heartbreak house-第14节

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to　her　seat＇。　Now　tell　me　all　about　him。　Are　you　in　love　with
him？

ELLIE。　Oh；　no。　I'm　not　so　foolish。　I　don't　fall　in　love　with
people。　I'm　not　so　silly　as　you　think。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　I　see。　Only　something　to　think　aboutto　give　some
interest　and　pleasure　to　life。

ELLIE。　Just　so。　That's　all；　really。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　It　makes　the　hours　go　fast；　doesn't　it？　No　tedious
waiting　to　go　to　sleep　at　nights　and　wondering　whether　you　will
have　a　bad　night。　How　delightful　it　makes　waking　up　in　the
morning！　How　much　better　than　the　happiest　dream！　All　life
transfigured！　No　more　wishing　one　had　an　interesting　book　to
read；　because　life　is　so　much　happier　than　any　book！　No　desire
but　to　be　alone　and　not　to　have　to　talk　to　anyone：　to　be　alone
and　just　think　about　it。

ELLIE　＇embracing　her＇。　Hesione；　you　are　a　witch。　How　do　you　know？
Oh；　you　are　the　most　sympathetic　woman　in　the　world！

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇caressing　her＇。　Pettikins；　my　pettikins；　how　I　envy
you！　and　how　I　pity　you！

ELLIE。　Pity　me！　Oh；　why？

A　very　handsome　man　of　fifty；　with　mousquetaire　moustaches；
wearing　a　rather　dandified　curly　brimmed　hat；　and　carrying　an
elaborate　walking…stick；　comes　into　the　room　from　the　hall；　and
stops　short　at　sight　of　the　women　on　the　sofa。

ELLIE　＇seeing　him　and　rising　in　glad　surprise＇。　Oh！　Hesione：　this
is　Mr　Marcus　Darnley。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇rising＇。　What　a　lark！　He　is　my　husband。

ELLIE。　But　now＇she　stops　suddenly：　then　turns　pale　and　sways＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇catching　her　and　sitting　down　with　her　on　the
sofa＇。　Steady；　my　pettikins。

THE　MAN　＇with　a　mixture　of　confusion　and　effrontery；　depositing
his　hat　and　stick　on　the　teak　table＇。　My　real　name；　Miss　Dunn；　is
Hector　Hushabye。　I　leave　you　to　judge　whether　that　is　a　name　any
sensitive　man　would　care　to　confess　to。　I　never　use　it　when　I　can
possibly　help　it。　I　have　been　away　for　nearly　a　month；　and　I　had
no　idea　you　knew　my　wife；　or　that　you　were　coming　here。　I　am　none
the　less　delighted　to　find　you　in　our　little　house。

ELLIE　＇in　great　distress＇。　I　don't　know　what　to　do。　Please；　may　I
speak　to　papa？　Do　leave　me。　I　can't　bear　it。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Be　off；　Hector。

HECTOR。　I

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Quick；　quick。　Get　out。

HECTOR。　If　you　think　it　better＇he　goes　out；　taking　his　hat　with
him　but　leaving　the　stick　on　the　table＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇laying　Ellie　down　at　the　end　of　the　sofa＇。　Now；
pettikins；　he　is　gone。　There's　nobody　but　me。　You　can　let
yourself　go。　Don't　try　to　control　yourself。　Have　a　good　cry。

ELLIE　＇raising　her　head＇。　Damn！

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Splendid！　Oh；　what　a　relief！　I　thought　you　were
going　to　be　broken…hearted。　Never　mind　me。　Damn　him　again。

ELLIE。　I　am　not　damning　him。　I　am　damning　myself　for　being　such　a
fool。　＇Rising＇。　How　could　I　let　myself　be　taken　in　so？　＇She
begins　prowling　to　and　fro；　her　bloom　gone；　looking　curiously
older　and　harder＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇cheerfully＇。　Why　not；　pettikins？　Very　few　young
women　can　resist　Hector。　I　couldn't　when　I　was　your　age。　He　is
really　rather　splendid；　you　know。

