heartbreak house-第20节

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dear。　We　should　be　sentimental　about　the　hard　cases　among　the
work　people。　But　Mangan　keeps　us　in　order。　He　is　down　on　us　about
every　extra　halfpenny。　We　could　never　do　without　him。　You　see；　he
will　sit　up　all　night　thinking　of　how　to　save　sixpence。　Won't
Ellie　make　him　jump；　though；　when　she　takes　his　house　in　hand！

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Then　the　creature　is　a　fraud　even　as　a　captain　of
industry！

MAZZINI。　I　am　afraid　all　the　captains　of　industry　are　what　you
call　frauds；　Mrs　Hushabye。　Of　course　there　are　some　manufacturers
who　really　do　understand　their　own　works；　but　they　don't　make　as
high　a　rate　of　profit　as　Mangan　does。　I　assure　you　Mangan　is
quite　a　good　fellow　in　his　way。　He　means　well。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　He　doesn't　look　well。　He　is　not　in　his　first　youth；
is　he？

MAZZINI。　After　all；　no　husband　is　in　his　first　youth　for　very
long；　Mrs　Hushabye。　And　men　can't　afford　to　marry　in　their　first
youth　nowadays。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Now　if　I　said　that；　it　would　sound　witty。　Why　can't
you　say　it　wittily？　What　on　earth　is　the　matter　with　you？　Why
don't　you　inspire　everybody　with　confidence？　with　respect？

MAZZINI　＇humbly＇。　I　think　that　what　is　the　matter　with　me　is　that
I　am　poor。　You　don't　know　what　that　means　at　home。　Mind：　I　don't
say　they　have　ever　complained。　They've　all　been　wonderful：
they've　been　proud　of　my　poverty。　They've　even　joked　about　it
quite　often。　But　my　wife　has　had　a　very　poor　time　of　it。　She　has
been　quite　resigned

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇shuddering　involuntarily！！

MAZZINI。　There！　You　see；　Mrs　Hushabye。　I　don't　want　Ellie　to　live
on　resignation。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Do　you　want　her　to　have　to　resign　herself　to　living
with　a　man　she　doesn't　love？

MAZZINI　＇wistfully＇。　Are　you　sure　that　would　be　worse　than　living
with　a　man　she　did　love；　if　he　was　a　footling　person？

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇relaxing　her　contemptuous　attitude；　quite
interested　in　Mazzini　now＇。　You　know；　I　really　think　you　must
love　Ellie　very　much；　for　you　become　quite　clever　when　you　talk
about　her。

MAZZINI。　I　didn't　know　I　was　so　very　stupid　on　other　subjects。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　You　are；　sometimes。

MAZZINI　＇turning　his　head　away；　for　his　eyes　are　wet＇。　I　have
learnt　a　good　deal　about　myself　from　you；　Mrs　Hushabye；　and　I'm
afraid　I　shall　not　be　the　happier　for　your　plain　speaking。　But　if
you　thought　I　needed　it　to　make　me　think　of　Ellie's　happiness　you
were　very　much　mistaken。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇leaning　towards　him　kindly＇。　Have　I　been　a　beast？

MAZZINI　＇pulling　himself　together＇。　It　doesn't　matter　about　me；
Mrs　Hushabye。　I　think　you　like　Ellie；　and　that　is　enough　for　me。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　I'm　beginning　to　like　you　a　little。　I　perfectly
loathed　you　at　first。　I　thought　you　the　most　odious；
self…satisfied；　boresome　elderly　prig　I　ever　met。

MAZZINI　＇resigned；　and　now　quite　cheerful＇。　I　daresay　I　am　all
that。　I　never　have　been　a　favorite　with　gorgeous　women　like　you。
They　always　frighten　me。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇pleased＇。　Am　I　a　gorgeous　woman；　Mazzini？　I　shall
fall　in　love　with　you　presently。

