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I wish you'd stop talking. I wish you'd stop prying and trying to find things out. I wish you were dead - no, I don't mean that. It was silly and unkind, and I shouldn't have said it. But I do wish you'd stop talking.
— Laura ‧ Brief Encounter
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
Laura withdraws the most hurtful part of her outburst but leaves its central request intact. Her correction distinguishes a cruel wish from the need for the questioning to stop. Returning to the original demand shows that regret about her words has not removed the pressure behind them.
Context reviewed