want to, Ella.
ELLA
[_Looks at check._
Two hundred dollars!
JANE
You needn’t thank me.
ELLA
That ain’t it. I was just wonderin’ what’s come over you all of a
sudden.
[_Ben enters._
JANE
It’s my birthday, that’s all. Did you know it was my birthday, Ben?
BEN (_carelessly_)
Is it? I shoveled them damned paths!
[_He crosses and sits by fire._
JANE
Ella’s going into the dressmaking business, Ben.
BEN (_moodily_)
What of it?
ELLA
That’s what I say. It ain’t much of a business.
[_She exits at right; outside it grows to dusk._
JANE
Are you tired?
BEN
Maybe.
[_He stretches his feet out toward fire._
JANE
You’ve done a lot of work to-day.
BEN
And every day.
JANE
I don’t suppose you know how much good it’s done you, how well you
look!
BEN
Beauty’s only skin deep.
JANE
Folks change, even in a few weeks, outside and in. Hard work don’t
hurt anybody.
BEN
I got chilblains on my feet. The damned shoes are stiffer than they
ever was.
JANE
Icebound, you said. Maybe it don’t have to be like that. Sometimes,
just lately, it’s seemed to me that if folks would try, things
needn’t be so bad. All of ’em try, I mean, for themselves, and for
everybody else.
BEN
If I was you, I’d go out somewheres and hire a hall.
JANE
If you’d put some pork fat on those shoes to-night, your feet
wouldn’t hurt so bad.
BEN
Maybe.
[_He sits looking moodily into the fire. After a moment’s hesitation,
Jane crosses and sits in the chair beside his, the evening shadows
deepen around them but the glow from the fire lights their faces._
JANE
I’m lonesome to-night. We always made a lot of birthdays when I was a
girl.
BEN
Some do.
JANE
Your mother didn’t. She found me once trying, the day I was fifteen.
I remember how she laughed at me.
BEN
All the Jordans have got a sense of humor.
JANE
She wasn’t a Jordan, not until she married your father.
BEN
When a woman marries into a family, she mostly shuts her eyes and
jumps in all over.
JANE
Your mother was the best of the whole lot of you. Anyway, I think so.
BEN
I _know_ it. I always thought a lot of her, in spite of our being
relations.
JANE
She loved you, Ben.
BEN
She left me without a dollar, knowin’ I was going to State’s Prison,
and what I’d be by the time I get out.
JANE
Maybe some day you’ll understand why she did it.
BEN
Because she thought you’d take better care of the money than any of
the rest of us.
JANE
And you hate me because of that, the way all the rest of the Jordans
do?
BEN
Sometimes.
JANE (_sadly_)
I suppose it’s natural.
BEN
But I ain’t such a fool as Henry, and the women folks. They think
you took advantage and fooled her into what she did. I thought so at
first, now I don’t.
JANE
What do you think now, Ben?
BEN
She’d watched you; she knew you were worth mor’n all of us in a lump.
I know it, too, but some way it riles me worse than if you wasn’t.
JANE
That’s silly!
BEN (_with growing resentment_)
Don’t you suppose I know what you’ve been doin’ to me. Tryin’ to make
a man of me. Tryin’ to help me. Standing up to me and fightin’ me
every day, tryin’ to teach me to be decent. Workin’ over me like I
was a baby, or somethin’, and you was tryin’ to teach me how to walk.
Gettin’ me so upset that every time I don’t do what I ought to do, I
get all het up inside; I never was so damned uncomfortable in all my
life.
JANE
And I never was so happy.
BEN
I s’pose God knew what he was about when he made women.
JANE
Of course he did.
BEN
Anyhow, he gave ’em the best of it, all right.
JANE
You don’t mean that! You _can’t_!
BEN
I do. Let a man get miserable, and he is miserable. A woman ain’t
really happy no other way.
JANE
Maybe you think I’m having an easier time right now than you are.
BEN
I know it.
JANE
They all hate me, and they all want something, all the time. I can’t
say yes, and it’s hard to always say no. Then there’s the farm, big,
and poor, and all worked out. The Jordans have been taking their
living out of this soil for more than a hundred years, and never
putting anything back.
BEN
Just themselves, that’s all.
JANE
Worked right, like they do out West, this place could be what it
ought to be. How can I do that; it needs a man.
BEN
I been thinkin’ lately things could be done a whole lot different.