MAZZINI　＇with　placid　gallantry＇。　No；　you　won't；　Hesione。　But　you
would　be　quite　safe。　Would　you　believe　it　that　quite　a　lot　of
women　have　flirted　with　me　because　I　am　quite　safe？　But　they　get
tired　of　me　for　the　same　reason。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇mischievously＇。　Take　care。　You　may　not　be　so　safe
as　you　think。

MAZZINI。　Oh　yes；　quite　safe。　You　see；　I　have　been　in　love　really：
the　sort　of　love　that　only　happens　once。　＇Softly＇。　That's　why
Ellie　is　such　a　lovely　girl。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Well；　really；　you　are　coming　out。　Are　you　quite
sure　you　won't　let　me　tempt　you　into　a　second　grand　passion？

MAZZINI。　Quite。　It　wouldn't　be　natural。　The　fact　is；　you　don't
strike　on　my　box；　Mrs　Hushabye；　and　I　certainly　don't　strike　on
yours。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　I　see。　Your　marriage　was　a　safety　match。

MAZZINI。　What　a　very　witty　application　of　the　expression　I　used！
I　should　never　have　thought　of　it。

Ellie　comes　in　from　the　garden；　looking　anything　but　happy。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇rising＇。　Oh！　here　is　Ellie　at　last。　＇She　goes
behind　the　sofa＇。

ELLIE　＇on　the　threshold　of　the　starboard　door＇。　Guinness　said　you
wanted　me：　you　and　papa。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　You　have　kept　us　waiting　so　long　that　it　almost
came　towell；　never　mind。　Your　father　is　a　very　wonderful　man
＇she　ruffles　his　hair　affectionately＇：　the　only　one　I　ever　met
who　could　resist　me　when　I　made　myself　really　agreeable。　＇She
comes　to　the　big　chair；　on　Mangan's　left＇。　Come　here。　I　have
something　to　show　you。　＇Ellie　strolls　listlessly　to　the　other
side　of　the　chair＇。　Look。

ELLIE　＇contemplating　Mangan　without　interest＇。　I　know。　He　is　only
asleep。　We　had　a　talk　after　dinner；　and　he　fell　asleep　in　the
middle　of　it。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　You　did　it；　Ellie。　You　put　him　asleep。

MAZZINI　＇rising　quickly　and　coming　to　the　back　of　the　chair＇。　Oh；
I　hope　not。　Did　you；　Ellie？

ELLIE　＇wearily＇。　He　asked　me　to。

MAZZINI。　But　it's　dangerous。　You　know　what　happened　to　me。

ELLIE　＇utterly　indifferent＇。　Oh；　I　daresay　I　can　wake　him。　If
not；　somebody　else　can。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　It　doesn't　matter；　anyhow；　because　I　have　at　last
persuaded　your　father　that　you　don't　want　to　marry　him。

ELLIE　＇suddenly　coming　out　of　her　listlessness；　much　vexed＇。　But
why　did　you　do　that；　Hesione？　I　do　want　to　marry　him。　I　fully
intend　to　marry　him。

MAZZINI。　Are　you　quite　sure；　Ellie？　Mrs　Hushabye　has　made　me　feel
that　I　may　have　been　thoughtless　and　selfish　about　it。

ELLIE　＇very　clearly　and　steadily＇。　Papa。　When　Mrs。　Hushabye　takes
it　on　herself　to　explain　to　you　what　I　think　or　don't　think；　shut
your　ears　tight；　and　shut　your　eyes　too。　Hesione　knows　nothing
about　me：　she　hasn't　the　least　notion　of　the　sort　of　person　I　am；
and　never　will。　I　promise　you　I　won't　do　anything　I　don't　want　to
do　and　mean　to　do　for　my　own　sake。

MAZZINI。　You　are　quite；　quite　sure？

ELLIE。　Quite；　quite　sure。　Now　you　must　go　away　and　leave　me　to
talk　to　Mrs　Hushabye。

MAZZINI。　But　I　should　like　to　hear。　Shall　I　be　in　the　way？

ELLIE　＇inexorable＇。　I　had　rather　talk　to　her　alone。

MAZZINI　＇affectionately＇。　Oh；　well；　I　know　what　a　nuisance
parents　are；　dear。　I　will　be　good　and　go。　＇He　goes　to　the　garden
door＇。　By　the　way；　do　you　remember　the　address　of　that
professional　who　woke　me　up？　Don't　you　think　I　had　better
telegraph　to　him？

