heartbreak house-第19节

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won't　stand　it。　My　head's　going　to　split。　Help！　Help　me　to　hold
it。　Quick：　hold　it：　squeeze　it。　Save　me。　＇Ellie　comes　behind　his
chair；　clasps　his　head　hard　for　a　moment；　then　begins　to　draw　her
hands　from　his　forehead　back　to　his　ears＇。　Thank　you。　＇Drowsily＇。
That's　very　refreshing。　＇Waking　a　little＇。　Don't　you　hypnotize
me；　though。　I've　seen　men　made　fools　of　by　hypnotism。

ELLIE　＇steadily＇。　Be　quiet。　I've　seen　men　made　fools　of　without
hypnotism。

MANGAN　＇humbly＇。　You　don't　dislike　touching　me；　I　hope。　You　never
touched　me　before；　I　noticed。

ELLIE。　Not　since　you　fell　in　love　naturally　with　a　grown…up　nice
woman；　who　will　never　expect　you　to　make　love　to　her。　And　I　will
never　expect　him　to　make　love　to　me。

MANGAN。　He　may；　though。

ELLIE　＇making　her　passes　rhythmically＇。　Hush。　Go　to　sleep。　Do　you
hear？　You　are　to　go　to　sleep；　go　to　sleep；　go　to　sleep；　be　quiet；
deeply　deeply　quiet；　sleep；　sleep；　sleep；　sleep；　sleep。

He　falls　asleep。　Ellie　steals　away；　turns　the　light　out；　and　goes
into　the　garden。

Nurse　Guinness　opens　the　door　and　is　seen　in　the　light　which
comes　in　from　the　hall。

GUINNESS　＇speaking　to　someone　outside＇。　Mr　Mangan's　not　here；
duckie：　there's　no　one　here。　It's　all　dark。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇without＇。　Try　the　garden。　Mr　Dunn　and　I　will　be　in
my　boudoir。　Show　him　the　way。

GUINNESS。　Yes；　ducky。　＇She　makes　for　the　garden　door　in　the　dark；
stumbles　over　the　sleeping　Mangan　and　screams＇。　Ahoo！　O　Lord；
Sir！　I　beg　your　pardon；　I'm　sure：　I　didn't　see　you　in　the　dark。
Who　is　it？　＇She　goes　back　to　the　door　and　turns　on　the　light＇。
Oh；　Mr　Mangan；　sir；　I　hope　I　haven't　hurt　you　plumping　into　your
lap　like　that。　＇Coming　to　him＇。　I　was　looking　for　you；　sir。　Mrs
Hushabye　says　will　you　please　＇noticing　that　he　remains　quite
insensible＇。　Oh；　my　good　Lord；　I　hope　I　haven't　killed　him。　Sir！
Mr　Mangan！　Sir！　＇She　shakes　him；　and　he　is　rolling　inertly　off
the　chair　on　the　floor　when　she　holds　him　up　and　props　him
against　the　cushion＇。　Miss　Hessy！　Miss　Hessy！　＇quick；　doty
darling。　Miss　Hessy！　＇Mrs　Hushabye　comes　in　from　the　hall；
followed　by　Mazzini　Dunn＇。　Oh；　Miss　Hessy；　I've　been　and　killed
him。

Mazzini　runs　round　the　back　of　the　chair　to　Mangan's　right　hand；
and　sees　that　the　nurse's　words　are　apparently　only　too　true。

MAZZINI。　What　tempted　you　to　commit　such　a　crime；　woman？

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇trying　not　to　laugh＇。　Do　you　mean；　you　did　it　on
purpose？

GUINNESS。　Now　is　it　likely　I'd　kill　any　man　on　purpose？　I　fell
over　him　in　the　dark；　and　I'm　a　pretty　tidy　weight。　He　never
spoke　nor　moved　until　I　shook　him；　and　then　he　would　have　dropped
dead　on　the　floor。　Isn't　it　tiresome？

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇going　past　the　nurse　to　Mangan's　side；　and
inspecting　him　less　credulously　than　Mazzini＇。　Nonsense！　he　is
not　dead：　he　is　only　asleep。　I　can　see　him　breathing。

