Anna Christie Part 17

ANNA--And may the blackest curse of G.o.d strike me if I'm lying!

BURKE--[With a stupendous sigh.] Oh, glory be to G.o.d, 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 her when 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, G.o.d, 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--[Pa.s.sionately.] 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, G.o.d 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!

BURKE--[Suddenly holding her away from him and staring into her eyes as if to probe into her soul--slowly.] If your oath is no proper oath at all, I'll have to be taking your naked word for it and have you anyway, I'm thinking--I'm needing you that bad!

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 G.o.d. [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.] G.o.d 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 gla.s.ses.] And as for me being alone, that runs in the family, and I'll get used to it. [Pouring out their gla.s.ses.]

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 gla.s.s against CHRIS'.] Here's luck to you! [He drinks.]

CHRIS--[Subdued--his face melancholy.] Skoal. [He drinks.]

BURKE--[To Anna, with a wink.] You'll not be lonesome long. I'll see to that, with the help of G.o.d. 'Tis himself here will be having a grandchild to ride on his foot, I'm telling you!

ANNA--[Turning away in embarra.s.sment.] Quit the kidding, now. [She picks up her bag and goes into the room on left. As soon as she is gone BURKE relapses into an att.i.tude of gloomy thought. CHRIS stares at his beer absent-mindedly. Finally BURKE turns on him.]

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, d.a.m.ned then surely. Yerra, what's the difference? 'Tis the will of G.o.d, 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.]

BURKE--[Nodding his head in gloomy acquiescence--with a great sigh.]

I'm fearing maybe you have the right of it for once, divil take you.

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 gla.s.s 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 gla.s.s. Burke banishes his superst.i.tious 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 b.l.o.o.d.y 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 m.u.f.fled, mournful wail of steamers' whistles.]

[The Curtain Falls]