The Early Ayn Rand

BILLY: [Looks at him, almost contemptuously, as if the answer were too enormous and too obvious. Then says wearily.] Today, for instance.

HASTINGS: What happened today?

BILLY: They asked him to let me have an operation — the last thing they could do for me or I'd never walk at all. He wouldn't. He wouldn't, even when — [Looks at FLEMING. Stops short]

HASTINGS: [Softly] Even when — what, Billy?

BILLY: That's all.

FLEMING: Say it, kid. It's all right. Even when I cursed him and threatened him.

HASTINGS: You did? [Looks at him, then:] Mr. Fleming, why are you so concerned about Billy?

FLEMING: [Astonished by the question, as if his answer were a well-known fact] Why? Because I'm his father. [HASTINGS turns to look at HELEN] No, not what your dirty mind is thinking. I thought you knew. They all know. Billy's my own legitimate son — and my wife's. My wife is dead. Walter adopted him five years ago. [HASTINGS looks at him, startled. FLEMING takes it for reproach and continues angrily:] Don't tell me I was a Goddamn fool to agree to it. I know I was. But I didn't know it then. How was I to know? [Points at the others] How were any of them to know what would happen to them? I was out of work. My wife had just died. Billy'd had infantile paralysis for a year. I'd have given anything to cure him. I gave all I had to give — I gave him up, when Walter asked to adopt him. Walter was rich. Walter could afford the best doctors. Walter had been so kind to us. When I saw what it really was — it took me two years to begin to guess — there was nothing I could do... nothing... Walter owned him.

HASTINGS: [Slowly] I see.

FLEMING: No, you don't. Do you know that we came from the same small town, Walter and I? That we had no money, neither one of us? That I was the brilliant student in school and Walter hated me for it? That people said I'd be a great engineer, and I'd made a good beginning, only I didn't have Walter's gift for using people? That he wanted to see me down, as far down as a man can go? That he helped me when I was out of work — because he knew it would keep me out of work, because he knew I was drinking — when my wife died — and I didn't care — and it seemed so easy... He knew I'd never work again, when he took the last thing I had away from me — when he took Billy to make it easier for me — to make it easier! If you want to finish a man, just take all burdens — and all goals — away from him!... He gave me money — all these years — and I took it. I took it! [Stops. Then says, in a low, dead voice:] Listen. I didn't kill Walter Breckenridge. But I would have slept prouder — all the rest of my life — if it was I who'd killed him.

HASTINGS: [Turns slowly to HELEN] Mrs. Breckenridge...

HELEN: [Her voice flat, expressionless] It's true. All of it. You see, we couldn't have any children, Walter and I. I had always wanted a child. I remember I told him once — I was watching children playing in a park — I told him that I wanted a child, a child's running feet in the house... Then he adopted Billy... [Silence]

BILLY: [To FLEMING] I didn't want to say anything... Dad... [To HELEN, a little frightened] It's all right, now?

HELEN: [Her voice barely audible] Yes, dear...You know it wasn't I who demanded that you... [She doesn't finish]

BILLY: [To FLEMING] I'm sorry, Dad...

FLEMING: [Puts his hand on BILLY's shoulder, and BILLY buries his face against FLEMING'S arm] It's all right, Bill. Everything will be all right now... [Silence]

HASTINGS: I'm sorry, Mr. Fleming. I almost wish you hadn't told me. Because, you see, you did have a good motive.

FLEMING: [Simply, indifferently] I thought everybody knew I had.

TONY: What of it? He wasn't the only one.

HASTINGS: No? And what is your name?

TONY: Tony Goddard.

HASTINGS: Now, Mr. Goddard, when you make a statement of that kind, you're usually asked to —

TONY: — finish it? What do you suppose I started for? You won't have to question me. I'll tell you. It's very simple. I'm not sure you'll understand, but I don't care. [Stretches his hands out] Look at my hands. Mr. Breckenridge told me that they were the hands of a great surgeon. He told me how much good I could do, how many suffering people I could help — and he gave me a scholarship in a medical college. A very generous scholarship.

HASTINGS: Well?