Anna Christie
Eugene O'Neill
ACT III Page 1
SCENE--The interior of the cabin on the barge, "Simeon Winthrop" (at dock in Boston)--a narrow, low-ceilinged compartment the walls of which are painted a light brown with white trimmings. In the rear on the left, a door leading to the sleeping quarters. In the far left corner, a large locker-closet, painted white, on the door of which a mirror hangs on a nail. In the rear wall, two small square windows and a door opening out on the deck toward the stern. In the right wall, two more windows looking out on the port deck. White curtains, clean and stiff, are at the windows. A table with two cane-bottomed chairs stands in the center of the cabin. A dilapidated, wicker rocker, painted brown, is also by the table.
It is afternoon of a sunny day about a week later. From the harbor and docks outside, muffled by the closed door and windows, comes the sound of steamers' whistles and the puffing snort of the donkey engines of some ship unloading nearby.
ANNA--(Turning on him, sarcastically.) I'm glad someone's feeling good. (Wearily.) Gee, I sure wish we was out of this dump and back in New York.
CHRIS--(With a sigh.) Ay'm glad vhen ve sail again, too. (Then, as she makes no comment, he goes on with a ponderous attempt at sarcasm.) Ay don't see vhy you don't like Boston, dough. You have good time here, Ay tank. You go ashore all time, every day and night veek ve've been here. You go to movies, see show, gat all kinds fun--(His eyes hard with hatred.) All with that damn Irish fallar!
ANNA--(With weary scorn.) Oh, for heaven's sake, are you off on that again? Where's the harm in his taking me around? D'you want me to sit all day and night in this cabin with you--and knit? Ain't I got a right to have as good a time as I can?
CHRIS--It ain't right kind of fun--not with that fallar, no.
ANNA--I been back on board every night by eleven, ain't I? (Then struck by some thought--looks at him with keen suspicion--with rising anger.) Say, look here, what d'you mean by what you yust said?
CHRIS--(Hastily.) Nutting but what Ay say, Anna.
ANNA--You said "ain't right" and you said it funny. Say, listen here, you ain't trying to insinuate that there's something wrong between us, are you?
CHRIS--(Horrified.) No, Anna! No, Ay svear to God, Ay never tank dat!
ANNA--(Mollified by his very evident sincerity--sitting down again.) Well, don't you never think it neither if you want me ever to speak to you again. (Angrily again.) If I ever dreamt you thought that, I'd get the hell out of this barge so quick you couldn't see me for dust.
CHRIS--(Soothingly.) Ay wouldn't never dream--(Then, after a second's pause, reprovingly.) You vas gatting learn to svear. Dat ain't nice for young gel, you tank?
ANNA--(With a faint trace of a smile.) Excuse me. You ain't used to such language, I know. (Mockingly.) That's what your taking me to sea has done for me.
CHRIS--(Indignantly.) No, it ain't me. It's dat damn sailor fallar learn you bad tangs.
ANNA--He ain't a sailor. He's a stoker.
CHRIS--(Forcibly.) Dat vas million times vorse, Ay tal you! Dem fallars dat vork below shoveling coal vas de dirtiest, rough gang of no-good fallars in vorld!
ANNA--I'd hate to hear you say that to Mat.
CHRIS--Oh, Ay tal him same tang. You don't gat it in head Ay'm scared of him yust 'cause he vas stronger'n Ay vas. (Menacingly.) You don't gat for fight with fists dem fallars. Dere's oder vay for fix him.
ANNA--(Glancing at him with sudden alarm.) What d'you mean?
CHRIS--(Sullenly.) Nutting.
ANNA--You'd better not. I wouldn't start no trouble with him if I was you. He might forget some time you was old and my father-- and then you'd be out of luck.
CHRIS--(With smouldering hatred.) Vell, yust let him! Ay'm ole bird maybe, but Ay bet Ay show him trick or two.
ANNA--(Suddenly changing her tone--persuasively.) Aw come on, be good. What's eating you, anyway? Don't you want no one to be nice to me except yourself?
CHRIS--(Placated--coming to her--eagerly.) Yes, Ay do, Anna--only not fallar on sea. But Ay like for you marry steady fallar got good yob on land. You have little home in country all your own--
ANNA--(Rising to her feet--brusquely.) Oh, cut it out! (Scornfully.) Little home in the country! I wish you could have seen the little home in the country you had me in jail till I was sixteen! (With rising irritation.) Some day you're going to get me so mad with that talk, I'm going to turn loose on you and tell you--a lot of things that'll open your eyes.
CHRIS--(Alarmed.) Ay don't vant--
CHRIS--Ay don't talk no more den, Anna.
ANNA--Then promise me you'll cut out saying nasty things about Mat Burke every chance you get.
CHRIS--(Evasive and suspicious.) Vhy? You like dat fallar--very much, Anna?
ANNA--Yes, I certainly do! He's a regular man, no matter what faults he's got. One of his fingers is worth all the hundreds of men I met out there--inland.
CHRIS--(His face darkening.) Maybe you tank you love him, den?
ANNA--(Defiantly.) What of it if I do?
ANNA--(Shaking her head.) No! (CHRIS' face lights up with relief. ANNA continues slowly, a trace of sadness in her voice.) If I'd met him four years ago--or even two years ago--I'd have jumped at the chance, I tell you that straight. And I would now--only he's such a simple guy--a big kid--and I ain't got the heart to fool him. (She breaks off suddenly.) But don't never say again he ain't good enough for me. It's me ain't good enough for him.
CHRIS--(Snorts scornfully.) Py yiminy, you go crazy, Ay tank!
ANNA--(With a mournful laugh.) Well, I been thinking I was myself the last few days. (She goes and takes a shawl from a hook near the door and throws it over her shoulders.) Guess I'll take a walk down to the end of the dock for a minute and see what's doing. I love to watch the ships passing. Mat'll be along before long, I guess. Tell him where I am, will you?
CHRIS--(Despondently.) All right, Ay tal him. (ANNA goes out the doorway on rear. CHRIS follows her out and stands on the deck outside for a moment looking after her. Then he comes back inside and shuts the door. He stands looking out of the window--mutters-- "Dirty die davil, you." Then he goes to the table, sets the cloth straight mechanically, picks up the newspaper ANNA has let fall to the floor and sits down in the rocking-chair. He stares at the paper for a while, then puts it on table, holds his head in his hands and sighs drearily. The noise of a man's heavy footsteps comes from the deck outside and there is a loud knock on the door. CHRIS starts, makes a move as if to get up and go to the door, then thinks better of it and sits still. The knock is repeated-- then as no answer comes, the door is flung open and MAT BURKE appears. CHRIS scowls at the intruder and his hand instinctively goes back to the sheath knife on his hip. BURKE is dressed up-- wears a cheap blue suit, a striped cotton shirt with a black tie, and black shoes newly shined. His face is beaming with good humor.)
CHRIS--(Sullenly.) Pooty goot--if it ain't for some fallars. BURKE--(With a grin.) Meaning me, do you? (He laughs.) Well, if you ain't the funny old crank of a man! (Then soberly.) Where's herself? (CHRIS sits dumb, scowling, his eyes averted. BURKE is irritated by this silence.) Where's Anna, I'm after asking you?
CHRIS--(Hesitating--then grouchily.) She go down end of dock.
BURKE--I'll be going down to her, then. But first I'm thinking I'll take this chance when we're alone to have a word with you. (He sits down opposite CHRIS at the table and leans over toward him.) And word is soon said. I'm marrying your Anna before this day is out, and you might as well make up your mind to it whether you like it or no.
CHRIS--(Glaring at him with hatred and forcing a scornful laugh.) Ho-ho! Dat's easy for say!
BURKE--You mean I won't? (Scornfully.) Is it the like of yourself will stop me, are you thinking?
CHRIS--Yes, Ay stop it, if it come to vorst.
BURKE--(With scornful pity.) God help you!
CHRIS--But ain't no need for me do dat. Anna--
BURKE--And I'm telling you she'll not. She knows I'm loving her, and she loves me the same, and I know it.
CHRIS--Ho-ho! She only have fun. She make big fool of you, dat's all!
BURKE--(Unshaken--pleasantly.) That's a lie in your throat, divil mend you!
CHRIS--No, it ain't lie. She tal me yust before she go out she never marry fallar like you.
CHRIS--(A bit placated, in spite of himself, by BURKE'S evident sincerity--but puzzled and suspicious.) Vell--Ay don't vant for Anna gat married. Listen, you fallar. Ay'm a ole man. Ay don't see Anna for fifteen year. She vas all Ay gat in vorld. And now ven she come on first trip--you tank Ay vant her leave me 'lone again?
BURKE--(Heartily.) Let you not be thinking I have no heart at all for the way you'd be feeling.
CHRIS--(Astonished and encouraged--trying to plead persuasively.) Den you do right tang, eh? You ship avay again, leave Anna alone. (Cajolingly.) Big fallar like you dat's on sea, he don't need vife. He gat new gel in every port, you know dat.
BURKE--(Angry for a second.) God stiffen you! (Then controlling himself--calmly.) I'll not be giving you the lie on that. But divil take you, there's a time comes to every man, on sea or land, that isn't a born fool, when he's sick of the lot of them cows, and wearing his heart out to meet up with a fine dacent girl, and have a home to call his own and be rearing up children in it. 'Tis small use you're asking me to leave Anna. She's the wan woman of the world for me, and I can't live without her now, I'm thinking.
CHRIS--You forgat all about her in one veek out of port, Ay bet you!
BUEKE--You don't know the like I am. Death itself wouldn't make me forget her. So let you not be making talk to me about leaving her. I'll not, and be damned to you! It won't be so bad for you as you'd make out at all. She'll be living here in the States, and married to me. And you'd be seeing her often so--a sight more often than ever you saw her the fifteen years she was growing up in the West. It's quare you'd be the one to be making great trouble about her leaving you when you never laid eyes on her once in all them years.
CHRIS--(Guiltily.) Ay taught it vas better Anna stay avay, grow up inland where she don't ever know ole davil, sea.
BURKE--(Scornfully.) Is it blaming the sea for your troubles ye are again, God help you? Well, Anna knows it now. 'Twas in her blood, anyway,
CHRIS--And Ay don't vant she ever know no-good fallar on sea--
BURKE--She knows one now.
CHRIS--(Banging the table with his fist--furiously.) Dat's yust it! Dat's yust what you are--no-good, sailor fallar! You tank Ay lat her life be made sorry by you like her mo'der's vas by me! No, Ay svear! She don't marry you Ay gat kill you first!
BURKE--(Looks at him a moment, in astonishment--then laughing uproariously.) Ho-ho! Glory be to God, it's bold talk you have for a stumpy runt of a man!
BURKE--(With grinning defiance.) I'll see, surely! I'll see myself and Anna married this day, I'm telling you! (Then with contemptuous exasperation.) It's quare fool's blather you have about the sea done this and the sea done that. You'd ought to be shamed to be saying the like, and you an old sailor yourself. I'm after hearing a lot of it from you and a lot more that Anna's told me you do be saying to her, and I'm thinking it's a poor weak thing you are, and not a man at all!
CHRIS--(Darkly.) You see if Ay'm man--maybe quicker'n you tank.
BURKE--(Contemptuously.) Yerra, don't be boasting. I'm thinking 'tis out of your wits you've got with fright of the sea. You'd be wishing Anna married to a farmer, she told me. That'd be a swate match, surely! Would you have a fine girl the like of Anna lying down at nights with a muddy scut stinking of pigs and dung? Or would you have her tied for life to the like of them skinny, shrivelled swabs does be working in cities?
CHRIS--Dat's lie, you fool!
BURKE--'Tis not. 'Tis your own mad notions I'm after telling. But you know the truth in your heart, great fear of the sea has made you a liar and coward itself. (Pounding the table.) The sea's the only life for a man with guts in him isn't afraid of his own shadow! 'Tis only on the sea he's free, and him roving the face of the world, seeing all things, and not giving a damn for saving up money, or stealing from his friends, or any of the black tricks that a landlubber'd waste his life on. 'Twas yourself knew it once, and you a bo'sun for years.
CHRIS--(Sputtering with rage.) You vas crazy fool, Ay tal you!
BURKE--You've swallowed the anchor. The sea give you a clout once knocked you down, and you're not man enough to get up for another, but lie there for the rest of your life howling bloody murder. (Proudly.) Isn't it myself the sea has nearly drowned, and me battered and bate till I was that close to hell I could hear the flames roaring, and never a groan out of me till the sea gave up and it seeing the great strength and guts of a man was in me?