JANE
By a man, if he loved the old place-- You Jordans robbed this soil
always. Suppose one of you tried to pay it back--it would mean work
and money, for a couple of years maybe, then I guess you’d see what
gratitude meant.
BEN
It could be done; it ought to be.
JANE
By you, Ben!
BEN
No--I guess I ain’t got the judgment.
JANE
You’ve got it, if you’d learn to use it.
BEN
Anyhow, I’ve got just a month, that’s all.
JANE
Maybe you’ll have more.
BEN
I’m as good as convicted as I sit here. I’ve only got a month.
JANE
Then help me for that month. We could plan how to start out in the
spring. I’ve got books that will help us, and I can get more. We
could do a lot!
BEN
I don’t know but what we could!
JANE (_bends toward him_)
Will you shake hands on it?
[_She offers her hand._
BEN (_surprised_)
What for?
JANE
Oh, just because we never have.
BEN
We ain’t goin’ to change _everything_, are we?
JANE
One thing. We’re going to be friends.
BEN (_takes her hand awkwardly_)
You’re a good sport, game as a man, gamer maybe.
JANE
And now for the surprise.
BEN
The what!
JANE (_draws her hand away and rises_)
You’ll see. I want you to sit right here, until I open those doors.
[_She points to doors to dining room._
BEN
I wasn’t thinkin’ of movin’.
JANE
Just sit right there.
BEN
And do what?
JANE
Think.
BEN
What of?
JANE
Oh, anything--so long as it’s pleasant--of the spring that’s
coming----
BEN
In the prison down at Thomaston.
JANE
Of France then, of the family that was so good to you--of the
beautiful lady--of the daughter, if you want to, the one that was
most grown up--and of the wonderful blue dress. Just shut your eyes
and think, ’til I come back!
[_She exits through doors to dining room and closes the doors after
her. Ben sits in glow from the fire, his eyes closed. In a moment the
door at right is thrown open and Nettie stands in the doorway, the
light from the hall falling on her. She has on Jane’s blue dress and
is radiant with youth and excitement._
NETTIE
Ben! Look at me! Look, Ben!
BEN
What?
NETTIE
Look Ben!
[_He looks at her and for a moment sits in stupid wonder, then rises
slowly to his feet._
BEN
It’s--It’s Nettie!
NETTIE
Did you ever see anything so lovely, did you?
BEN
You’re--you’re a woman, Nettie!
NETTIE
Of course I am, you stupid!
BEN (_crosses down to her_)
God! How I’ve starved for somethin’ pretty to look at! God! How I’ve
starved for it!
NETTIE
That’s why I came down, I wanted you to see! I waited there in the
hall till she went out.
BEN
And you’ve been here all the time, and I haven’t so much as looked at
you!
NETTIE (_softly_)
You’ve been in trouble, Ben!
BEN
I’ll get out of that somehow! I’m going to make a fight. I ain’t
goin’ to let ’em take me now.
NETTIE
Honest, Ben?
BEN
Not now. Oh, you pretty kid! You pretty little thing!
[_He catches her fiercely in his arms._
NETTIE
You mustn’t, Ben!
BEN (_triumphant_)
Mustn’t! You don’t know me!
NETTIE
Just one then! (_She holds up her lips, and as he kisses her
ardently, the dining-room doors back of them open and Jane stands
in the doorway, looking at them. She has removed her apron and has
made some poor attempt at dressing up. Back of her we see the table
bravely spread for the festive birthday party. There is a large
turkey and other special dishes, and a round cake on which blaze
twenty-two tiny candles. They turn their heads, startled, as Jane
looks at them, and Ben tightens his arms defiantly about Nettie_) Let
me go!
BEN (_holding her and looking past her to Jane_) No! (_Then to Jane_)
Why are you looking at me like that?
NETTIE
Let me go.
BEN (_to Jane_)
To hell with your dream of grubbing in the dirt. Now I know what I
want, and I’m going to get it.
NETTIE
Let go, dear. (_She draws away_) I’m ashamed about wearin’ your
dress, Cousin Jane. I’ll take it right off.
JANE
You needn’t. I guess I don’t want it any more. (_For the first time
her eyes leave Ben’s face. She turns and steps past them to the door
at right and calls_) Supper’s ready, Ella!