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇moving　towards　the　sofa＇。　It's　too　late　to
telegraph　tonight。

MAZZINI。　I　suppose　so。　I　do　hope　he'll　wake　up　in　the　course　of
the　night。　＇He　goes　out　into　the　garden＇。

ELLIE　＇turning　vigorously　on　Hesione　the　moment　her　father　is　out
of　the　room＇。　Hesione；　what　the　devil　do　you　mean　by　making
mischief　with　my　father　about　Mangan？

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇promptly　losing　her　temper＇。　Don't　you　dare　speak
to　me　like　that；　you　little　minx。　Remember　that　you　are　in　my
house。

ELLIE。　Stuff！　Why　don't　you　mind　your　own　business？　What　is　it　to
you　whether　I　choose　to　marry　Mangan　or　not？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Do　you　suppose　you　can　bully　me；　you　miserable
little　matrimonial　adventurer？

ELLIE。　Every　woman　who　hasn't　any　money　is　a　matrimonial
adventurer。　It's　easy　for　you　to　talk：　you　have　never　known　what
it　is　to　want　money；　and　you　can　pick　up　men　as　if　they　were
daisies。　I　am　poor　and　respectable

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇interrupting＇。　Ho！　respectable！　How　did　you　pick　up
Mangan？　How　did　you　pick　up　my　husband？　You　have　the　audacity　to
tell　me　that　I　am　aaa

ELLIE。　A　siren。　So　you　are。　You　were　born　to　lead　men　by　the
nose：　if　you　weren't；　Marcus　would　have　waited　for　me；　perhaps。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇suddenly　melting　and　half　laughing＇。　Oh；　my　poor
Ellie；　my　pettikins；　my　unhappy　darling！　I　am　so　sorry　about
Hector。　But　what　can　I　do？　It's　not　my　fault：　I'd　give　him　to　you
if　I　could。

ELLIE。　I　don't　blame　you　for　that。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　What　a　brute　I　was　to　quarrel　with　you　and　call　you
names！　Do　kiss　me　and　say　you're　not　angry　with　me。

ELLIE　＇fiercely＇。　Oh；　don't　slop　and　gush　and　be　sentimental。
Don't　you　see　that　unless　I　can　be　hardas　hard　as　nailsI
shall　go　mad？　I　don't　care　a　damn　about　your　calling　me　names：　do
you　think　a　woman　in　my　situation　can　feel　a　few　hard　words？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Poor　little　woman！　Poor　little　situation！

ELLIE。　I　suppose　you　think　you're　being　sympathetic。　You　are　just
foolish　and　stupid　and　selfish。　You　see　me　getting　a　smasher
right　in　the　face　that　kills　a　whole　part　of　my　life：　the　best
part　that　can　never　come　again；　and　you　think　you　can　help　me
over　it　by　a　little　coaxing　and　kissing。　When　I　want　all　the
strength　I　can　get　to　lean　on：　something　iron；　something　stony；　I
don't　care　how　cruel　it　is；　you　go　all　mushy　and　want　to　slobber
over　me。　I'm　not　angry；　I'm　not　unfriendly；　but　for　God's　sake　do
pull　yourself　together；　and　don't　think　that　because　you're　on
velvet　and　always　have　been；　women　who　are　in　hell　can　take　it　as
easily　as　you。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇shrugging　her　shoulders＇。　Very　well。　＇She　sits　down
on　the　sofa　in　her　old　place。　But　I　warn　you　that　when　I　am
neither　coaxing　and　kissing　nor　laughing；　I　am　just　wondering　how
much　longer　I　can　stand　living　in　this　cruel；　damnable　world。　You
object　to　the　siren：　well；　I　drop　the　siren。　You　want　to　rest
your　wounded　bosom　against　a　grindstone。　Well　＇folding　her　a