Death of a Salesman_ Certain Private Conversations in Two Acts and a Requiem - Miller, Arthur [51]
[BEN appears in the light just outside the kitchen.]
BEN: Yes, outstanding, with twenty thousand behind him.
LINDA [sensing the racing of his mind, fearfully, carefully]: Now come to bed, Willy. It’s all settled now.
WILLY [ finding it difficult not to rush out of the house]: Yes, we’ll sleep. Come on. Go to sleep, Hap.
BEN: And it does take a great kind of a man to crack the jungle.
[In accents of dread, BEN’S idyllic music starts up.]
HAPPY [his arm around LINDA]: I’m getting married, Pop, don’t forget it. I’m changing everything. I’m gonna run that department before the year is up. You’ll see, Mom. [He kisses her.]
BEN: The jungle is dark but full of diamonds, Willy.
[WILLY turns, moves, listening to BEN.]
LINDA: Be good. You’re both good boys, just act that way, that’s all.
HAPPY: ’Night, Pop. [He goes upstairs.]
LINDA [to WILLY]: Come, dear.
BEN [with greater force]: One must go in to fetch a diamond out.
WILLY [to LINDA, as he moves slowly along the edge of the kitchen, toward the door]: I just want to get settled down, Linda. Let me sit alone for a little.
LINDA [almost uttering her fear]: I want you upstairs.
WILLY [taking her in his arms]: In a few minutes, Linda. I couldn’t sleep right now. Go on, you look awful tired. [He kisses her.]
BEN: Not like an appointment at all. A diamond is rough and hard to the touch.
WILLY: Go on now. I’ll be right up.
LINDA: I think this is the only way, Willy.
WILLY: Sure, it’s the best thing.
BEN: Best thing!
WILLY: The only way. Everything is gonna be—go on, kid, get to bed. You look so tired.
LINDA: Come right up.
WILLY: Two minutes.
[LINDA goes into the living-room, then reappears in her bedroom. WILLY moves just outside the kitchen door.]
WILLY: Loves me. [Wonderingly] Always loved me. Isn’t that a remarkable thing? Ben, he’ll worship me for it!
BEN [with promise]: It’s dark there, but full of diamonds.
WILLY: Can you imagine that magnificence with twenty thousand dollars in his pocket?
LINDA [calling from her room]: Willy! Come up!
WILLY [calling into the kitchen]: Yes! Yes. Coming! It’s very smart, you realize that, don’t you, sweetheart? Even Ben sees it. I gotta go, baby. ’Bye! ’Bye! [Going over to BEN, almost dancing] Imagine? When the mail comes he’ll be ahead of Bernard again!
BEN: A perfect proposition all around.
WILLY: Did you see how he cried to me? Oh, if I could kiss him, Ben!
BEN: Time, William, time!
WILLY: Oh, Ben, I always knew one way or another we were gonna make it, Biff and I!
BEN [looking at his watch]: The boat. We’ll be late. [He moves slowly off into the darkness.]
WILLY [elegiacally, turning to the house]: Now when you kick off, boy, I want a seventy-yard boot, and get right down the field under the ball, and when you hit, hit low and hit hard, because it’s important, boy. [He swings around and faces the audience.] There’s all kinds of important people in the stands, and the first thing you know . . . [Suddenly realizing he is alone] Ben! Ben, where do I . . . ? [He makes a sudden movement of search.] Ben, how do I . . . ?
LINDA [calling]: Willy, you coming up?
WILLY [uttering a gasp of fear, whirling about as if to quiet her]: Sh! [He turns around as if to find his way; sounds, faces, voices seem to be swarming in upon him and he flicks at them, crying, “Sh! Sh!” Suddenly music, faint and high, stops him. It rises in intensity, almost to an unbearable scream. He goes up and down on his toes, and rushes off around the house.] Shhh!
LINDA: Willy?
[There is no answer. LINDA waits. BIFF gets up off his bed. He is still in his clothes. HAPPY sits up. BIFF stands listening. ]
LINDA [with real fear]: Willy, answer me! Willy!
[There is the sound of a car starting and moving away at full speed.]
LINDA: No!
BIFF [rushing down the stairs]: Pop!
[As the car speeds off, the music crashes down in a frenzy of sound, which becomes the soft pulsation of a single cello string. BIFF slowly returns to his bedroom. He and HAPPY gravely don their jackets.