Eugene O'Neill

“ He moves slowly, feeling his way uncertainly, keeping hold of the port bulwark with his right hand to steady himself. He is stripped to the waist, has on nothing but a pair of dirty dungaree pants. He is a powerful, broad-chested six-footer, his face handsome in a hard, rough, bold, defiant way. He is about thirty, in the full power of his heavy-muscled, immense strength. His dark eyes are bloodshot and wild from sleeplessness. The muscles of his arms and shoulders are lumped in knots and bunches, the veins of his forearms stand out like blue cords. ”

“ 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? ”

“ 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 if 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! ”

“ ANNA—Funny I don't know nothing about sea talk—but those cousins was always talking crops and that stuff. Gee, wasn't I sick of it—and of them!
CHRIS—You don't like live on farm, Anna?
ANNA—I've told you a hundred times I hated it. [Decidedly.] I'd rather have one drop of ocean than all the farms in the world! Honest! And you wouldn't like a farm, neither. Here's where you belong. [She makes a sweeping gesture seaward.] But not on a coal barge. You belong on a real ship, sailing all over the world.
CHRIS— [Moodily.] Ay've done dat many year, Anna, when Ay vas damn fool. ”

“ BURKE-- [Following her--mournfully.] 'Tis right you'd be asking why did I come. [Then angrily.] 'Tis because 'tis a great weak fool of the world I am, and me tormented with the wickedness you'd told of yourself, and drinking oceans of booze that'd make me forget. Forget? Divil a word I'd forget, and your face grinning always in front of my eyes, awake or asleep, 'til I do be thinking a madhouse is the proper place for me.
ANNA-- [Glancing at his hands and--face--scornfully] You look like you ought to be put away some place. ”

“ 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.
BURKE-- [Helplessly.] You mean--you'll be doing the same again?
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? ”

“ Ay tank Ay'm damn fool for bring you on voyage, Anna.
ANNA— [Impressed by his tone.] You talk—nutty to-night yourself. You act's if you was scared something was going to happen.
CHRIS—Only God know dat, Anna.
ANNA— [Half-mockingly.] Then it'll be Gawd's will, like the preachers say-what does happen.
CHRIS— [Starts to his feet with fierce protest.] No! Dat ole davil, sea, she ain't God! [In the pause of silence that comes after his defiance a hail in a man's husky, exhausted voice comes faintly out of the fog to port.] "Ahoy!" ”

“ You're not the old Square-head's woman, I suppose you'll be telling me next—living in his cabin with him, no less! [Seeing the cold, hostile expression on ANNA's face, he suddenly changes his tone to one of boisterous joviality.] But I do be thinking, iver since the first look my eyes took at you, that it's a fool you are to be wasting yourself—a fine, handsome girl—on a stumpy runt of a man like that old Swede. There's too many strapping great lads on the sea would give their heart's blood for one kiss of you! ”

“ I'll be roaring it out like a fog horn over the sea! You're the girl of the world and we'll be marrying soon and I don't care who knows it!
ANNA— [As she guides him through the cabin door.] Ssshh! Never mind that talk. You go to sleep. [They go out of sight in the cabin. CHRIS, who has been listening to BURKE's last words with open-mouthed amazement stands looking after them helplessly.]
CHRIS— [Turns suddenly and shakes his fist out at the sea—with bitter hatred.] Dat's your dirty trick, damn ole davil, you! [Then in a frenzy of rage.] But, py God, you don't do dat! Not while Ay'm living! ”

“ You to be what you are, and me to be Mat Burke, and me to be drove back to look at you again! 'Tis black shame is on me!
ANNA-- [Resentfully.] Then get out. No one's holding you!
BURKE-- [Bewilderedly] And me to listen to that talk from a woman like you and be frightened to close her mouth with a slap! Oh, God help me, I'm a yellow coward for all men to spit at! ”

“ LARRY goes back to the bar and resumes his newspaper. MARTHY sips what is left of her schooner reflectively. There is the ring of the family entrance bell. LARRY comes to the door and opens it a trifle--then, with a puzzled expression, pulls it wide. ANNA CHRISTOPHERSON enters. She is a tall, blond, fully- developed girl of twenty, handsome after a large, Viking-daughter fashion but now run down in health and plainly showing all the outward evidences of belonging to the world's oldest profession. Her youthful face is already hard and cynical beneath its layer of make-up. ”

“ You vas going out of head, Ay tank, Anna.
ANNA— [Violently.] Well, living with you is enough to drive anyone off their nut. Your bunk about the farm being so fine! Didn't I write you year after year how rotten it was and what a dirty slave them cousins made of me? What'd you care? Nothing! Not even enough to come out and see me! That crazy bull about wanting to keep me away from the sea don't go down with me! You yust didn't want to be bothered with me! You're like all the rest of 'em! ”

“ He laughs with the pure love of battle. The old Swede is like a child in his hands. BURKE does not strike or mistreat him in any way, but simply twists his right hand behind his back and forces the knife from his fingers. He throws the knife into a far corner of the room--tauntingly.]
BURKE--Old men is getting childish shouldn't play with knives. [Holding the struggling CHRIS at arm's length--with a sudden rush of anger, drawing back his fist.] I've half a mind to hit you a great clout will put sense in your square head. ”

“ BURKE's face is livid with the rage that is eating him up, but he is too stunned and bewildered yet to find a vent for it. The condemnation she feels in their silence goads ANNA into a harsh, strident defiance.] You don't say nothing—either of you—but I know what you're thinking. You're like all the rest! [To CHRIS—furiously.] And who's to blame for it, me or you? If you'd even acted like a man—if you'd even been a regular father and had me with you—maybe things would be different! ”

