The Apple Family. Richard Nelson

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СКАЧАТЬ AND THE OTHERS:

       Her cheek on the pillow pressed . . .

       Sweetly she sleeps while her flaxen hair,

       Like sunlight streams o’er her breast.

      MARIAN (Over this, singing): “All Through the Night.” I remember you singing that. I remember falling asleep to that.

      MARIAN AND THE OTHERS (Singing):

       Sleep my child and peace attend thee,

       All through the night,

       Guardian angels God will send thee,

       All through the night.

      BARBARA AND THE OTHERS (Singing):

       Sweetly she sleeps my Janey fair,

       Her cheek like the first May rose,

       Sweetly she sleeps and all her care

       Is forgotten in soft repose.

      JANE: Do you want to sing something to us now, Uncle?

       (Richard returns.

       No response.)

       (To Tim) And Mother said whenever he could, he’d come.

       (To her sisters) I remember seeing him more than Dad. (To

       Benjamin) And I always loved it when we visited you . . .

       (Short pause as the sisters notice Richard.)

       What have you been doing out there, Richard? We missed you.

      RICHARD: I stepped outside to get some air.

       I got to watching these young couples walking down the street. Well, younger than me. And I suddenly realized they must be on their way to vote.

      BARBARA: We vote just around the corner.

      MARIAN (Looking at her watch): The polls are still open.

      RICHARD (Smiles): They seemed—young.

      BARBARA (To Marian): That’s good, isn’t it? That they’re young?

      TIM: How’s the dog?

      RICHARD: Asleep. I left him some water. He’s had a very busy day.

      JANE: Richard, we’ve been trying to get Uncle to sing for us, like he used to.

      RICHARD: I’d like that too, Uncle. What do you remember singing to us?

       I think I was this big— (Very small) —and Uncle was the only one who could get me to calm down. And get me to sleep. By singing . . . What are you going to sing?

       (No response. They look at Benjamin.)

      JANE (To Tim): When Dad left us, Uncle Benjamin became our father.

      MARIAN: Not exactly.

      TIM (To Jane): You told me.

      JANE (To her sisters): I hardly remember Dad.

      RICHARD (To Benjamin): Do you remember when we visited you over Thanksgiving?

      JANE (To Tim): He was in a show. In New York. I was like five?

      RICHARD: And Mom drove all the way from Chicago with us?

       (To sisters) Did we sleep somewhere on the way?

      BARBARA: I don’t know. I don’t think so.

      MARIAN: Where was Dad?

      JANE (Over this): Do you remember any of that, Uncle Benjamin?

       (He nods.)

       What do you remember?

       (No response.)

       You don’t want to tell us? He has secrets.

       (Short pause.)

      BARBARA: How are we doing? Anyone want any more? Tim?

      TIM: I’m fine, thank you.

      JANE (To Tim): There’s more chicken. (Looks at Benjamin) He looks like pictures of our father. Barbara’s lucky, she gets to have him here all the time.

      BARBARA: Yes, I do.

      JANE: I didn’t mean—

      BARBARA: He does suddenly remember things sometimes. I don’t know where they come from. A couple of weeks ago he suddenly— (To Marian) I told you this— (To Jane and Richard) —suddenly remembers putting on shows with Dad when they were boys.

      RICHARD: What?

      JANE: I’ve never heard about this. Dad?? He hated plays.

      BARBARA: In their backyard. In a tent with flashlights. (Shrugs. To Benjamin) Remember telling me that?

      BENJAMIN (New thought): I remember . . .

       (This gets their attention.)

       All of you coming to visit me in New York at Thanksgiving.

      RICHARD: He does remember.

      BENJAMIN: And I took all of you and your father and mother to the Rainbow Room. And then to a show. (Smiles) At each place setting at the Rainbow Room was a little orange-and-black candle in the shape of a turkey that each of you took home with you.

      MARIAN: That wasn’t us, Uncle Benjamin. That was Uncle Fred and his children. That wasn’t our Thanksgiving. (To the others) I talk to him all the time—to get him to remember things. (Then to Benjamin) Benjamin—why did our father leave us?

      RICHARD: Marian—

      MARIAN: He doesn’t answer. Maybe some day he will. What do we know? What do we think we know? (To Tim) Tim, when our mother was ill, Barbara sat night and day with her, trying to get her to tell her things—

      BARBARA: That’s not why—

      MARIAN: So she could write them down. But she said, when I die, just ask Benjamin, he knows all the secrets. He knows everything . . .

       (They all look at Benjamin.)

       Why Father left. Where he went. Who paid for us to go to school?

      RICHARD: Father paid—

      MARIAN (Dismissive): We don’t know that. We know what we were told. (Talking through СКАЧАТЬ