[_Hannah enters at back in dining room with a plate of hot biscuits._
CURTAIN
ACT III
_Scene: Same as Act One. Parlor at the Jordans’, two months later._
_At rise the characters are grouped exactly as they were at the
opening of the play. The white slip covers, however, have been
removed from the chairs, and the backing through the window shows
partly melted snow drifts. Henry sighs; the clock strikes two. Henry
looks at his watch._
_There is a pause. The outside door slams and Ben enters and looks
about._
BEN
Well--here we all are again.
SADIE (_sadly_)
Yes.
HENRY
I ain’t been in this room before since the funeral.
SADIE
And I ain’t, and the last time before that was when father died.
EMMA
I sat right here, in the same chair I’m settin’ in now, but to your
grandfather’s funeral, right after I married Henry, I was treated
like one of the poor relations! I had to stand up.
HENRY
I remember; it made considerable trouble.
ELLA
I don’t know as it was ever what I called a cheerful room.
HENRY (_severely_)
A parlor’s where a person’s supposed to sit and think of God, and you
couldn’t expect it to be cheerful!
ELLA (_looks about_)
Seems like we’d had trouble and disgrace enough in this family
without her takin’ all the slip covers off of the chairs and sofa!
EMMA
It ain’t _right_!
SADIE
That Boston woman that’s building the house over on Elm Street ain’t
so much as goin’ to have a parlor. I stopped her right on the street
and asked her what she was plannin’ to do soon as the first of ’em
died.
EMMA
What did she say?
SADIE
Said she tried not to think about such things.
HENRY (_sternly_)
We got Atheists enough in this town right now.
BEN
Well, if Jane’s coming I wish she’d come; this ain’t exactly my idea
of pleasant company.
ELLA
She says we’re all to wait in here for Judge Bradford.
SADIE
What did she send for us for?
ELLA
I don’t know.
EMMA
Why didn’t you ask her?
ELLA
I did, and she most bit my head off.
BEN
She most bites mine off every time I see her. I must say she’s
changed, Jane has; she ain’t the same girl at all she was a few weeks
ago.
NETTIE
She’s actin’ just awful, especially to me!
SADIE
Of course, I’d be the last one to say anything against her, but----
BEN
But nothin’! There ain’t one of you here fit to tie her shoes!
SADIE
_We_ ain’t?
BEN
And I ain’t! The only difference between us is I ain’t worth much and
I know it, and you ain’t worth nothin’ and you don’t.
EMMA
I guess you’d better be careful how you talk!
NETTIE
If anybody says anything about Jane lately, that’s the way he always
talks! The worse she treats him the better he seems to like it.
SADIE
Well, I don’t know as I’m surprised more about his insultin’ the
rest of us, but it’s sort of comical his talkin’ that way about you,
Nettie.
EMMA
Nettie! What’s Nettie got to do with him?
SADIE
Oh! Excuse me! I didn’t know ’twas supposed to be a secret.
EMMA
What is?
SADIE
About the way those two have been carryin’ on together!
HENRY
What!
ELLA
Ben and Nettie!
NETTIE (_afraid_)
Stop her, Ben, can’t you?
BEN
If I knew a way to stop women like her I’d patent it and get rich!
EMMA (_sternly_)
Him and Nettie?
SADIE
They passed my house together _once_ a week ago Wednesday, _once_ the
Tuesday before that, and _twice_ the Sunday after New Year’s.
HENRY
Together!
SADIE
And Eben Tilden’s boy told Abbie Palsey that Tilly Hickson heard
Aaron Hamlin say he’d seen ’em together at the picture show!
HENRY (_to Ben_)
Is it true?
EMMA
You’ve been with him after all I told you!
BEN
It ain’t going to hurt her none just to talk to me, is it?
EMMA
Them that touches pitch gets defiled!
HENRY (_to Nettie_)
I want you to tell me everything that’s took place between you two.
SADIE
Wait!
HENRY
What?
SADIE
Orin! Leave the room!
NETTIE
He don’t have to leave the room. I don’t care who knows what happened!
HENRY
Go on then.
NETTIE
Well--Ben and I--We--Just for a few days--anyway, it was all his
fault.
BEN
She threw me down because I was going to prison.
NETTIE
He said he’d get out of it somehow, but he can’t, and I just won’t
have folks laughing at me!
BEN
It’s all right, it never meant nothin’ to her, and I guess it didn’t
mean much to me. It’s just as well it’s over.
NETTIE
It’s a whole lot better.