GUINNESS。　But　why　won't　he　wake？

MAZZINI　＇speaking　very　politely　into　Mangan's　ear＇。　Mangan！　My
dear　Mangan！　＇he　blows　into　Mangan's　ear＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　That's　no　good　＇she　shakes　him　vigorously＇。　Mr
Mangan；　wake　up。　Do　you　hear？　＇He　begins　to　roll　over＇。　Oh！
Nurse；　nurse：　he's　falling：　help　me。

Nurse　Guinness　rushes　to　the　rescue。　With　Mazzini's　assistance；
Mangan　is　propped　safely　up　again。

GUINNESS　＇behind　the　chair；　bending　over　to　test　the　case　with
her　nose＇。　Would　he　be　drunk；　do　you　think；　pet？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Had　he　any　of　papa's　rum？

MAZZINI。　It　can't　be　that：　he　is　most　abstemious。　I　am　afraid　he
drank　too　much　formerly；　and　has　to　drink　too　little　now。　You
know；　Mrs　Hushabye；　I　really　think　he　has　been　hypnotized。

GUINNESS。　Hip　no　what；　sir？

MAZZINI。　One　evening　at　home；　after　we　had　seen　a　hypnotizing
performance；　the　children　began　playing　at　it；　and　Ellie　stroked
my　head。　I　assure　you　I　went　off　dead　asleep；　and　they　had　to
send　for　a　professional　to　wake　me　up　after　I　had　slept　eighteen
hours。　They　had　to　carry　me　upstairs；　and　as　the　poor　children
were　not　very　strong；　they　let　me　slip；　and　I　rolled　right　down
the　whole　flight　and　never　woke　up。　＇Mrs　Hushabye　splutters＇。　Oh；
you　may　laugh；　Mrs　Hushabye；　but　I　might　have　been　killed。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　I　couldn't　have　helped　laughing　even　if　you　had
been；　Mr　Dunn。　So　Ellie　has　hypnotized　him。　What　fun！

MAZZINI。　Oh　no；　no；　no。　It　was　such　a　terrible　lesson　to　her：
nothing　would　induce　her　to　try　such　a　thing　again。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Then　who　did　it？　I　didn't。

MAZZINI。　I　thought　perhaps　the　captain　might　have　done　it
unintentionally。　He　is　so　fearfully　magnetic：　I　feel　vibrations
whenever　he　comes　close　to　me。

GUINNESS。　The　captain　will　get　him　out　of　it　anyhow；　sir：　I'll
back　him　for　that。　I'll　go　fetch　him　＇she　makes　for　the　pantry＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Wait　a　bit。　＇To　Mazzini＇。　You　say　he　is　all　right
for　eighteen　hours？

MAZZINI。　Well；　I　was　asleep　for　eighteen　hours。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Were　you　any　the　worse　for　it？

MAZZINI。　I　don't　quite　remember。　They　had　poured　brandy　down　my
throat；　you　see；　and

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Quite。　Anyhow；　you　survived。　Nurse；　darling：　go　and
ask　Miss　Dunn　to　come　to　us　here。　Say　I　want　to　speak　to　her
particularly。　You　will　find　her　with　Mr　Hushabye　probably。

GUINNESS。　I　think　not；　ducky：　Miss　Addy　is　with　him。　But　I'll
find　her　and　send　her　to　you。　＇She　goes　out　into　the　garden＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇calling　Mazzini's　attention　to　the　figure　on　the
chair＇。　Now；　Mr　Dunn；　look。　Just　look。　Look　hard。　Do　you　still
intend　to　sacrifice　your　daughter　to　that　thing？

MAZZINI　＇troubled＇。　You　have　completely　upset　me；　Mrs　Hushabye；
by　all　you　have　said　to　me。　That　anyone　could　imagine　that　II；
a　consecrated　soldier　of　freedom；　if　I　may　say　socould
sacrifice　Ellie　to　anybody　or　anyone；　or　that　I　should　ever　have
dreamed　of　forcing　her　inclinations　in　any　way；　is　a　most　painful
blow　to　mywell；　I　suppose　you　would　say　to　my　good　opinion　of
myself。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇rather　stolidly＇。　Sorry。

