heartbreak house-第12节

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chair　instead　of　kissing　her；　and　posts　herself　behind　it＇。　You
DO　look　a　swell。　You're　much　handsomer　than　you　used　to　be。
You've　made　the　acquaintance　of　Ellie；　of　course。　She　is　going　to
marry　a　perfect　hog　of　a　millionaire　for　the　sake　of　her　father；
who　is　as　poor　as　a　church　mouse；　and　you　must　help　me　to　stop
her。

ELLIE。　Oh；　please；　Hesione！

MRS　HUSHABYE。　My　pettikins；　the　man's　coming　here　today　with　your
father　to　begin　persecuting　you；　and　everybody　will　see　the　state
of　the　case　in　ten　minutes；　so　what's　the　use　of　making　a　secret
of　it？

ELLIE。　He　is　not　a　hog；　Hesione。　You　don't　know　how　wonderfully
good　he　was　to　my　father；　and　how　deeply　grateful　I　am　to　him。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇to　Lady　Utterword＇。　Her　father　is　a　very　remarkable
man；　Addy。　His　name　is　Mazzini　Dunn。　Mazzini　was　a　celebrity　of
some　kind　who　knew　Ellie's　grandparents。　They　were　both　poets；
like　the　Brownings；　and　when　her　father　came　into　the　world
Mazzini　said；　〃Another　soldier　born　for　freedom！〃　So　they
christened　him　Mazzini；　and　he　has　been　fighting　for　freedom　in
his　quiet　way　ever　since。　That's　why　he　is　so　poor。

ELLIE。　I　am　proud　of　his　poverty。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Of　course　you　are；　pettikins。　Why　not　leave　him　in
it；　and　marry　someone　you　love？

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇rising　suddenly　and　explosively＇。　Hesione；　are
you　going　to　kiss　me　or　are　you　not？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　What　do　you　want　to　be　kissed　for？

LADY　UTTERWORD。　I　DON'T　want　to　be　kissed；　but　I　do　want　you　to
behave　properly　and　decently。　We　are　sisters。　We　have　been
separated　for　twenty…three　years。　You　OUGHT　to　kiss　me。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　To…morrow　morning；　dear；　before　you　make　up。　I　hate
the　smell　of　powder。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Oh！　you　unfeeling＇she　is　interrupted　by　the
return　of　the　captain＇。

THE　CAPTAIN　＇to　Ellie＇。　Your　room　is　ready。　＇Ellie　rises＇。　The
sheets　were　damp；　but　I　have　changed　them　＇he　makes　for　the
garden　door　on　the　port　side＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Oh！　What　about　my　sheets？

THE　CAPTAIN　＇halting　at　the　door＇。　Take　my　advice：　air　them：　or
take　them　off　and　sleep　in　blankets。　You　shall　sleep　in　Ariadne's
old　room。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Indeed　I　shall　do　nothing　of　the　sort。　That
little　hole！　I　am　entitled　to　the　best　spare　room。

THE　CAPTAIN　＇continuing　unmoved＇。　She　married　a　numskull。　She
told　me　she　would　marry　anyone　to　get　away　from　home。

LADT　UTTERWORD。　You　are　pretending　not　to　know　me　on　purpose。　I
will　leave　the　house。

Mazzini　Dunn　enters　from　the　hall。　He　is　a　little　elderly　man
with　bulging　credulous　eyes　and　earnest　manners。　He　is　dressed　in
a　blue　serge　jacket　suit　with　an　unbuttoned　mackintosh　over　it；
and　carries　a　soft　black　hat　of　clerical　cut。

ELLIE。　At　last！　Captain　Shotover；　here　is　my　father。

THE　CAPTAIN。　This！　Nonsense！　not　a　bit　like　him　＇he　goes　away
through　the　garden；　shutting　the　door　sharply　behind　him＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　I　will　not　be　ignored　and　pretended　to　be
somebody　else。　I　will　have　it　out　with　Papa　now；　this　instant。
＇To　Mazzini＇。　Excuse　me。　＇She　follows　the　captain　out；　making　a
hasty　bow　to　Mazzini；　who　returns　it＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇hospitably　shaking　hands＇。　How　good　of　you　to　come；
Mr　Dunn！　You　don't　mind　Papa；　do　you？　He　is　as　mad　as　a　hatter；
you　know；　but　quite　harmless　and　extremely　clever。　You　will　have
some　delightful　talks　with　him。