HENRY
Well--what’s passed is passed. Folks that plant the wind reap the
whirlwind! There’s no use cryin’ over spilled milk.
ORIN
Say, Mum! What do you s’pose Uncle Henry thinks he means when he says
things?
HENRY
Somehow I can’t help wishin’ you was my son for just about five
minutes.
[_Hannah and Judge Bradford enter._
HANNAH
They’re all in here, Judge.
JUDGE
Good afternoon.
HENRY
How are you, Judge?
SADIE
It’s a mild day; winter’s most over. Stop scratching yourself.
[_This last to Orin who seems to be uneasy and frequently scratches
himself._
HANNAH (_at door_)
I’ll tell her you’re here, Judge. She’ll be right down.
[_Hannah exits._
ELLA
Won’t you sit?
JUDGE
Thanks.
[_He sits by table._
HENRY
What’s it about? Why did she say we was to all be here at two o’clock?
JUDGE
She will probably be able to answer that question herself, Ben.
SADIE (_to Orin_)
Don’t.
ORIN
What?
SADIE
Scratch!
ORIN
Oh.
[_Jane enters. The Judge rises._
JUDGE
Well, Jane?
JANE
Don’t get up, Judge.
JUDGE
Will you sit here?
[_Judge turns to get a chair for Jane. Orin scratches himself. Ella
rises._
ELLA
What is the matter with this brat?
ORIN
I itch!
SADIE
It’s warm, and he’s got on his heavy flannels! He’s as clean as you
are!
[_Jane and Judge sit._
BEN
You said to heat this room up and wait here for you and the Judge.
Why? I got my stock to tend.
HENRY
It’s a bad time for me to get away from the store; What was it you
wanted of us?
JANE
I’m afraid it isn’t going to be easy to tell you.
JUDGE
Won’t you let me do it, Jane?
JANE
No. I’ve come to know that your mother didn’t really want that I
should have the Jordan money.
SADIE
What’s that?
JANE
I put it as simply as I could.
BEN
You mean a later will’s been found?
JUDGE
No.
JANE
In a way, Judge, it’s like there had. Your mother left me a letter
dated later than the will.
ELLA
Leavin’ the money different?
JANE
Tellin’ what she really wanted.
BEN
Well, what did she want?
JANE
It was like she left me all her money in trust, so I could keep it
safe until the time she was hopin’ for come, and in a way it did
come, not quite like she wanted it, but near enough so I can give up
a burden I haven’t strength enough to carry any more.
[_She stops._
JUDGE
Let me finish, Jane. Jane has asked me to draw a deed of gift, making
the Jordan property over to Ben.
BEN
Why?
JANE
She wanted you to have it.
BEN
Why didn’t she will it to me, then?
JANE
She was afraid to trust you.
BEN
Well?
JANE
You’ve learned to work; you’ll keep on working.
HENRY
You mean to say my mother wanted him to have it all?
JANE
Yes.
HENRY
I am a religious man, but there was a time when even Job gave up!
So--all our money goes to Ben--and he can’t even buy himself out of
prison!
JANE (_after a pause_)
Ben isn’t going to prison.
BEN
Why? Who’s to stop it?
JUDGE (_after a look from Jane_)
Kimbal agreed not to press the charge against you. It seems that
there were certain extenuating circumstances. A motion has been made
for the dismissal of the indictment, and it won’t be opposed.
BEN
Why did he? Who fixed this thing.
JANE
Judge Bradford did.
[_She looks at Judge._
BEN (_slowly_)
It means a lot to me. There’s things I’d like to do. I haven’t dared
to think about ’em lately--now I’ll do ’em.
[_There is a pause._
HENRY
Well, Ben, so you’ve got the money! I guess maybe it’s better than
her havin’ it; after all blood’s thicker than water! We’ll help you
any way we can and--er--of course you’ll help us.
BEN
Why will I?
HENRY
We’re brothers, Ben! We’re old Jordans!
BEN
What was we when I got back from France? There was a band met us boys
at the station. I was your brother all right that day, only somehow,
in just a little while you forgot about it. I was a Jordan when I was
hidin’ out from the police, and all that kept me from starvin’ was
the money Jane sent me! I was your brother the night mother died, and
you said you wouldn’t go my bail.
ELLA
You ain’t going to be hard, Ben!
BEN
I’m the head of the family now, ain’t I, and you can bet all you’ve
got I’m going to be a real Jordan.
