Anna Christie
Eugene O'Neill
ACT IV Page 2
ANNA--(Dully) A lie? What?
BURKE--(With passionate entreaty) All the badness you told me two days back. Sure it must be a lie! You was only making game of me, wasn't you? Tell me 'twas a lie, Anna, and I'll be saying prayers of thanks on my two knees to the Almighty God!
BURKE--(Hoarsely.) God's curse on you!
ANNA--Listen, Mat! You hadn't come, and I'd gave up hope. But--in the station--I couldn't go. I'd bought my ticket and everything. (She takes the ticket from her dress and tries to hold it before his eyes.) But I got to thinking about you--and I couldn't take the train--I couldn't! So I come back here--to wait some more. Oh, Mat, don't you see I've changed? Can't you forgive what's dead and gone--and forget it?
ANNA--(Shuddering.) Mat! (Then after a pause--in a voice of dead, stony calm.) Well, you've had your say. Now you better beat it.
BURKE--(Starts slowly for the door--hesitates--then after a pause.) And what'll you be doing?
ANNA--What difference does it make to you?
BURKE--I'm asking you!
ANNA--(In the same tone.) My bag's packed and I got my ticket. I'll go to New York to-morrow.
ANNA--(Stonily.) Yes.
BURKE--(In anguish.) You'll not! Don't torment me with that talk! 'Tis a she-divil you are sent to drive me mad entirely!
ANNA--(Her voice breaking.) Oh, for Gawd's sake, Mat, leave me alone! Go away! Don't you see I'm licked? Why d'you want to keep on kicking me?
BURKE--(Indignantly.) And don't you deserve the worst I'd say, God forgive you?
ANNA--All right. Maybe I do. But don't rub it in. Why ain't you done what you said you was going to? Why ain't you got that ship was going to take you to the other side of the earth where you'd never see me again?
BURKE--I have.
ANNA--(Startled.) What--then you're going--honest?
BUEKE--I signed on to-day at noon, drunk as I was--and she's sailing to-morrow.
ANNA--And where's she going to?
BURKE--Cape Town.
BURKE--'Tis at the end of Africa. That's far for you.
BURKE--The Londonderry.
BURKE--What's up you now?
ANNA--Ha-ha-ha! It's funny, funny! I'll die laughing!
ANNA--It's a secret. You'll know soon enough. It's funny. (Controlling herself--after a pause--cynically.) What kind of a place is this Cape Town? Plenty of dames there, I suppose?
BURKE--To hell with them! That I may never see another woman to my dying hour!
ANNA--That's what you say now, but I'll bet by the time you get there you'll have forgot all about me and start in talking the same old bull you talked to me to the first one you meet.
BURKE--(Offended.) I'll not, then! God mend you, is it making me out to be the like of yourself you are, and you taking up with this one and that all the years of your life?
ANNA--(Angrily assertive.) Yes, that's yust what I do mean! You been doing the same thing all your life, picking up a new girl in every port. How're you any better than I was?
BURKE--(Thoroughly exasperated.) Is it no shame you have at all? I'm a fool to be wasting talk on you and you hardened in badness. I'll go out of this and lave you alone forever. (He starts for the door--then stops to turn on her furiously) And I suppose 'tis the same lies you told them all before that you told to me?
ANNA--(Indignantly.) That's a lie! I never did!
BURKE--(Miserably.) You'd be saying that, anyway.
ANNA--(Forcibly, with growing intensity.) Are you trying to accuse me--of being in love--really in love--with them?
BURKE--I'm thinking you were, surely.
ANNA--(Furiously, as if this were the last insult--advancing on him threateningly) You mutt, you! I've stood enough from you. Don't you dare. (With scornful bitterness.) Love 'em! Oh, my Gawd! You damn thick-head! Love 'em? (Savagely.) I hated 'em, I tell you! Hated 'em, hated 'em, hated 'em! And may Gawd strike me dead this minute and my mother, too, if she was alive, if I ain't telling you the honest truth!
BURKE--(Immensely pleased by vehemence--a light beginning to break over his face--but still uncertain, torn between doubt and the desire to believe--helplessly.) If I could only be believing you now!
ANNA--(Distractedly.) Oh, what's the use? What's the use of me talking? What's the use of anything? (Pleadingly.) Oh, Mat, you mustn't think that for a second! You mustn't! Think all the other bad about me you want to, and I won't kick, 'cause you've a right to. But don't think that! (On the point of tears.) I couldn't bear it! It'd be yust too much to know you was going away where I'd never see you again--thinking that about me!
BURKE--(After an inward struggle--tensely--forcing out the words with difficulty.) If I was believing--that you'd never had love for any other man in the world but me--I could be forgetting the rest, maybe.
ANNA--(With a cry of joy.) Mat!
ANNA--(Hanging on his words--breathlessly.) Oh, Mat! That's what I been trying to tell you all along!
BURKE--(Simply.) For I've a power of strength in me to lead men the way I want, and women, too, maybe, and I'm thinking I'd change you to a new woman entirely, so I'd never know, or you either, what kind of woman you'd been in the past at all.
ANNA--Yes, you could, Mat! I know you could!
ANNA--(Distractedly.) You got to believe it. Mat! What can I do? I'll do anything, anything you want to prove I'm not lying!
ANNA--(Eagerly.) Sure, I'll swear, Mat--on anything!
BURKE--(Takes a small, cheap old crucifix from his pocket and holds it up for her to see.) Will you swear on this?
ANNA--(Reaching out for it.) Yes. Sure I will. Give it to me.
BURKE--(Holding it away.) 'Tis a cross was given me by my mother, God rest her soul. (He makes the sign of the cross mechanically.) I was a lad only, and she told me to keep it by me if I'd be waking or sleeping and never lose it, and it'd bring me luck. She died soon after. But I'm after keeping it with me from that day to this, and I'm telling you there's great power in it, and 'tis great bad luck it's saved me from and me roaming the seas, and I having it tied round my neck when my last ship sunk, and it bringing me safe to land when the others went to their death. (Very earnestly.) And I'm warning you now, if you'd swear an oath on this, 'tis my old woman herself will be looking down from Hivin above, and praying Almighty God and the Saints to put a great curse on you if she'd hear you swearing a lie!
ANNA--(Awed by his manner--superstitiously) I wouldn't have the nerve--honest--if it was a lie. But it's the truth and I ain't scared to swear. Give it to me.
BURKE--(Handing it to her--almost frightenedly, as if he feared for her safety.) Be careful what you'd swear, I'm saying.
ANNA--(Holding the cross gingerly.) Well--do you want me to swear? You say it.
BURKE--Swear I'm the only man in the world ivir you felt love for.
ANNA--(Looking into his eyes steadily) I swear it.
BURKE--And that you'll be forgetting from this day all the badness you've done and never do the like of it again.
ANNA--(Forcibly.) I swear it! I swear it by God!
BURKE--And may the blackest curse of God strike you if you're lying. Say it now!
ANNA--And may the blackest curse of God strike me if I'm lying!
BURKE--(With a stupendous sigh.) Oh, glory be to God, I'm after believing you now! (He takes the cross from her hand, his face beaming with joy, and puts it back in his pocket. He puts his arm about her waist and is about to kiss he stops, appalled by some terrible doubt.)
ANNA--(Alarmed.) What's the matter with you?
BURKE--(With sudden fierce questioning.) Is it Catholic ye are?
ANNA--(Confused.) No. Why?
BURKE--(Filled with a sort of bewildered foreboding.) Oh, God, help me! (With a dark glance of suspicion at her.) There's some divil's trickery in it, to be swearing an oath on a Catholic cross and you wan of the others.
ANNA--(Distractedly.) Oh, Mat, don't you believe me?
BURKE--(Miserably.) If it isn't a Catholic you are--
ANNA--I ain't nothing. What's the difference? Didn't you hear me swear?
BURKE--(Passionately.) Oh, I'd a right to stay away from you--but I couldn't! I was loving you in spite of it all and wanting to be with you, God forgive me, no matter what you are. I'd go mad if I'd not have you! I'd be killing the world--(He seizes her in his arms and kisses her fiercely.)
ANNA--(With a gasp of joy.) Mat!
ANNA--(Hurt--reproachfully.) Mat! I swore, didn't I?
BURKE--(Defiantly, as if challenging fate.) Oath or no oath, 'tis no matter. We'll be wedded in the morning, with the help of God. (Still more defiantly.) We'll be happy now, the two of us, in spite of the divil! (He crushes her to him and kisses her again. The door on the left is pushed open and CHRIS appears in the doorway. He stands blinking at them. At first the old expression of hatred of BURKE comes into his eyes instinctively. Then a look of resignation and relief takes its place. His face lights up with a sudden happy thought. He turns back into the bedroom--reappears immediately with the tin can of beer in his hand grinning.)
CHRIS--Me have drink on this, py golly! (They break away from each other with startled exclamations.)
BURKE--(Explosively.) God stiffen it! (He takes a step toward CHRIS threateningly.)
ANNA--(Happily--to her father.) That's the way to talk! (With a laugh.) And say, it's about time for you and Mat to kiss and make up. You're going to be shipmates on the Londonderry, did you know it?
BURKE--(Astounded.) Shipmates--Has himself--
CHRIS--(Equally astounded.) Ay vas bo'sun on her.
BURKE--The divil! (Then angrily.) You'd be going back to sea and leaving her alone, would you?
ANNA--(Quickly.) It's all right, Mat. That's where he belongs, and I want him to go. You got to go, too; we'll need the money. (With a laugh, as she gets the glasses.) And as for me being alone, that runs in the family, and I'll get used to it. (Pouring out their glasses.) I'll get a little house somewhere and I'll make a regular place for you two to come back to,--wait and see. And now you drink up and be friends.
BURKE--(Happily--but still a bit resentful against the old man.) Sure! (Clinking his glass against CHRIS'.) Here's luck to you! (He drinks.)
CHRIS--(Subdued--his face melancholy.) Skoal. (He drinks.)
BURKE--Is it any religion at all you have, you and your Anna?
CHRIS--(Surprised.) Vhy yes. Ve vas Lutheran in ole country.
BURKE--(Horrified.) Luthers, is it? (Then with a grim resignation, slowly, aloud to himself.) Well, damned then surely. Yerra, what's the difference? 'Tis the will of God, anyway.
CHRIS--(Moodily preoccupied with his own thoughts--speaks with somber premonition as ANNA re-enters from the left.) It's funny. It's queer, yes--you and me shipping on same boat dat vay. It ain't right. Ay don't know--it's dat funny vay ole davil sea do her vorst dirty tricks, yes. It's so. (He gets up and goes back and, opening the door, stares out into the darkness.)
ANNA--(Forcing a laugh.) Gee, Mat, you ain't agreeing with him, are you? (She comes forward and puts her arm about his shoulder-- with a determined gaiety.) Aw say, what's the matter? Cut out the gloom. We're all fixed now, ain't we, me and you? (Pours out more beer into his glass and fills one for herself--slaps him on the back.) Come on! Here's to the sea, no matter what! Be a game sport and drink to that! Come on! (She gulps down her glass. Burke banishes his superstitious premonitions with a defiant jerk of his head, grins up at her, and drinks to her toast.)
CHRIS--(Looking out into the night--lost in his somber preoccupation--shakes his head and mutters.) Fog, fog, fog, all bloody time. You can't see vhere you vas going, no. Only dat ole davil, sea--she knows! (The two stare at him. From the harbor comes the muffled, mournful wail of steamers' whistles.)