MAZZINI。　I　hope　so。　＇To　Ellie＇。　So　here　you　are；　Ellie；　dear。　＇He
draws　her　arm　affectionately　through　his＇。　I　must　thank　you；　Mrs
Hushabye；　for　your　kindness　to　my　daughter。　I'm　afraid　she　would
have　had　no　holiday　if　you　had　not　invited　her。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Not　at　all。　Very　nice　of　her　to　come　and　attract
young　people　to　the　house　for　us。

MAZZINI　＇smiling＇。　I'm　afraid　Ellie　is　not　interested　in　young
men；　Mrs　Hushabye。　Her　taste　is　on　the　graver；　solider　side。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇with　a　sudden　rather　hard　brightness　in　her
manner＇。　Won't　you　take　off　your　overcoat；　Mr　Dunn？　You　will　find
a　cupboard　for　coats　and　hats　and　things　in　the　corner　of　the
hall。

MAZZINI　＇hastily　releasing　Ellie＇。　Yesthank　youI　had　better
＇he　goes　out＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇emphatically＇。　The　old　brute！

ELLIE。　Who？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Who！　Him。　He。　It　＇pointing　after　Mazzini＇。　〃Graver；
solider　tastes；〃　indeed！

ELLIE　＇aghast＇。　You　don't　mean　that　you　were　speaking　like　that
of　my　father！

MRS　HUSHABYE。　I　was。　You　know　I　was。

ELLIE　＇with　dignity＇。　I　will　leave　your　house　at　once。　＇She　turns
to　the　door＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　If　you　attempt　it；　I'll　tell　your　father　why。

ELLIE　＇turning　again＇。　Oh！　How　can　you　treat　a　visitor　like　this；
Mrs　Hushabye？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　I　thought　you　were　going　to　call　me　Hesione。

ELLIE。　Certainly　not　now？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Very　well：　I'll　tell　your　father。

ELLIE　＇distressed＇。　Oh！

MRS　HUSHABYE。　If　you　turn　a　hairif　you　take　his　part　against　me
and　against　your　own　heart　for　a　moment；　I'll　give　that　born
soldier　of　freedom　a　piece　of　my　mind　that　will　stand　him　on　his
selfish　old　head　for　a　week。

ELLIE。　Hesione！　My　father　selfish！　How　little　you　know

She　is　interrupted　by　Mazzini；　who　returns；　excited　and
perspiring。

MAZZINI。　Ellie；　Mangan　has　come：　I　thought　you'd　like　to　know。
Excuse　me；　Mrs　Hushabye；　the　strange　old　gentleman

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Papa。　Quite　so。

MAZZINI。　Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon；　of　course：　I　was　a　little
confused　by　his　manner。　He　is　making　Mangan　help　him　with
something　in　the　garden；　and　he　wants　me　too

A　powerful　whistle　is　heard。

THE　CAPTAIN'S　VOICE。　Bosun　ahoy！　＇the　whistle　is　repeated＇。

MAZZINI　＇flustered＇。　Oh　dear！　I　believe　he　is　whistling　for　me。
＇He　hurries　out＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Now　MY　father　is　a　wonderful　man　if　you　like。

ELLIE。　Hesione；　listen　to　me。　You　don't　understand。　My　father　and
Mr　Mangan　were　boys　together。　Mr　Ma

MRS　HUSHABYE。　I　don't　care　what　they　were：　we　must　sit　down　if
you　are　going　to　begin　as　far　back　as　that。　＇She　snatches　at
Ellie's　waist；　and　makes　her　sit　down　on　the　sofa　beside　her＇。
Now；　pettikins；　tell　me　all　about　Mr　Mangan。　They　call　him　Boss
Mangan；　don't　they？　He　is　a　Napoleon　of　industry　and　disgustingly
rich；　isn't　he？　Why　isn't　your　father　rich？