ELLIE　＇turning　on　her＇。　Splendid！　Yes；　splendid　looking；　of
course。　But　how　can　you　love　a　liar？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　I　don't　know。　But　you　can；　fortunately。　Otherwise
there　wouldn't　be　much　love　in　the　world。

ELLIE。　But　to　lie　like　that！　To　be　a　boaster！　a　coward！

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇rising　in　alarm＇。　Pettikins；　none　of　that；　if　you
please。　If　you　hint　the　slightest　doubt　of　Hector's　courage；　he
will　go　straight　off　and　do　the　most　horribly　dangerous　things　to
convince　himself　that　he　isn't　a　coward。　He　has　a　dreadful　trick
of　getting　out　of　one　third…floor　window　and　coming　in　at
another；　just　to　test　his　nerve。　He　has　a　whole　drawerful　of
Albert　Medals　for　saving　people's　lives。

ELLIE。　He　never　told　me　that。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　He　never　boasts　of　anything　he　really　did：　he　can't
bear　it；　and　it　makes　him　shy　if　anyone　else　does。　All　his
stories　are　made…up　stories。

ELLIE　＇coming　to　her＇。　Do　you　mean　that　he　is　really　brave；　and
really　has　adventures；　and　yet　tells　lies　about　things　that　he
never　did　and　that　never　happened？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Yes；　pettikins；　I　do。　People　don't　have　their
virtues　and　vices　in　sets：　they　have　them　anyhow：　all　mixed。

ELLIE　＇staring　at　her　thoughtfully＇。　There's　something　odd　about
this　house；　Hesione；　and　even　about　you。　I　don't　know　why　I'm
talking　to　you　so　calmly。　I　have　a　horrible　fear　that　my　heart　is
broken；　but　that　heartbreak　is　not　like　what　I　thought　it　must
be。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇fondling　her＇。　It's　only　life　educating　you；
pettikins。　How　do　you　feel　about　Boss　Mangan　now？

ELLIE　＇disengaging　herself　with　an　expression　of　distaste＇。　Oh；
how　can　you　remind　me　of　him；　Hesione？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Sorry；　dear。　I　think　I　hear　Hector　coming　back。　You
don't　mind　now；　do　you；　dear？

ELLIE。　Not　in　the　least。　I　am　quite　cured。

Mazzini　Dunn　and　Hector　come　in　from　the　hall。

HECTOR　＇as　he　opens　the　door　and　allows　Mazzini　to　pass　in＇。　One
second　more；　and　she　would　have　been　a　dead　woman！

MAZZINI。　Dear！　dear！　what　an　escape！　Ellie；　my　love；　Mr　Hushabye
has　just　been　telling　me　the　most　extraordinary

ELLIE。　Yes；　I've　heard　it　＇she　crosses　to　the　other　side　of　the
room＇。

HECTOR　＇following　her＇。　Not　this　one：　I'll　tell　it　to　you　after
dinner。　I　think　you'll　like　it。　The　truth　is　I　made　it　up　for
you；　and　was　looking　forward　to　the　pleasure　of　telling　it　to
you。　But　in　a　moment　of　impatience　at　being　turned　out　of　the
room；　I　threw　it　away　on　your　father。

ELLIE　＇turning　at　bay　with　her　back　to　the　carpenter's　bench；
scornfully　self…possessed＇。　It　was　not　thrown　away。　He　believes
it。　I　should　not　have　believed　it。

MAZZINI　＇benevolently＇。　Ellie　is　very　naughty；　Mr　Hushabye。　Of
course　she　does　not　really　think　that。　＇He　goes　to　the
bookshelves；　and　inspects　the　titles　of　the　volumes＇。