“ As the curtain rises, ANNA is discovered standing near the coil of rope on which the lantern is placed. She looks healthy, transformed, the natural color has come back to her face. She has on a black, oilskin coat, but wears no hat. She is staring out into the fog astern with an expression of awed wonder. The cabin door is pushed open and CHRIS appears. He is dressed in yellow oilskins--coat, pants, sou'wester--and wears high sea-boots. ”

“ 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.
As the curtain rises, CHRIS and ANNA are discovered. ”

“ It'd take more than a bit of a blow to crack my thick skull. [Then looking at her with the most intense admiration.] But, glory be, it's a power of strength is in them two fine arms of yours. There's not a man in the world can say the same as you, that he seen Mat Burke lying at his feet and him dead to the world. ”

“ MARTHY— [Grasping her schooner hastily—angrily.] Hey, look out, yuh nut! Wanta spill my suds for me?
LARRY— [Amazed.] Oho, what's up with you? Ain't you a sailor yourself now, and always been?
CHRIS— [Slowly.] Dat's yust vhy Ay say it. [Forcing a smile.] Sailor vas all right fallar, but not for marry gel. No. Ay know dat. Anna's mo'der, she know it, too.
LARRY— [As CHRIS remains sunk in gloomy reflection.] When is your daughter comin'? Soon?
CHRIS— [Roused.] Py yiminy, Ay forgat. [Reads through the letter hurriedly.] She say she come right avay, dat's all. ”

“ ANNA--I know you don't; but you keep on talking yust the same.
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? ”

“ And you tank—maybe—you forgive me sometime?
ANNA— [With a wan smile.] I'll forgive you right now.
CHRIS— [Seizing her hand and kissing it—brokenly.] Anna lilla! Anna lilla!
ANNA— [Touched but a bit embarrassed.] Don't bawl about it. There ain't nothing to forgive, anyway. It ain't your fault, and it ain't mine, and it ain't his neither. We're all poor nuts, and things happen, and we yust get mixed in wrong, that's all.
CHRIS— [Eagerly.] You say right tang, Anna, py golly! It ain't nobody's fault! [Shaking his fist.] It's dat ole davil, sea!
ANNA— [With an exasperated laugh.] ”

“ Own up like a man when you're bate fair and square. And here's my hand to you— [Holds out his hand.] And let you take it and we'll shake and forget what's over and done, and be friends from this out.
CHRIS— [With implacable hatred.] Ay don't shake hands vith you fallar—not vhile Ay live!
BURKE— [Offended.] The back of my hand to you then, if that suits you better. [Growling.] 'Tis a rotten bad loser you are, divil mend you!
CHRIS—Ay don't lose— [Trying to be scornful and self-convincing.] Anna say she like you little bit but you don't hear her say she marry you, Ay bet. ”

“ It's a hard and lonesome life, the sea is. The only women you'd meet in the ports of the world who'd be willing to speak you a kind word isn't woman at all. You know the kind I mane, and they're a poor, wicked lot, God forgive them. They're looking to steal the money from you only.
ANNA— [Her face averted—rising to her feet—agitatedly.] I think—I guess I'd better see what's doing inside.
BURKE— [Afraid he has offended her—beseechingly.] Don't go, I'm saying! Is it I've given you offence with my talk of the like of them? ”

“ The hell I am!
ANNA— [Coldly.] Well, be stubborn then for all I care. And I must say I don't care for your language. The men I know don't pull that rough stuff when ladies are around.
BURKE— [Getting unsteadily to his feet again—in a rage.] Ladies! Ho-ho! Divil mend you! Let you not be making game of me. What would ladies be doing on this bloody hulk? [As ANNA attempts to go to the cabin, he lurches into her path.] ”

“ And if I could be believing 'tis only me you--
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!
BURKE-- [Suddenly seems to have a solution. He feels in the pocket of his coat and grasps something--solemnly.] Would you be willing to swear an oath, now--a terrible, fearful oath would send your soul to the divils in hell if you was lying? ”

“ You look little tired, dat's all!
ANNA— [Wearily.] I am. Tired to death. I need a long rest and I don't see much chance of getting it.
CHRIS—What you mean, Anna?
ANNA—Well, when I made up my mind to come to see you, I thought you was a yanitor—that you'd have a place where, maybe, if you didn't mind having me, I could visit a while and rest up—till I felt able to get back on the job again.
CHRIS— [Eagerly.] But Ay gat place, Anna—nice place. You rest all you want, py yiminy! You don't never have to vork as nurse gel no more. You stay with me, py golly! ”

“ ANNA--Sure. [Cynically.] Not that I think he'd care a darn.
MARTHY--Yuh're all wrong about him, kid, [Earnestly.] I know Old Chris well for a long time. He's talked to me 'bout you lots o' times. He thinks the world o' you, honest he does.
ANNA--Aw, quit the kiddin'!
MARTHY--Honest! Only, he's a simple old guy, see? He's got nutty notions. But he means well, honest. Listen to me, kid-- [She is interrupted by the opening and shutting of the street door in the bar and by hearing CHRIS' voice.] Ssshh!
ANNA--What's up?
CHRIS-- [Who has entered the bar. He seems considerably sobered up.] ”

“ Your Old Man wasn't only a barge rat—begging your pardon—all his life, by the cut of him.
ANNA—No, he was bo'sun on sailing ships for years. And all the men on both sides of the family have gone to sea as far back as he remembers, he says. All the women have married sailors, too.
BURKE— [With intense satisfaction.] Did they, now? They had spirit in them. It's only on the sea you'd find rale men with guts is fit to wed with fine, high-tempered girls [Then he adds half-boldly] the like of yourself.
ANNA— [With a laugh.] ”