heartbreak house-第11节

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silliness。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Oh；　is　that　you；　Nurse？　How　are　you？　You　don't
look　a　day　older。　Is　nobody　at　home？　Where　is　Hesione？　Doesn't
she　expect　me？　Where　are　the　servants？　Whose　luggage　is　that　on
the　steps？　Where's　papa？　Is　everybody　asleep？　＇Seeing　Ellie＇。　Oh！
I　beg　your　pardon。　I　suppose　you　are　one　of　my　nieces。
＇Approaching　her　with　outstretched　arms＇。　Come　and　kiss　your
aunt；　darling。

ELLIE。　I'm　only　a　visitor。　It　is　my　luggage　on　the　steps。

NURSE　GUINNESS。　I'll　go　get　you　some　fresh　tea；　ducky。　＇She　takes
up　the　tray＇。

ELLIE。　But　the　old　gentleman　said　he　would　make　some　himself。

NURSE　GUINNESS。　Bless　you！　he's　forgotten　what　he　went　for
already。　His　mind　wanders　from　one　thing　to　another。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Papa；　I　suppose？

NURSE　GUINNESS。　Yes；　Miss。

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇vehemently＇。　Don't　be　silly；　Nurse。　Don't　call　me
Miss。

NURSE　GUINNESS　＇placidly＇。　No；　lovey　＇she　goes　out　with　the
tea…tray＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇sitting　down　with　a　flounce　on　the　sofa＇。　I　know
what　you　must　feel。　Oh；　this　house；　this　house！　I　come　back　to　it
after　twenty…three　years；　and　it　is　just　the　same：　the　luggage
lying　on　the　steps；　the　servants　spoilt　and　impossible；　nobody　at
home　to　receive　anybody；　no　regular　meals；　nobody　ever　hungry
because　they　are　always　gnawing　bread　and　butter　or　munching
apples；　and；　what　is　worse；　the　same　disorder　in　ideas；　in　talk；
in　feeling。　When　I　was　a　child　I　was　used　to　it：　I　had　never
known　anything　better；　though　I　was　unhappy；　and　longed　all　the
timeoh；　how　I　longed！to　be　respectable；　to　be　a　lady；　to　live
as　others　did；　not　to　have　to　think　of　everything　for　myself。　I
married　at　nineteen　to　escape　from　it。　My　husband　is　Sir　Hastings
Utterword；　who　has　been　governor　of　all　the　crown　colonies　in
succession。　I　have　always　been　the　mistress　of　Government　House。
I　have　been　so　happy：　I　had　forgotten　that　people　could　live　like
this。　I　wanted　to　see　my　father；　my　sister；　my　nephews　and　nieces
（one　ought　to；　you　know）；　and　I　was　looking　forward　to　it。　And
now　the　state　of　the　house！　the　way　I'm　received！　the　casual
impudence　of　that　woman　Guinness；　our　old　nurse！　really　Hesione
might　at　least　have　been　here：　some　preparation　might　have　been
made　for　me。　You　must　excuse　my　going　on　in　this　way；　but　I　am
really　very　much　hurt　and　annoyed　and　disillusioned：　and　if　I　had
realized　it　was　to　be　like　this；　I　wouldn't　have　come。　I　have　a
great　mind　to　go　away　without　another　word　＇she　is　on　the　point
of　weeping＇。

ELLIE　＇also　very　miserable＇。　Nobody　has　been　here　to　receive　me
either。　I　thought　I　ought　to　go　away　too。　But　how　can　I；　Lady
Utterword？　My　luggage　is　on　the　steps；　and　the　station　fly　has
gone。

The　captain　emerges　from　the　pantry　with　a　tray　of　Chinese
lacquer　and　a　very　fine　tea…set　on　it。　He　rests　it　provisionally
on　the　end　of　the　table；　snatches　away　the　drawing…board；　which
he　stands　on　the　floor　against　table　legs；　and　puts　the　tray　in
the　space　thus　cleared。　Ellie　pours　out　a　cup　greedily。