MAZZINI　＇looking　forlornly　at　the　body＇。　What　is　your　objection
to　poor　Mangan；　Mrs　Hushabye？　He　looks　all　right　to　me。　But　then
I　am　so　accustomed　to　him。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Have　you　no　heart？　Have　you　no　sense？　Look　at　the
brute！　Think　of　poor　weak　innocent　Ellie　in　the　clutches　of　this
slavedriver；　who　spends　his　life　making　thousands　of　rough
violent　workmen　bend　to　his　will　and　sweat　for　him：　a　man
accustomed　to　have　great　masses　of　iron　beaten　into　shape　for　him
by　steam…hammers！　to　fight　with　women　and　girls　over　a　halfpenny
an　hour　ruthlessly！　a　captain　of　industry；　I　think　you　call　him；
don't　you？　Are　you　going　to　fling　your　delicate；　sweet；　helpless
child　into　such　a　beast's　claws　just　because　he　will　keep　her　in
an　expensive　house　and　make　her　wear　diamonds　to　show　how　rich　he
is？

MAZZINI　＇staring　at　her　in　wide…eyed　amazement＇。　Bless　you；　dear
Mrs　Hushabye；　what　romantic　ideas　of　business　you　have！　Poor　dear
Mangan　isn't　a　bit　like　that。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇scornfully＇。　Poor　dear　Mangan　indeed！

MAZZINI。　But　he　doesn't　know　anything　about　machinery。　He　never
goes　near　the　men：　he　couldn't　manage　them：　he　is　afraid　of　them。
I　never　can　get　him　to　take　the　least　interest　in　the　works：　he
hardly　knows　more　about　them　than　you　do。　People　are　cruelly
unjust　to　Mangan：　they　think　he　is　all　rugged　strength　just
because　his　manners　are　bad。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Do　you　mean　to　tell　me　he　isn't　strong　enough　to
crush　poor　little　Ellie？

MAZZINI。　Of　course　it's　very　hard　to　say　how　any　marriage　will
turn　out；　but　speaking　for　myself；　I　should　say　that　he　won't
have　a　dog's　chance　against　Ellie。　You　know；　Ellie　has　remarkable
strength　of　character。　I　think　it　is　because　I　taught　her　to　like
Shakespeare　when　she　was　very　young。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇contemptuously＇。　Shakespeare！　The　next　thing　you
will　tell　me　is　that　you　could　have　made　a　great　deal　more　money
than　Mangan。　＇She　retires　to　the　sofa；　and　sits　down　at　the　port
end　of　it　in　the　worst　of　humors＇。

MAZZINI　＇following　her　and　taking　the　other　end＇。　No：　I'm　no　good
at　making　money。　I　don't　care　enough　for　it；　somehow。　I'm　not
ambitious！　that　must　be　it。　Mangan　is　wonderful　about　money：　he
thinks　of　nothing　else。　He　is　so　dreadfully　afraid　of　being　poor。
I　am　always　thinking　of　other　things：　even　at　the　works　I　think
of　the　things　we　are　doing　and　not　of　what　they　cost。　And　the
worst　of　it　is；　poor　Mangan　doesn't　know　what　to　do　with　his
money　when　he　gets　it。　He　is　such　a　baby　that　he　doesn't　know
even　what　to　eat　and　drink：　he　has　ruined　his　liver　eating　and
drinking　the　wrong　things；　and　now　he　can　hardly　eat　at　all。
Ellie　will　diet　him　splendidly。　You　will　be　surprised　when　you
come　to　know　him　better：　he　is　really　the　most　helpless　of
mortals。　You　get　quite　a　protective　feeling　towards　him。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Then　who　manages　his　business；　pray？

MAZZINI。　I　do。　And　of　course　other　people　like　me。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Footling　people；　you　mean。

MAZZINI。　I　suppose　you'd　think　us　so。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　And　pray　why　don't　you　do　without　him　if　you're　all
so　much　cleverer？

MAZZINI。　Oh；　we　couldn't：　we　should　ruin　the　business　in　a　year。
I've　tried；　and　I　know。　We　should　spend　too　much　on　everything。
We　should　improve　the　quality　of　the　goods　and　make　them　too
dear。　We　should　be　sentimental　about　the　hard　cases　a