HENRY
I think, Ben----
BEN
From now on, there ain’t nobody got any right to think in this house
but just me! So run along home, the whole pack of you, and after
this, when you feel like you must come here--come separate.
ELLA
Turn us out, Ben?
BEN
Sure, why not?
NETTIE (_crosses to him. Sweetly_)
There ain’t any reason why _we_ can’t be friends, is there?
BEN
Well, I don’t know. There’s only one way I could ever get to trust
you.
NETTIE
What way, Ben?
BEN
I’d have to go to jail for five years and see if you’d wait for me!
EMMA
It’s an awful thing for a mother to have a fool for a child.
ELLA (_goes upstage with Nettie_)
Well, I must say you made a nice mess of things!
NETTIE (_exits with Ella_)
Well, I don’t care! I don’t see how anybody would expect me to be a
mind reader!
SADIE
Come, Orin--say good-by to your Uncle Ben.
ORIN
What will I do that for?
SADIE
Because I tell you to!
ORIN
Yesterday you told me he wasn’t worth speakin’ to!
SADIE
Are you going to move, you stupid little idiot.
[_She drags him out._
ORIN (_as they go_)
What did I say? You let me alone!
HENRY
I was wonderin’, Ben, how you’d feel about endorsing that note of
mine.
BEN
You was?
HENRY
Yes, I don’t know what I’m going to do about it.
BEN
As far as I care, you can go nail it on a door. (_Henry and Emma
start to exit_) No, hold on, I’ll pay it.
HENRY
You will!
BEN
Yes, I don’t know as it would do me much good at the bank, havin’ a
brother of mine in the poorhouse.
[_Ben laughs as Henry and Emma exit._
JUDGE
Well, Ben? “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”
BEN (_down to stove_)
Depends on the head. Mine’s thick, I guess. Anyhow, none of them is
going to bother it. I’m boss here now.
JUDGE
You’ll find a copy here of the inventory of the estate, and other
legal papers. Everything is in order.
JANE
And my accounts, Ben; you’ll find the exact amount your mother left.
I spent some money about six weeks ago, on myself, but I’ve been
careful ever since and I’ve made up for it.
BEN
You said, Judge, she didn’t have to go by that letter of my mother’s,
if she didn’t want to? She didn’t have to give anything back at all?
JUDGE
No, she didn’t.
BEN
Then if I was you--(_to Jane_) I wouldn’t talk so much about the
little you spent on yourself. I guess to look at you it wasn’t much.
JANE
Yes, it was.
BEN
Well, we’ll fix things so you can keep on spendin’. Only let’s see
somethin’ come of it. I never was so damned sick of anything in my
life as I am of that old black dress of yours!
[_Crosses stage up and over right._
JANE
I’ve got plenty of clothes upstairs. I’m sorry now I ever bought
them, but I’ll take them with me when I go.
BEN
Go? Go where?
JANE
To Old Town. I’ve got a place there, clerking in the Pulp Mill.
BEN
You!
JANE
Yes.
BEN
But what about me?
JUDGE
Don’t you think Jane has done about enough for you?
BEN
She’s done a lot, she’s given up the money. I don’t know as I like
that; ’course I like gettin’ it, but not if she’s going away.
JANE
I couldn’t stay now, and I wouldn’t want to.
BEN
I don’t suppose you remember about plannin’ what you and me was to do
with this old farm?
JANE
I remember.
BEN
Well--then what are you going away for?
JANE
Because I couldn’t be happy here, Ben--It’s been harder than anything
I ever thought could come to anybody, the last few weeks here--and so
I’m going. (_She turns to Judge_) I’ll go upstairs and get my things.
I’ll stop at your office, Judge, on the way to the station.
JUDGE
Thank you, Jane.
BEN
You’re goin’ to-day? Before I order my new farm machinery or
anything? You’re goin’ to leave me with all this work on my hands?
JANE
Yes, Ben.
[_She exits._
BEN
Well--that’s a lesson to me! Oh, she’s a good woman! I ain’t denyin’
that--but she’s fickle!
JUDGE
You’re a fool, Ben!
BEN
I been doin’ kitchen police around this town for quite a spell now,
Judge, but from this day on I ain’t goin’ to take that sort of talk
from anybody.
JUDGE
I assure you that you won’t have to take any sort of talk at all from
me.
