Leave Her to Heaven quotes

View Quote Ruth: When we were kids, you used to torment me every way you could think of. You can't do that anymore.
Ellen: [suspiciously] Is it Richard?
Ruth: I'm going away because I can't stand living in this house any longer. The whole place is filled with hate. Your hate.
Ellen: Not hate. Love, Ruth. Richard's love for me. All these weeks, I was in the hospital helpless. You had him here in the house to yourself. But it didn't do you any good, did it? He still loves me. He loves me more than ever. That's what you can't abide. That's why you envy me, isn't it?
Ruth: I don't envy you, Ellen. All my life I've tried to love you, done everything to please you. All of us have: Mother, Father and now Richard. And what have you done? With your love, you wrecked Mother's life. With your love, you pressed Father to death. With your love, you've made a shadow of Richard. No, Ellen, I don't envy you. I'm sorry for you. You're the most pitiful creature I've ever known.

View Quote [describing her nightmare] We were out in the skiff, my husband and I, and he jumped in for a swim. But I was too lazy, so I just rowed after him. Somehow I was afraid, and when we got to the middle of the lake, I thought it was time for him to get back into the boat. So I decided to call out to him, but I had no voice. Suddenly, Richard went under, not diving, but the way seals do, just sort of settling in the water. Then he came up again, and one of his arms flung out to me as if he were trying to call to me. I tried to row to him, but the lake was like glue. The boat wouldn't move. My arms were paralyzed. Then he went down again. And this time he stayed down.

View Quote Father used to say it was like riding across the front lawn of heaven. We made a pact to bring our ashes here when we died. 'If you die first,' I told him, 'I'll bring yours here. If I die first, you'll bring mine.' Yet, I know now, people you love don't really die.

View Quote I assure you, I don't want to shirk any responsibility. I'm thinking only of Danny, and I - no, that isn't true. I'm thinking a little about myself, too. I know you'll understand, Dr. Mason. I gave up my honeymoon to come here so that my husband could be with his brother. But he's been working, and the burden's been on me. I've spent hours here every day. I was glad to do it. It was no sacrifice at all. I love Danny as much as he does and I'm just as happy as he is that Danny's doing so well. But after all, he's a cripple. [pause] I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that...I didn't mean it. I'm afraid I haven't been too well myself lately.

View Quote I hate your chapter. I hate all your chapters. They take up too much of your time...After all, it isn't as if you had to write for a living. I've got more than enough for both of us, and darling, it's the dearest wish of my heart to support you....Oh darling, I didn't know it could be so wonderful here, Back of the Moon....Every minute. If only it weren't so crowded.

View Quote I have no intention of hiring a cook or a housekeeper or any other servants....Ever...I don't want anybody else but me to do anything for you. I want to keep your house and wash your clothes and cook your food....And besides, I don't want anybody else in the house but us....Ever.

View Quote I keep forgetting you can't draw a deep breath in this room without being heard all over the house. Let's change the name of the place from Back of the Moon to Goldfish Manor.

View Quote Is anything wrong, Richard? You look so strange. You've been avoiding me, going off by yourself. Where do you go? What do you think about? Whatever it is, can't you share it with me? We haven't done that for a long time - shared things. Ever since Danny. You've never forgiven me for that, have you? You've always blamed me. You did tell me not to let him swim the lake unless you were with us but, but we wanted to surprise you. Danny was so happy planning to surprise you. He'd been doing so well. He swam three-quarters the day before and he was sure he could make it. The water was so warm. I thought there was no danger. I must have looked away for a moment, and then when I looked back, Danny was sinking. I pulled at the oars and then lost one. And then I grew panicky. It was like a nightmare!

View Quote It'll be the truth and nothing but the truth. Any resemblance to flattery will be sheer coincidence...While I was watching you, exotic words drifted across the mirror of my mind as summer clouds drift across the sky...Watching you, I thought of tales in the Arabian Nights of myrrh and frankincense and... patchouli.

View Quote My wife was not murdered. She killed herself...Ellen was capable of anything....Yes, she was that sort of monster. A woman who sought to possess everything she loved - who loved only for what it could bring her. Whose love estranged her own father and mother. Whose love possessed her father until he couldn't call his soul his own. Who, by her own confession to me, killed my brother, killed her own unborn child - and who is now reaching from the grave to destroy her innocent sister. Yes, she was that sort of monster.

View Quote Not that I mind chaperones, not in the least. But there's Danny's room on one side of us and Thorne's room on the other side. And the wall's as thin as paper, and the acoustics disgustingly perfect....Do you know ever since we've been married, we've never been alone, not for a single day?

View Quote This baby's making a prisoner of me....I can't do anything. I can't go any place. I don't even see my husband... I don't want him to see me this way.