THE　CAPTAIN。　Your　tea；　young　lady。　What！　another　lady！　I　must
fetch　another　cup　＇he　makes　for　the　pantry＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇rising　from　the　sofa；　suffused　with　emotion＇。
Papa！　Don't　you　know　me？　I'm　your　daughter。

THE　CAPTAIN。　Nonsense！　my　daughter's　upstairs　asleep。　＇He
vanishes　through　the　half　door＇。

Lady　Utterword　retires　to　the　window　to　conceal　her　tears。

ELLIE　＇going　to　her　with　the　cup＇。　Don't　be　so　distressed。　Have
this　cup　of　tea。　He　is　very　old　and　very　strange：　he　has　been
just　like　that　to　me。　I　know　how　dreadful　it　must　be：　my　own
father　is　all　the　world　to　me。　Oh；　I'm　sure　he　didn't　mean　it。

The　captain　returns　with　another　cup。

THE　CAPTAIN。　Now　we　are　complete。　＇He　places　it　on　the　tray＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇hysterically＇。　Papa；　you　can't　have　forgotten　me。
I　am　Ariadne。　I'm　little　Paddy　Patkins。　Won't　you　kiss　me？　＇She
goes　to　him　and　throws　her　arms　round　his　neck＇。

THE　CAPTAIN　＇woodenly　enduring　her　embrace＇。　How　can　you　be
Ariadne？　You　are　a　middle…aged　woman：　well　preserved；　madam；　but
no　longer　young。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　But　think　of　all　the　years　and　years　I　have　been
away；　Papa。　I　have　had　to　grow　old；　like　other　people。

THE　CAPTAIN　＇disengaging　himself＇。　You　should　grow　out　of　kissing
strange　men：　they　may　be　striving　to　attain　the　seventh　degree　of
concentration。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　But　I'm　your　daughter。　You　haven't　seen　me　for
years。

THE　CAPTAIN。　So　much　the　worse！　When　our　relatives　are　at　home；
we　have　to　think　of　all　their　good　points　or　it　would　be
impossible　to　endure　them。　But　when　they　are　away；　we　console
ourselves　for　their　absence　by　dwelling　on　their　vices。　That　is
how　I　have　come　to　think　my　absent　daughter　Ariadne　a　perfect
fiend；　so　do　not　try　to　ingratiate　yourself　here　by　impersonating
her　＇he　walks　firmly　away　to　the　other　side　of　the　room＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Ingratiating　myself　indeed！　＇With　dignity＇。　Very
well；　papa。　＇She　sits　down　at　the　drawing…table　and　pours　out　tea
for　herself＇。

THE　CAPTAIN。　I　am　neglecting　my　social　duties。　You　remember　Dunn？
Billy　Dunn？

LADY　UTTERWORD。　DO　you　mean　that　villainous　sailor　who　robbed
you？

THE　CAPTAIN　＇introducing　Ellie＇。　His　daughter。　＇He　sits　down　on
the　sofa＇。

ELLIE　＇protesting＇。　No

Nurse　Guinness　returns　with　fresh　tea。

THE　CAPTAIN。　Take　that　hogwash　away。　Do　you　hear？

NURSE。　You've　actually　remembered　about　the　tea！　＇To　Ellie＇。　Oh；
miss；　he　didn't　forget　you　after　all！　You　HAVE　made　an
impression。

THE　CAPTAIN　＇gloomily＇。　Youth！　beauty！　novelty！　They　are　badly
wanted　in　this　house。　I　am　excessively　old。　Hesione　is　only
moderately　young。　Her　children　are　not　youthful。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　How　can　children　be　expected　to　be　youthful　in
this　house？　Almost　before　we　could　speak　we　were　filled　with
notions　that　might　have　been　all　very　well　for　pagan　philosophers
of　fifty；　but　were　certainly　quite　unfit　for　respectable　people
of　any　age。

NURSE。　You　were　always　for　respectability；　Miss　Addy。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Nurse；　will　you　please　remember　that　I　am　Lady
Utterword；　and　not　Miss　Addy；　nor　lovey；　nor　darling；　nor　doty？
Do　you　hear？

