JOHN
Take that suit case back into the house.
JONATHAN
No, sir! I'm going and nobody can keep me here unless they tie me.
JOHN
Well, I'll tell you one thing—if you leave this house without my permission I'll cut you off without a penny and you'll never be allowed to come back again.
JONATHAN
Yes, sir. I know that; but I'm going and I came to tell you good-bye.
JOHN
Very well. You've made your choice—and I never want to see you again as long as you live. Good-bye, Jonathan. Good-bye, Nathaniel.
LETITIA
John, don't say things you'll regret. Jonathan doesn't mean what he's saying.
JONATHAN
Yes'm, I do mean what I say.
JOHN
Good night.
[He goes out.
LETITIA
Boys, you are so hot-headed—so much alike....
NATHANIEL
You dear, you have always been content to compromise while we two must go our own ways or not at all. You go to John. Help him as you can. He's not a bad man—he's just a structure of reinforced concrete. You love John and he in his way loves you. Go to John and comfort his outraged authority.
LETITIA
I'm sorry things have turned out this way. (She kisses them) Good night, my dears. Wait until morning if you can, my darling Nathaniel.
[She goes out.
NATHANIEL
Now you've done it!
JONATHAN
I couldn't help it.
NATHANIEL
What are you going to do?
JONATHAN
I don't know.... They say there's plenty of work on farms.
NATHANIEL
You can't write if you work on a farm.
JONATHAN
I can earn some more money and save. Other boys have worked their way through school and college. I can do that.
NATHANIEL
Of course—that is a way out of it. Yes… of course....
[Nathaniel opens the back doors and sees the thinnest crescent moon hanging in the sky.
The new moon.... They say if you make a wish on the new moon it will come true.
JONATHAN
You have to see it over your right shoulder.
NATHANIEL
You saw it over your right shoulder.
JONATHAN
I don't believe that, do you?
NATHANIEL
Well, suppose it were true, what would you wish?
JONATHAN
You mean for right away?