

not for five or six months

at a time.

Union Pacific.

Let me understand this.

Leo's friend would lend him

the bonds, and he would...

Would be kind enough

to lend them to us.

- Leo.

- Yes, sir?

- When would your friend want them back?

- I don't know.

You told me he won't look

at them till fall.

That's right, but I...

Not till fall.

- But Uncle Horace...

- Be still.

Your uncle doesn't wish

to know your friend's name.

That's a good one.

Not know his name?

Shut up, Leo.

He won't look at them till September.

That gives us five months.

Leo will return the bonds

in three months.

We'll have no trouble raising the money

once the mills start going up.

Will Marshall accept bonds?

Why not?

We're lucky, Oscar.

We'll take the loan

from Leo's friend.

I think he'll make a safer partner

than our sister.

How soon do you think

you can borrow them?

Right away, tonight.

They're in the safe-deposit box...

I don't want to know

where they are.

We'll keep it secret from you, Ben.

Good night, Oscar.

- Good luck to us.

- Leo will be taken care of?

I'm entitled

to Uncle Horace's share.

Gee, that would make me a partner.

"Partner"?

Why, you...

He didn't mean it. I want to be sure

he'll get something out of this.

We'll take care of him.

We'll arrange that later.

Then that's settled.

Come on, son.

I didn't mean just that.

I was only gonna say...

Go on. You have work to do.

Good night, David.

- Good night, Zannie.

- Good night, David.

Hello, Zannie.

- Won't you leave me alone?

- I won't let you alone!

- If I'd let you alone, you'd still be...

- Uncle Ben, make Mama stop.

She can't do that to Papa.

It isn't right.

- Alexandra, you have a tender heart.

- If you won't do anything about it...

I will!

Now, you see? It's all over.

Don't worry so, my dear.

Married folks frequently

raise their voices, unfortunately.

How can you treat Papa like this?

He's very sick. Don't you know that?

- Mind your business.

- This is my business.

- It's my business to stop what's wrong.

- Don't you dare speak to me like this!

- Go to bed!

- Yes, Mama.

You'll have to put Marshall off

for a few days.

I'm afraid I can't do that for you.

I told you his letter was urgent.

How much more time can you give me?

- Horace has refused.

- He'll change his mind.

I'll find a way to make him.

How much longer can you wait?

I could wait a few days,

but I can't wait a few days.

I could, but I can't.

Could and can't.

I have to go now.

I'm very late.

You're not going.

I want to talk to you.

I forgot to tell you. Oscar's going

to Chicago tomorrow as we planned...

so we can't be here

for our usual Friday night supper.

Oscar's...

What do you mean?

Just that. He's going to deliver

the money to Marshall.

You're lying.

You're trying to scare me.

You haven't got the money.

How can you have it?

How can he go to Chicago?

Did a ghost arrive with the money?

I don't believe you.

- Come back here. I want to talk to you.

- You're getting out of hand.

Since when do I take orders

from you?

Come back!

Good night.

It's a great day

when you and Ben cross swords.

I've been waiting for it for years.

So they found out they don't need you.

So you'll not have

your millions after all.

You hate to see anybody live now,

don't you?

You hate to think I'll be alive

and have what I want.

- You'd think that was my reason.

- Yes.

Because you're going to die

and you know you're going to die.

Maybe it's easier

for the dying to be honest.

I'm sick of you! Sick of this house,

sick of my unhappy life with you.

I'm sick of your brothers

and their dirty tricks to make a dime!

There must be better ways of getting

rich than building sweatshops...

and pounding the bones of the town

to make dividends for you to spend.

You'll wreck the town,

you and your brothers.

You'll wreck the country,

you and your kind, if they let you.

But not me.

I'll die my own way.

I'll do it without making the world

any worse. I'll leave that to you.

I hope you die.

I hope you die soon.

- Mama, don't!

- I'll be waiting for you to die.

Don't!

Papa, don't listen.

Please just don't listen!

Go away.

Thank you, Birdie.

That was nice.

I hope I didn't disturb Regina.

I should have thought to ask.

Miss Regina ain't home.

I'd have told you.

She's at Mrs. Hewitt's

getting a dress fitted.

Thank you, Addie.

Horace, look.

Simon brought me these from Lionnet.

Oscar was out there shooting

this morning.

Simon says they're just

growing wild there now.

Coming, Addie.

Why don't you pick some?

I don't like crab apples.

You're getting too old

to be climbing trees.

- Why?

- Your petticoats are showing.

- David Hewitt.

- Or should I say "underskirts. "

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote