Читать книгу Desire Under the Elms - Eugene O'Neill - Страница 6

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It is the pitch darkness just before dawn. Eben comes in from the left and goes around to the porch, feeling his way, chuckling bitterly and cursing half-aloud to himself.

EBEN--The cussed old miser! (He can be heard going in the front door. There is a pause as he goes upstairs, then a loud knock on the bedroom door of the brothers.) Wake up!

SIMEON--(startledly) Who's thar?

EBEN--(pushing open the door and coming in, a lighted candle in his hand. The bedroom of the brothers is revealed. Its ceiling is the sloping roof. They can stand upright only close to the center dividing wall of the upstairs. Simeon and Peter are in a double bed, front. Eben's cot is to the rear. Eben has a mixture of silly grin and vicious scowl on his face.) I be!

PETER--(angrily) What in hell's-fire . . . ?

EBEN--I got news fur ye! Ha! (He gives one abrupt sardonic guffaw.)

SIMEON--(angrily) Couldn't ye hold it 'til we'd got our sleep?

EBEN--It's nigh sunup. (then explosively) He's gone an' married agen!

SIMEON AND PETER--(explosively) Paw?

EBEN--Got himself hitched to a female 'bout thirty-five--an' purty, they says . . .

SIMEON--(aghast) It's a durn lie!

PETER--Who says?

SIMEON--They been stringin' ye!

EBEN--Think I'm a dunce, do ye? The hull village says. The preacher from New Dover, he brung the news--told it t' our preacher--New Dover, that's whar the old loon got himself hitched--that's whar the woman lived--

PETER--(no longer doubting--stunned) Waal . . . !

SIMEON--(the same) Waal . . . !

EBEN--(sitting down on a bed--with vicious hatred) Ain't he a devil out o' hell? It's jest t' spite us--the damned old mule!

PETER--(after a pause) Everythin'll go t' her now.

SIMEON--Ay-eh. (a pause--dully) Waal--if it's done--

PETER--It's done us. (pause--then persuasively) They's gold in the fields o' Californi-a, Sim. No good a-stayin' here now.

SIMEON--Jest what I was a-thinkin'. (then with decision) S'well fust's last! Let's light out and git this mornin'.

PETER--Suits me.

EBEN--Ye must like walkin'.

SIMEON--(sardonically) If ye'd grow wings on us we'd fly thar!

EBEN--Ye'd like ridin' better--on a boat, wouldn't ye? (fumbles in his pocket and takes out a crumpled sheet of foolscap) Waal, if ye sign this ye kin ride on a boat. I've had it writ out an' ready in case ye'd ever go. It says fur three hundred dollars t' each ye agree yewr shares o' the farm is sold t' me. (They look suspiciously at the paper. A pause.)

SIMEON--(wonderingly) But if he's hitched agen--

PETER--An' whar'd yew git that sum o' money, anyways?

EBEN--(cunningly) I know whar it's hid. I been waitin'--Maw told me. She knew whar it lay fur years, but she was waitin' . . . It's her'n--the money he hoarded from her farm an' hid from Maw. It's my money by rights now.

PETER--Whar's it hid?

EBEN--(cunningly) Whar yew won't never find it without me. Maw spied on him--'r she'd never knowed. (A pause. They look at him suspiciously, and he at them.) Waal, is it fa'r trade?

SIMEON--Dunno.

PETER--Dunno.

SIMEON--(looking at window) Sky's grayin'.

PETER--Ye better start the fire, Eben.

SIMEON--An' fix some vittles.

EBEN--Ay-eh. (then with a forced jocular heartiness) I'll git ye a good one. If ye're startin' t' hoof it t' Californi-a ye'll need somethin' that'll stick t' yer ribs. (He turns to the door, adding meaningly) But ye kin ride on a boat if ye'll swap. (He stops at the door and pauses. They stare at him.)

SIMEON--(suspiciously) Whar was ye all night?

EBEN--(defiantly) Up t' Min's. (then slowly) Walkin' thar, fust I felt 's if I'd kiss her; then I got a-thinkin' o' what ye'd said o' him an' her an' I says, I'll bust her nose fur that! Then I got t' the village an' heerd the news an' I got madder'n hell an' run all the way t' Min's not knowin' what I'd do--(He pauses--then sheepishly but more defiantly) Waal--when I seen her, I didn't hit her--nor I didn't kiss her nuther--I begun t' beller like a calf an' cuss at the same time, I was so durn mad--an' she got scared--an' I jest grabbed holt an' tuk her! (proudly) Yes, siree! I tuk her. She may've been his'n--an' your'n, too--but she's mine now!

SIMEON--(dryly) In love, air yew?

EBEN--(with lofty scorn) Love! I don't take no stock in sech slop!

PETER--(winking at Simeon) Mebbe Eben's aimin' t' marry, too.

SIMEON--Min'd make a true faithful he'pmeet! (They snicker.)

EBEN--What do I care fur her--'ceptin' she's round an' wa'm? The p'int is she was his'n--an' now she b'longs t' me! (He goes to the door--then turns--rebelliously) An' Min hain't sech a bad un. They's worse'n Min in the world, I'll bet ye! Wait'll we see this cow the Old Man's hitched t'! She'll beat Min, I got a notion! (He starts to go out.)

SIMEON--(suddenly) Mebbe ye'll try t' make her your'n, too?

PETER--Ha! (He gives a sardonic laugh of relish at this idea.)

EBEN--(spitting with disgust) Her--here--sleepin' with him--stealin' my Maw's farm! I'd as soon pet a skunk 'r kiss a snake! (He goes out. The two stare after him suspiciously. A pause. They listen to his steps receding.)

PETER--He's startin' the fire.

SIMEON--I'd like t' ride t' Californi-a--but--

PETER--Min might o' put some scheme in his head.

SIMEON--Mebbe it's all a lie 'bout Paw marryin'. We'd best wait an' see the bride.

PETER--An' don't sign nothin' till we does!

SIMEON--Nor till we've tested it's good money! (then with a grin) But if Paw's hitched we'd be sellin' Eben somethin' we'd never git nohow!

PETER--We'll wait an' see. (then with sudden vindictive anger) An' till he comes, let's yew 'n' me not wuk a lick, let Eben tend to thin's if he's a mind t', let's us jest sleep an' eat an' drink likker, an' let the hull damned farm go t' blazes!

SIMEON--(excitedly) By God, we've 'arned a rest! We'll play rich fur a change. I hain't a-going to stir outa bed till breakfast's ready.

PETER--An' on the table!

SIMEON--(after a pause--thoughtfully) What d'ye calc'late she'll be like--our new Maw? Like Eben thinks?

PETER--More'n' likely.

SIMEON--(vindictively) Waal--I hope she's a she-devil that'll make him wish he was dead an' livin' in the pit o' hell fur comfort!

PETER--(fervently) Amen!

SIMEON--(imitating his father's voice) "I'm ridin' out t' learn God's message t' me in the spring like the prophets done," he says. I'll bet right then an' thar he knew plumb well he was goin' whorin', the stinkin' old hypocrite!