heartbreak house-第13节

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was　quite　right。　But　they　all　lost　their　money。　It　was　dreadful。
I　don't　know　what　we　should　have　done　but　for　Mr　Mangan。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　What！　Did　the　Boss　come　to　the　rescue　again；　after
all　his　money　being　thrown　away？

ELLIE。　He　did　indeed；　and　never　uttered　a　reproach　to　my　father。
He　bought　what　was　left　of　the　businessthe　buildings　and　the
machinery　and　thingsfrom　the　official　trustee　for　enough　money
to　enable　my　father　to　pay　six…and…eight…pence　in　the　pound　and
get　his　discharge。　Everyone　pitied　Papa　so　much；　and　saw　so
plainly　that　he　was　an　honorable　man；　that　they　let　him　off　at
six…and…eight…pence　instead　of　ten　shillings。　Then　Mr。　Mangan
started　a　company　to　take　up　the　business；　and　made　my　father　a
manager　in　it　to　save　us　from　starvation；　for　I　wasn't　earning
anything　then。

MRS。　HUSHABYE。　Quite　a　romance。　And　when　did　the　Boss　develop　the
tender　passion？

ELLIE。　Oh；　that　was　years　after；　quite　lately。　He　took　the　chair
one　night　at　a　sort　of　people's　concert。　I　was　singing　there。　As
an　amateur；　you　know：　half　a　guinea　for　expenses　and　three　songs
with　three　encores。　He　was　so　pleased　with　my　singing　that　he
asked　might　he　walk　home　with　me。　I　never　saw　anyone　so　taken
aback　as　he　was　when　I　took　him　home　and　introduced　him　to　my
father；　his　own　manager。　It　was　then　that　my　father　told　me　how
nobly　he　had　behaved。　Of　course　it　was　considered　a　great　chance
for　me；　as　he　is　so　rich。　Andandwe　drifted　into　a　sort　of
understandingI　suppose　I　should　call　it　an　engagement＇she　is
distressed　and　cannot　go　on＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇rising　and　marching　about＇。　You　may　have　drifted
into　it；　but　you　will　bounce　out　of　it；　my　pettikins；　if　I　am　to
have　anything　to　do　with　it。

ELLIE　＇hopelessly＇。　No：　it's　no　use。　I　am　bound　in　honor　and
gratitude。　I　will　go　through　with　it。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇behind　the　sofa；　scolding　down　at　her＇。　You　know；
of　course；　that　it's　not　honorable　or　grateful　to　marry　a　man　you
don't　love。　Do　you　love　this　Mangan　man？

ELLIE。　Yes。　At　least

MRS　HUSHABYE。　I　don't　want　to　know　about　〃at　least〃：　I　want　to
know　the　worst。　Girls　of　your　age　fall　in　love　with　all　sorts　of
impossible　people；　especially　old　people。

ELLIE。　I　like　Mr　Mangan　very　much；　and　I　shall　always　be

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇impatiently　completing　the　sentence　and　prancing
away　intolerantly　to　starboard＇。　grateful　to　him　for　his
kindness　to　dear　father。　I　know。　Anybody　else？

ELLIE。　What　do　you　mean？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Anybody　else？　Are　you　in　love　with　anybody　else？

ELLIE。　Of　course　not。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Humph！　＇The　book　on　the　drawing…table　catches　her
eye。　She　picks　it　up；　and　evidently　finds　the　title　very
unexpected。　She　looks　at　Ellie；　and　asks；　quaintly＇　Quite　sure
you're　not　in　love　with　an　actor？

ELLIE。　No；　no。　Why？　What　put　such　a　thing　into　your　head？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　This　is　yours；　isn't　it？　Why　else　should　you　be
reading　Othello？

ELLIE。　My　father　taught　me　to　love　Shakespeare。

MRS　HUSHAYE　＇flinging　the　book　down　on　the　table＇。　Really！　your
father　does　seem　to　be　about　the　limit。

