The Miracle Worker Page #4

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You can go back to bed, Percy.

Thank you.

I never thought that

life could be so quiet.

I miss her, too.

Hush, little baby

Don't say a word

Mama's gonna buy

you a mockingbird

If that mockingbird

don't sing

Mama's gonna buy

you a diamond ring

Annie.

I can't sleep, Annie.

There are rats in my room.

Can't we live somewhere else?

We don't have

anywhere else, Jimmie.

Please, can I sleep with you?

Just for tonight.

Hush, little baby

Don't say a word

Mama's gonna buy you

A mockingbird

And if that

Mockingbird

Doesn't sing?

Mama's gonna buy you,

A diamond ring

Flower.

Leaf.

Water.

No.

Not "apple."

Water.

Why is it so hard

to understand?

We were just about

to have lunch.

How is she, gice Annie?

Fine.

I taught her that

stitch yesterday.

Now I can't get her to stop.

It's so quiet in the

house without her.

Well, when the Captain and

James aren't bickering, that is.

I noticed they

don't get along.

Oh, well, they used to

when James mother was alive.

But then Helen

came along, and...

well, she takes up so

much of our attention.

Soup.

Ooh, such a lady.

She'd rather starve

than eat without a spoon.

You have taught her so

much in a week and a half.

It's not enough.

Obedience is not enough.

She knows so many words.

If only she knew

what they meant.

And how will she learn?

The way a bird learns to use

its wings. It has to come.

But how, gice Annie?

I...

need...

more...

time.

Alone with her?

Yes.

Why not?

Because I can't... I..

Spell it.

If she ever learns,

you're the first person she's

going to want to talk to.

She...

needs...

me.

She needs me, too.

No.

You have 3 days, Annie.

That's all you have.

E-G-G.

Egg.

The word is the thing.

It has a name.

Bird.

The bird is coming out

of its shell, Helen.

You... You come out, too.

Ohh.

Well, Francis,

I believe we're

onto something here.

Father?

Hello, Francis. James.

Captain.

Thought I'd come

take a look around.

We had an idea last

year and tried something,

and it looks like 22 inches between the

plants gives us about twice the yield.

Twice the yield?

We had that blue mold

pretty bad last year, sir.

We think it's carrying

over the winter in the roots

so we're going to try

to get all the roots

and stalks out of the

ground after the harvest.

Well, with the roots

gone, we get a bad rain,

we stand to lose a

whole layer of topsoil.

Well, I was thinking

of that, too.

Let's plant some low

grass for the winter.

Look for some,

would you, Francis?

Did you need

something, Father?

I think I have it, Jimmy.

Sorry to interrupt.

Horse.

Horse...

eats...

apple.

How I have waited

for this day.

I only hope we won't

be disappointed.

Helen doesn't ever

disappoint you, Father.

Why are you jealous, James?

I'm not jealous.

I'm envious.

It's not only Helen who

needs to learn how to talk.

Things will be very different

here if Helen is better.

I know.

Who will I blame then

for my unhappiness?

If only there was

someone to help me.

I feel I need a teacher

as much as Helen does.

Whoa.

Ohh.

Captain.

Miss Sullivan, I've

brought Helen a playmate.

A kind of graduation present.

Please, wait outside, Captain.

Dog.

Well, gice Sullivan,

the 2 weeks are up.

Not until 5:
00pm.

Oh, what difference

can half a day make?

You don't know how eager

we are to have her back.

I do know.

It's my main concern.

You've done wonders for her,

and you've done

us a great service.

I've actually missed her.

I owe that debt to you.

Pay it to Helen, Captain.

Give her another week.

Look what you've

done for her already.

She's well-behaved. She seems

quite contented. Certainly cleaner.

She's cleaner?

Is that what you care about?

She's learning

to talk, Captain.

The words are in

her fingers already.

I can't risk her unlearning it when she

goes back to her old life in the house.

Oh, look.

What is she spelling?

Water.

Miss Sullivan...

that dog doesn't know what

words are any more than she does.

The dog's happy

enough, though.

God may not have meant for

Helen to speak, gice Sullivan.

I mean her to, Captain.

Give her half a week.

You have until 5:00 pm.

Kate cannot bear to be separated

from her for another night.

Where is she?

Your Miss Sullivan insisted

on keeping her until 5:00 pm.

No.

Not "water."

Dog.

Dog.

This...

This... This is water.

How do I make her understand?

How do I tell you?

I don't know anything.

They're satisfied.

Give them back their child

and their dog...

both housebroken.

Everyone's satisfied.

Everyone but me...

and you.

Reach!

Reach!

Oh, what I wanted

to give you, Helen.

Everything in the earth, everything

that we are, what we dream of.

what we leave behind,

what we think and feel

and know and share...

it's all in words.

If I could give

you one word...

One word, I could

give you everything.

Wool.

It means this.

Chair.

Napkin.

Dress.

Face.

Ohh.

Tears.

Let's bring her home.

Hmm?

Let's put your things away.

Put them away.

Good.

You are going home.

Helen...

is going home.

That's right. Put

your things away.

Whoa.

How is she?

Please. Please

give me more time.

I can't.

Helen?

Ohh.

Helen.

Ohh.

Oh.

Oh.

Annie I'm so hot, Annie! Can

you bring me some water? Annie

I have to go to him!

He's got no one on

the earth but me!

Do you think I want an

epidemic on my hands?

Annie!

You can't Jimmie!

Annie

Jimmie!

We're doing the best we can.

I'll come and get

you when I can.

Jimmie!

Annie

I tried, but they

wouldn't let me in.

Annie

Annie -Jimmie!

Jimmie!

Annie

Annie

May I escort you?

I'm not very good

company right now.

Oh, I didn't come

to keep you company.

I came to keep you from

getting lost in the dark.

Maybe that's just what

I was looking to do.

Are you feeling sorry for

yourself. Gica Sullivan?

Just this once.

Yes.

My father has a

great respect for you,

and that's not easily earned.

He fought at Vicksburg.

He edits the newspaper.

And he's always daring

you to measure up.

If you have any advice for me,

I wouldn't mind hearing it.

I never really had a father,

so I'm the last person to ask,

but you've got to

stand up to the world.

That's all I know.

Well, what if he's the world?

Then you can just look around, James,

and see how much bigger it really is.

He's a man, James. That's all.

So are you.

Aunt Evelyn. Well,

come in. Come in.

It is so good to see you.

You have come and

see our Helen now.

The sweet child.

Miss Sullivan

must be a wonder.

Miss Sullivan.

I've brought you your

first month's salary.

You've done quite a job.

You've taken a wild thing

and given us back a child.

I taught Helen one thing...

"No."

Don't do this. Don't do that.

I wanted to teach her "yes."

Well, you'll have all

the time you need now.

Will you help me, Captain?

Yes. How?

Don't undo what I've done.

The world is not an

easy place for anyone.

To give Helen her

way in everything

is a lie to her.

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