ELLIE。　My　poor　father　should　never　have　been　in　business。　His
parents　were　poets；　and　they　gave　him　the　noblest　ideas；　but　they
could　not　afford　to　give　him　a　profession。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Fancy　your　grandparents；　with　their　eyes　in　fine
frenzy　rolling！　And　so　your　poor　father　had　to　go　into　business。
Hasn't　he　succeeded　in　it？

ELLIE。　He　always　used　to　say　he　could　succeed　if　he　only　had　some
capital。　He　fought　his　way　along；　to　keep　a　roof　over　our　heads
and　bring　us　up　well；　but　it　was　always　a　struggle：　always　the
same　difficulty　of　not　having　capital　enough。　I　don't　know　how　to
describe　it　to　you。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Poor　Ellie！　I　know。　Pulling　the　devil　by　the　tail。

ELLIE　＇hurt＇。　Oh；　no。　Not　like　that。　It　was　at　least　dignified。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　That　made　it　all　the　harder；　didn't　it？　I　shouldn't
have　pulled　the　devil　by　the　tail　with　dignity。　I　should　have
pulled　hard＇between　her　teeth＇　hard。　Well？　Go　on。

ELLIE。　At　last　it　seemed　that　all　our　troubles　were　at　an　end。　Mr
Mangan　did　an　extraordinarily　noble　thing　out　of　pure　friendship
for　my　father　and　respect　for　his　character。　He　asked　him　how
much　capital　he　wanted；　and　gave　it　to　him。　I　don't　mean　that　he
lent　it　to　him；　or　that　he　invested　it　in　his　business。　He　just
simply　made　him　a　present　of　it。　Wasn't　that　splendid　of　him？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　On　condition　that　you　married　him？

ELLIE。　Oh；　no；　no；　no！　This　was　when　I　was　a　child。　He　had　never
even　seen　me：　he　never　came　to　our　house。　It　was　absolutely
disinterested。　Pure　generosity。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Oh！　I　beg　the　gentleman's　pardon。　Well；　what　became
of　the　money？

ELLIE。　We　all　got　new　clothes　and　moved　into　another　house。　And　I
went　to　another　school　for　two　years。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Only　two　years？

ELLIE。　That　was　all：　for　at　the　end　of　two　years　my　father　was
utterly　ruined。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　How？

ELLIE。　I　don't　know。　I　never　could　understand。　But　it　was
dreadful。　When　we　were　poor　my　father　had　never　been　in　debt。　But
when　he　launched　out　into　business　on　a　large　scale；　he　had　to
incur　liabilities。　When　the　business　went　into　liquidation　he
owed　more　money　than　Mr　Mangan　had　given　him。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Bit　off　more　than　he　could　chew；　I　suppose。

ELLIE。　I　think　you　are　a　little　unfeeling　about　it。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　My　pettikins；　you　mustn't　mind　my　way　of　talking。　I
was　quite　as　sensitive　and　particular　as　you　once；　but　I　have
picked　up　so　much　slang　from　the　children　that　I　am　really　hardly
presentable。　I　suppose　your　father　had　no　head　for　business；　and
made　a　mess　of　it。

ELLIE。　Oh；　that　just　shows　how　entirely　you　are　mistaken　about
him。　The　business　turned　out　a　great　success。　It　now　pays
forty…four　per　cent　after　deducting　the　excess　profits　tax。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Then　why　aren't　you　rolling　in　money？

ELLIE。　I　don't　know。　It　seems　very　unfair　to　me。　You　see；　my
father　was　made　bankrupt。　It　nearly　broke　his　heart；　because　he
had　persuaded　several　of　his　friends　to　put　money　into　the
business。　He　was　sure　it　would　succeed；　and　events　proved　that　he
was　quite　right。　But　they　all　lost　their　money。　It　was　dre