ELLIE　＇naively＇。　Do　you　never　read　Shakespeare；　Hesione？　That
seems　to　me　so　extraordinary。　I　like　Othello。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Do　you；　indeed？　He　was　jealous；　wasn't　he？

ELLIE。　Oh；　not　that。　I　think　all　the　part　about　jealousy　is
horrible。　But　don't　you　think　it　must　have　been　a　wonderful
experience　for　Desdemona；　brought　up　so　quietly　at　home；　to　meet
a　man　who　had　been　out　in　the　world　doing　all　sorts　of　brave
things　and　having　terrible　adventures；　and　yet　finding　something
in　her　that　made　him　love　to　sit　and　talk　with　her　and　tell　her
about　them？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　That's　your　idea　of　romance；　is　it？

ELLIE。　Not　romance；　exactly。　It　might　really　happen。

Ellie's　eyes　show　that　she　is　not　arguing；　but　in　a　daydream。　Mrs
Hushabye；　watching　her　inquisitively；　goes　deliberately　back　to
the　sofa　and　resumes　her　seat　beside　her。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Ellie　darling；　have　you　noticed　that　some　of　those
stories　that　Othello　told　Desdemona　couldn't　have　happened？

ELLIE。　Oh；　no。　Shakespeare　thought　they　could　have　happened。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Hm！　Desdemona　thought　they　could　have　happened。　But
they　didn't。

ELLIE。　Why　do　you　look　so　enigmatic　about　it？　You　are　such　a
sphinx：　I　never　know　what　you　mean。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Desdemona　would　have　found　him　out　if　she　had
lived；　you　know。　I　wonder　was　that　why　he　strangled　her！

ELLIE。　Othello　was　not　telling　lies。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　How　do　you　know？

ELLIE。　Shakespeare　would　have　said　if　he　was。　Hesione；　there　are
men　who　have　done　wonderful　things：　men　like　Othello；　only；　of
course；　white；　and　very　handsome；　and

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Ah！　Now　we're　coming　to　it。　Tell　me　all　about　him。
I　knew　there　must　be　somebody；　or　you'd　never　have　been　so
miserable　about　Mangan：　you'd　have　thought　it　quite　a　lark　to
marry　him。

ELLIE　＇blushing　vividly＇。　Hesione；　you　are　dreadful。　But　I　don't
want　to　make　a　secret　of　it；　though　of　course　I　don't　tell
everybody。　Besides；　I　don't　know　him。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Don't　know　him！　What　does　that　mean？

ELLIE。　Well；　of　course　I　know　him　to　speak　to。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　But　you　want　to　know　him　ever　so　much　more
intimately；　eh？

ELLIE。　No；　no：　I　know　him　quitealmost　intimately。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　You　don't　know　him；　and　you　know　him　almost
intimately。　How　lucid！

ELLIE。　I　mean　that　he　does　not　call　on　us。　II　got　into
conversation　with　him　by　chance　at　a　concert。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　You　seem　to　have　rather　a　gay　time　at　your
concerts；　Ellie。

ELLIE。　Not　at　all：　we　talk　to　everyone　in　the　greenroom　waiting
for　our　turns。　I　thought　he　was　one　of　the　artists：　he　looked　so
splendid。　But　he　was　only　one　of　the　committee。　I　happened　to
tell　him　that　I　was　copying　a　picture　at　the　National　Gallery。　I
make　a　little　money　that　way。　I　can't　paint　much；　but　as　it's
always　the　same　picture　I　can　do　it　pretty　quickly　and　get　two　or
three　pounds　for　it。　It　happened　that　he　came　to　the　National
Gallery　one　day。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　One　students'　day。　Paid　sixpence　to　stumble　about
through　a　crowd　of　easels；　when　he　might　have　come　in　next　day
for　nothing　and　found　the　floor　clear！　Quite　by　accident？