[_He starts for the door._
BEN
I didn’t mean that. I don’t want you to think I ain’t grateful for
all you’ve done for me.
JUDGE (_coldly_)
I have done nothing for you.
BEN
If it wasn’t for you, I’d want to die; that’s what I did want. I was
afraid of that prison, just a coward about it. Now I’m a free man,
with a big life openin’ out ahead of me--I got everything in the
world right here in my two hands, everything--and I owe it to you!
JUDGE
I am very glad to say that you don’t owe me anything. I don’t like
you, I haven’t forgiven you for what you did to your mother’s life.
Nor for a worse thing, one you haven’t brains enough to even know
you’ve done. Don’t be grateful to me, Ben, please. I think nothing
could distress me more than that.
BEN
You’ve been a good friend to me.
JUDGE
I haven’t meant to be, as I said I don’t like you. I haven’t any
faith in you. I don’t believe in this new life of yours. You made a
mess of the old one, and I think you will of the new.
BEN
No matter what you say, you can’t get away from me. I’ll be grateful
till I die. But for you I’d have gone to that damned prison!
JUDGE
But for Jane.
BEN
How Jane?
JUDGE
How Jane? Jane went your bond the day your mother died. Jane took
you in and taught you how to work, made you work, taught you
through the one decent spot in you something of a thing you’d never
know, self-respect. Worked over you, petted you, coaxed you--held
you up--Then you hurt her--but she kept on--She went herself to
Kimbal, after he had refused me, and got his help to keep you out
of prison--then, against my will, against the best that I could
do to stop her, she turns over all this to you--and goes out with
nothing--and you ask “How Jane?”
BEN
Why? Why has she done this, all this, for me?
[_The Judge looks at Ben with contempt and turns and exits. Ben is
left in deep thought. Jane comes downstairs dressed for a journey
with a hand bag, etc. She enters._
JANE
Good-by, Ben. (_She crosses to him, her hand out_) Good-by. Won’t you
say good-by?
BEN
First, there’s some things I got to know about.
JANE (_smiles_)
I guess there’s not much left for us to say, Ben.
BEN (_she crosses to door, but he gets ahead of her_)
There’s things I got to know. (_She looks at him but does not speak_)
The Judge tells me ’twas you got Kimbal to let me go free. (_He looks
at her--she half turns away_) Answer me. (_Pause_) The Judge tells
me you gave up what was yours--to me--without no other reason than
because you wanted me to have it. That’s true, ain’t it? (_Pause_)
You sent me every cent you had, when you knew mother was dying, then
you went bail for me, like he said--and did all them other things. I
don’t know as any woman ever did any more--. I want to know why!
JANE
Why do you think?
BEN
I don’t know--I sort of thought--sort of hoped----
JANE (_bravely_)
It was because I loved her, Ben----
BEN
Oh.
[_He turns away disappointed._
JANE
You’re forgetting, I guess, how long we was alone here--when you was
in France--then the months we didn’t know where you was, when the
police was looking for you--She used to make me promise if ever I
could I’d help you.
BEN
Well--all I’ve got to say is you’re no liar.
JANE
Good-by.
[_She turns to go._
BEN
Wait. (_Closes door_) Let’s see that letter you said she left for you.
JANE
No. I won’t do that. I’ve done enough; you’re free, you’ve got the
money and the farm.
BEN (_crosses in front of table and sits left of table_) They ain’t
worth a damn with you gone--I didn’t know that till just now, but
they ain’t.
JANE
It’s sort of sudden, the way you found that out.
BEN
Oh, it don’t take long for a man to get hungry--it only takes just a
minute for a man to die; you can burn down a barn quick enough, or
do a murder; it’s just living and getting old that takes a lot of
time--Can’t you stay here, Jane?
JANE
There’s Nettie.
BEN
Nettie--that couldn’t stand the gaff--that run out on me when I was
in trouble.
JANE
It doesn’t matter what folks do, if you love ’em enough.
BEN
What do you know about it? I suppose you’ve been in love a lot of
times?
JANE
No.
BEN
Then you be quiet and let an expert talk. I was lonesome and I wanted
a woman; she was pretty and I wanted to kiss her--that ain’t what I
call love.
JANE
You. You don’t even know the meaning of the word.
BEN
That don’t worry me none--I guess the feller that wrote the
dictionary was a whole lot older’n I am before he got down to the L’s.
JANE