Young Leda quotes from The Lost Daughter (2021)

It's Auden. "Chill of the crooked wing falls down along my body". It's ridiculous. It's just something I taught them. "The Crisis". Hmm? An inside joke.

What are you watching?! Snoggies?!

Oh, my God!

Young Joe

Hikers!

Hikers!

Young Joe

Hikers! Stay there! They must be doing the Catamount Trail!

Hey, what are hikers?

Young Joe

Are you kidding me?! To Quebec! They don't have food!

Joe, it's not 1985! What's wrong with you?!

Young Joe

They're wet!

Joe, don't bring them in here!

Young Joe

You guys, uh, look like you've been going a while.

Yes. Since April. Amazing.

Grazie. (Thanks)

Young Joe

Can I ask, how old are you?

Forty-two.

Young Joe

Oh, my God. Life is so different without kids.

I have kids. I have three kids. Twelve, nine and seven. They are in London with their mother.

So you ran away together?

I guess we did.

Yes, we did. Hmm. We are obliged to do so many stupid things. From childhood, even.

Obliged?

Yes. What happened to us is the only thing that's happened to me since I was born that makes sense.

E prima di uscire (and before going out) da questa santa porta (from this holy door) proviama un'altra volta (try it another time) su e giu per il (up and down the...) [Leda sustains note] cammin...! (...path) [Female hiker chuckles and clinks glass with Young Leda with Young Joe clapping]

Brava, brava! (good, good) [Young Leda reaches over to hug the female hiker hug and kisses her] Your Italian is so beautiful!

Oh.

So feminine!

Young Joe

Leda's the most extraordinary scholar of modern Italian literature.

Jesus, Joe. I studied translation, yeah. And comparative literature.

What are you working on?

Uh... I'm barely working.

Young Joe

Uh, she's working on a Yeats translation

Yeats?!

No.

In Italian? That's... that is like [gestures using Bianca's hands] chocolate on chocolate!

Young Joe

Huh?

Il gelo dell'ala sorta cade lungo il mio corpo

Wow. [Bianca plays with female hiker's hair] Wow.

What is that?

Don't know.

It's Auden. "Chill of the crooked wing falls down along my body". It's ridiculous. It's just something I taught them.

È bello. [Extends hand to Young Leda who embraces it] Brava. Wow. [Chuckles]

Young Joe

Thank you!

Ciao. [Young Leda embraces Female Hiker's head, kisses her cheek and hugs her]

Would you give me something of yours to read?

Something of mine?

Yes, your work.

Yes, of course. How are his daughters doing? Are they okay?

Not daughters. They're boys.

Hmm.

Professor Hardy

I didn't realize you were here. It's really great to meet you.

It's really great to meet you, too.

Professor Hardy

Your work is thrilling. [Shakes her hand]

Thank you.

Professor Hardy

Thrilling. [Walks away to other end of dinner table]

Thank you.

He is a serious scholar but- it's amazing to see. Amazing.

What is?

Well... it would be interesting to see his tactics as he renews his pursuit this evening.
...

Don't cry! No, no, no. I love- I loved the jokes about their names! It made you seem more human.

Professor Hardy

Human? As opposed to what?

As opposed to a god.

Professor Hardy

Ah. Hmm. Your name is very provocative.

You're thinking about the Yeats. Very high-minded. It always brings rape to mind.

Professor Hardy

Jesus.

I bet you know it by heart. In Italian.

Professor Hardy

Ah. Tutto d'un colpo... (all at once) la grand ala... (the grand wing) palpitante... (palpitating) sulla ragazza... (on the girl) uh, mmm... staggering girl.

Sconcertante. (Disconcerting)

Professor Hardy

Si, ragazza. Sconcertante. Mmm.

Young Joe

Hey.

Hi. [Joe kisses her on cheek] Hmm.

Young Joe

What are you doing? Say hello to Mummy. [Guides her head] Martha. Go on. Say hello. It's okay.

Can I get a hug?

Young Joe

Go on.

Oh! Mmm.

Are you home now, Mummy?

I'm home today.

Can you wash my hair after dinner?

Mm-mmm. I can't stay for dinner, baby. I've got to get on a plane.

Oh, okay.

But I brought you presents, okay? And fancy dresses. These. Hi. Yours!
...

You awoke the tickle monster. There's a tickle monster in town. Bianca? Do you want me to help you do up your buttons in the back?

No.

Okay. Show me your dress. Oh! So pretty. [Kisses Bianca on lips] Mwah!

Young Joe

Leda. Can I talk to you?

Sure.
...

Young Joe

Please. Please. Don't do this. What do you need? Do you need me on my **** knees? Do you need me to cut my balls off? What do you need? Tell me. Have you got his **** in your mouth? You can't answer me?

Joe, this has nothing to do with that.

Young Joe

Oh, **** me? **** me?

I left him.

Young Joe

You left him? Congratulations, baby. You're an expert now, huh?

I don't see why not?

Young Joe

Do you think I'm a **** idiot? Huh? Am I an arsehole? [Repeatedly] Please. Come on. They're little **** girls. How am I supposed to do this?

Joe, I'm feeling dizzy. [Walks off]

Young Joe

I'm taking them to your mum's. I can't handle this.

No you're not.

Young Joe

Yeah.

You're threatening me?! That is revenge! That's ****... lazy. You bring them back there, and they're going to sink back into that black shithole. All that ****... SHIT...! that I came from. I do think you're an arsehole. [Walks away]

Young Joe

My mother didn't finish school.

Oh, **** so what? [Disappears under door drape]

Please. Please, can you peel it like a snake?

What?

Please, can you peel it like a snake? Please?

Can you peel it all?

I can.

Don't let anything break.

No, I won't let anything break.

Do you think that's a land or a sea monster? A sea snake. Yeah.

Don't let it break. Peel it like a snake. Don't let it break.

That's quite a long one.

It's longer than ever. [Leda hands peel to Martha] Hiss. Can it curl itself up? [Martha dangles and jiggles orange peel] Little curly.
...

Mama, where are you going? Where are you going, Mummy? Mama? Are you coming back? When are you coming back? [Repeatedly] Mama? Where are you going? Mama! [Leda goes out door and shuts it]