ELLIE　＇triumphantly＇。　No。　On　purpose。　He　liked　talking　to　me。　He
knows　lots　of　the　most　splendid　people。　Fashionable　women　who　are
all　in　love　with　him。　But　he　ran　away　from　them　to　see　me　at　the
National　Gallery　and　persuade　me　to　come　with　him　for　a　drive
round　Richmond　Park　in　a　taxi。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　My　pettikins；　you　have　been　going　it。　It's
wonderful　what　you　good　girls　can　do　without　anyone　saying　a
word。

ELLIE。　I　am　not　in　society；　Hesione。　If　I　didn't　make
acquaintances　in　that　way　I　shouldn't　have　any　at　all。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Well；　no　harm　if　you　know　how　to　take　care　of
yourself。　May　I　ask　his　name？

ELLIE　＇slowly　and　musically＇。　Marcus　Darnley。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇echoing　the　music＇。　Marcus　Darnley！　What　a　splendid
name！

ELLIE。　Oh；　I'm　so　glad　you　think　so。　I　think　so　too；　but　I　was
afraid　it　was　only　a　silly　fancy　of　my　own。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Hm！　Is　he　one　of　the　Aberdeen　Darnleys？

ELLIE。　Nobody　knows。　Just　fancy！　He　was　found　in　an　antique
chest

MRS　HUSHABYE。　A　what？

ELLIE。　An　antique　chest；　one　summer　morning　in　a　rose　garden；
after　a　night　of　the　most　terrible　thunderstorm。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　What　on　earth　was　he　doing　in　the　chest？　Did　he　get
into　it　because　he　was　afraid　of　the　lightning？

ELLIE。　Oh；　no；　no：　he　was　a　baby。　The　name　Marcus　Darnley　was
embroidered　on　his　baby　clothes。　And　five　hundred　pounds　in　gold。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇Looking　hard　at　her＇。　Ellie！

ELLIE。　The　garden　of　the　Viscount

MRS　HUSHABYE。　de　Rougemont？

ELLIE　＇innocently＇。　No：　de　Larochejaquelin。　A　French　family。　A
vicomte。　His　life　has　been　one　long　romance。　A　tiger

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Slain　by　his　own　hand？

ELLIE。　Oh；　no：　nothing　vulgar　like　that。　He　saved　the　life　of　the
tiger　from　a　hunting　party：　one　of　King　Edward's　hunting　parties
in　India。　The　King　was　furious：　that　was　why　he　never　had　his
military　services　properly　recognized。　But　he　doesn't　care。　He　is
a　Socialist　and　despises　rank；　and　has　been　in　three　revolutions
fighting　on　the　barricades。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　How　can　you　sit　there　telling　me　such　lies？　You；
Ellie；　of　all　people！　And　I　thought　you　were　a　perfectly　simple；
straightforward；　good　girl。

ELLIE　＇rising；　dignified　but　very　angry＇。　Do　you　mean　you　don't
believe　me？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Of　course　I　don't　believe　you。　You're　inventing
every　word　of　it。　Do　you　take　me　for　a　fool？

Ellie　stares　at　her。　Her　candor　is　so　obvious　that　Mrs　Hushabye
is　puzzled。

ELLIE。　Goodbye；　Hesione。　I'm　very　sorry。　I　see　now　that　it　sounds
very　improbable　as　I　tell　it。　But　I　can't　stay　if　you　think　that
way　about　me。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇catching　her　dress＇。　You　shan't　go。　I　couldn't　be
so　mistaken：　I　know　too　well　what　liars　are　like。　Somebody　has
really　told　you　all　this。

ELLIE　＇flushing＇。　Hesione；　don't　say　that　you　don't　believe　him。
I　couldn't　bear　that。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇soothing　her＇。　Of　course　I　believe　him；　dearest。
But　you　should　have　broken　it　to　me　by　degrees。　＇Drawing　her　back
to　her　seat＇。　Now　tell　me　all　about　him。　Are　you　in　love　with
him？

ELLIE。　Oh；　no。　I'm　not　so　foolish。　I