NURSE。　Yes；　ducky：　all　right。　I'll　tell　them　all　they　must　call
you　My　Lady。　＇She　takes　her　tray　out　with　undisturbed　placidity＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　What　comfort？　what　sense　is　there　in　having
servants　with　no　manners？

ELLIE　＇rising　and　coming　to　the　table　to　put　down　her　empty　cup＇。
Lady　Utterword；　do　you　think　Mrs　Hushabye　really　expects　me？

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Oh；　don't　ask　me。　You　can　see　for　yourself　that
I've　just　arrived；　her　only　sister；　after　twenty…three　years'
absence！　and　it　seems　that　I　am　not　expected。

THE　CAPTAIN。　What　does　it　matter　whether　the　young　lady　is
expected　or　not？　She　is　welcome。　There　are　beds：　there　is　food。
I'll　find　a　room　for　her　myself　＇he　makes　for　the　door＇。

ELLIE　＇following　him　to　stop　him＇。　Oh；　please＇He　goes　out＇。
Lady　Utterword；　I　don't　know　what　to　do。　Your　father　persists　in
believing　that　my　father　is　some　sailor　who　robbed　him。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　You　had　better　pretend　not　to　notice　it。　My
father　is　a　very　clever　man；　but　he　always　forgot　things；　and　now
that　he　is　old；　of　course　he　is　worse。　And　I　must　warn　you　that
it　is　sometimes　very　hard　to　feel　quite　sure　that　he　really
forgets。

Mrs　Hushabye　bursts　into　the　room　tempestuously　and　embraces
Ellie。　She　is　a　couple　of　years　older　than　Lady　Utterword；　and
even　better　looking。　She　has　magnificent　black　hair；　eyes　like
the　fishpools　of　Heshbon；　and　a　nobly　modelled　neck；　short　at　the
back　and　low　between　her　shoulders　in　front。　Unlike　her　sister
she　is　uncorseted　and　dressed　anyhow　in　a　rich　robe　of　black　pile
that　shows　off　her　white　skin　and　statuesque　contour。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Ellie；　my　darling；　my　pettikins　＇kissing　her＇；　how
long　have　you　been　here？　I've　been　at　home　all　the　time：　I　was
putting　flowers　and　things　in　your　room；　and　when　I　just　sat　down
for　a　moment　to　try　how　comfortable　the　armchair　was　I　went　off
to　sleep。　Papa　woke　me　and　told　me　you　were　here。　Fancy　your
finding　no　one；　and　being　neglected　and　abandoned。　＇Kissing　her
again＇。　My　poor　love！　＇She　deposits　Ellie　on　the　sofa。　Meanwhile
Ariadne　has　left　the　table　and　come　over　to　claim　her　share　of
attention＇。　Oh！　you've　brought　someone　with　you。　Introduce　me。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Hesione；　is　it　possible　that　you　don't　know　me？

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇conventionally＇。　Of　course　I　remember　your　face
quite　well。　Where　have　we　met？

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Didn't　Papa　tell　you　I　was　here？　Oh！　this　is
really　too　much。　＇She　throws　herself　sulkily　into　the　big　chair＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Papa！

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Yes；　Papa。　Our　papa；　you　unfeeling　wretch！
＇Rising　angrily＇。　I'll　go　straight　to　a　hotel。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇seizing　her　by　the　shoulders＇。　My　goodness　gracious
goodness；　you　don't　mean　to　say　that　you're　Addy！

LADY　UTTERWORD。　I　certainly　am　Addy；　and　I　don't　think　I　can　be
so　changed　that　you　would　not　have　recognized　me　if　you　had　any
real　affection　for　me。　And　Papa　didn't　think　me　even　worth
mentioning！

MRS　HUSHABYE。　What　a　lark！　Sit　down　＇she　pushes　her　back　into　the
chair　instead　of　kissing　her；　and　posts　herself　behind　it＇。　You
DO　look　a　swell。　You're　much　handso