Boss　Mangan　comes　in　from　the　hall；　followed　by　the　captain。
Mangan；　carefully　frock…coated　as　for　church　or　for　a　diHECTORs'
meeting；　is　about　fifty…five；　with　a　careworn；　mistrustful
expression；　standing　a　little　on　an　entirely　imaginary　dignity；
with　a　dull　complexion；　straight；　lustreless　hair；　and　features
so　entirely　commonplace　that　it　is　impossible　to　describe　them。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇to　Mrs　Hushabye；　introducing　the　newcomer＇。
Says　his　name　is　Mangan。　Not　able…bodied。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇graciously＇。　How　do　you　do；　Mr　Mangan？

MANGAN　＇shaking　hands＇。　Very　pleased。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Dunn's　lost　his　muscle；　but　recovered　his
nerve。　Men　seldom　do　after　three　attacks　of　delirium　tremens　＇he
goes　into　the　pantry＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　I　congratulate　you；　Mr　Dunn。

MAZZINI　＇dazed＇。　I　am　a　lifelong　teetotaler。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　You　will　find　it　far　less　trouble　to　let　papa　have
his　own　way　than　try　to　explain。

MAZZINI。　But　three　attacks　of　delirium　tremens；　really！

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇to　Mangan＇。　Do　you　know　my　husband；　Mr　Mangan　＇she
indicates　Hector＇。

MANGAN　＇going　to　Hector；　who　meets　him　with　outstretched　hand＇。
Very　pleased。　＇Turning　to　Ellie＇。　I　hope；　Miss　Ellie；　you　have
not　found　the　journey　down　too　fatiguing。　＇They　shake　hands＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Hector；　show　Mr　Dunn　his　room。

HECTOR。　Certainly。　Come　along；　Mr　Dunn。　＇He　takes　Mazzini　out＇。

ELLIE。　You　haven't　shown　me　my　room　yet；　Hesione。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　How　stupid　of　me！　Come　along。　Make　yourself　quite
at　home；　Mr　Mangan。　Papa　will　entertain　you。　＇She　calls　to　the
captain　in　the　pantry＇。　Papa；　come　and　explain　the　house　to　Mr
Mangan。

She　goes　out　with　Ellie。　The　captain　comes　from　the　pantry。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　You're　going　to　marry　Dunn's　daughter。　Don't。
You're　too　old。

MANGAN　＇staggered＇。　Well！　That's　fairly　blunt；　Captain。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　It's　true。

MANGAN。　She　doesn't　think　so。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　She　does。

MANGAN。　Older　men　than　I　have

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇finishing　the　sentence　for　him＇。made　fools　of
themselves。　That；　also；　is　true。

MANGAN　＇asserting　himself＇。　I　don't　see　that　this　is　any　business
of　yours。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　It　is　everybody's　business。　The　stars　in　their
courses　are　shaken　when　such　things　happen。

MANGAN。　I'm　going　to　marry　her　all　the　same。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　How　do　you　know？

MANGAN　＇playing　the　strong　man＇。　I　intend　to。　I　mean　to。　See？　I
never　made　up　my　mind　to　do　a　thing　yet　that　I　didn't　bring　it
off。　That's　the　sort　of　man　I　am；　and　there　will　be　a　better
understanding　between　us　when　you　make　up　your　mind　to　that；
Captain。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　You　frequent　picture　palaces。

MANGAN。　Perhaps　I　do。　Who　told　you？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Talk　like　a　man；　not　like　a　movie。　You　mean
that　you　make　a　hundred　thousand　a　year。

MANGAN。　I　don't　boast。　But　when　I　meet　a　man　that　makes　a　hundred
thousand　a　year；　I　take　off　my　hat　to　that　man；　and　stretch　out
my　hand　to　him　and　call　him　brother。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Then　you　also　make　a　hundred　thousand　a　year；
hey？

MANGAN。　No。　I　can't　say　that。　Fifty　thousand；　perhaps。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　His　half　brother　only　＇he　turns　away　from
Mangan　with　his　usual　abruptness；　and　collects　the　empty　tea…cups
on　the　Chinese　tray＇。

MANGAN　＇irritated＇。　See　here；　Captain　Shotover。　I　don't　quite
understand　my　position　here。　I　came　here　on　your　daughter's
invitation。　Am　I　in　her　house　or