heartbreak house-第23节

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prosecute　this　man　when　we　don't　want　to？

THE　BURGLAR。　Am　I　to　be　robbed　of　my　salvation　to　save　you　the
trouble　of　spending　a　day　at　the　sessions？　Is　that　justice？　Is　it
right？　Is　it　fair　to　me？

MAZZINI　＇rising　and　leaning　across　the　table　persuasively　as　if
it　were　a　pulpit　desk　or　a　shop　counter＇。　Come；　come！　let　me　show
you　how　you　can　turn　your　very　crimes　to　account。　Why　not　set　up
as　a　locksmith？　You　must　know　more　about　locks　than　most　honest
men？

THE　BURGLAR。　That's　true；　sir。　But　I　couldn't　set　up　as　a
locksmith　under　twenty　pounds。

RANDALL。　Well；　you　can　easily　steal　twenty　pounds。　You　will　find
it　in　the　nearest　bank。

THE　BURGLAR　＇horrified＇。　Oh；　what　a　thing　for　a　gentleman　to　put
into　the　head　of　a　poor　criminal　scrambling　out　of　the　bottomless
pit　as　it　were！　Oh；　shame　on　you；　sir！　Oh；　God　forgive　you！　＇He
throws　himself　into　the　big　chair　and　covers　his　face　as　if　in
prayer＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Really；　Randall！

HECTOR。　It　seems　to　me　that　we　shall　have　to　take　up　a　collection
for　this　inopportunely　contrite　sinner。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　But　twenty　pounds　is　ridiculous。

THE　BURGLAR　＇looking　up　quickly＇。　I　shall　have　to　buy　a　lot　of
tools；　lady。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Nonsense：　you　have　your　burgling　kit。

THE　BURGLAR。　What's　a　jimmy　and　a　centrebit　and　an　acetylene
welding　plant　and　a　bunch　of　skeleton　keys？　I　shall　want　a　forge；
and　a　smithy；　and　a　shop；　and　fittings。　I　can't　hardly　do　it　for
twenty。

HECTOR。　My　worthy　friend；　we　haven't　got　twenty　pounds。

THE　BURGLAR　＇now　master　of　the　situation＇。　You　can　raise　it　among
you；　can't　you？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Give　him　a　sovereign；　Hector；　and　get　rid　of　him。

HECTOR　＇giving　him　a　pound＇。　There！　Off　with　you。

THE　BURGLAR　＇rising　and　taking　the　money　very　ungratefully＇。　I
won't　promise　nothing。　You　have　more　on　you　than　a　quid：　all　the
lot　of　you；　I　mean。

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇vigorously＇。　Oh；　let　us　prosecute　him　and　have
done　with　it。　I　have　a　conscience　too；　I　hope；　and　I　do　not　feel
at　all　sure　that　we　have　any　right　to　let　him　go；　especially　if
he　is　going　to　be　greedy　and　impertinent。

THE　BURGLAR　＇quickly＇。　All　right；　lady；　all　right。　I've　no　wish
to　be　anything　but　agreeable。　Good　evening；　ladies　and　gentlemen；
and　thank　you　kindly。

He　is　hurrying　out　when　he　is　confronted　in　the　doorway　by
Captain　Shotover。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇fixing　the　burglar　with　a　piercing　regard＇。
What's　this？　Are　there　two　of　you？

THE　BURGLAR　＇falling　on　his　knees　before　the　captain　in　abject
terror＇。　Oh；　my　good　Lord；　what　have　I　done？　Don't　tell　me　it's
your　house　I've　broken　into；　Captain　Shotover。

The　captain　seizes　him　by　the　collar：　drags　him　to　his　feet：　and
leads　him　to　the　middle　of　the　group；　Hector　falling　back　beside
his　wife　to　make　way　for　them。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇turning　him　towards　Ellie＇。　Is　that　your
daughter？　＇He　releases　him＇。

THE　BURGLAR。　Well；　how　do　I　know；　Captain？　You　know　the　sort　of
life　you　and　me　has　led。　Any　young　lady　of　that　age　might　be　my
daughter　anywhere　in　the　wide　world；　as　you　might　say。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇to　Mazzini＇。　You　are　not　Billy　Dunn。　This　is
Billy　Dunn。　Why　have　you　imposed　on　me？

THE　BURGLAR　＇indignantly　to　Mazzini＇。　Have　you　been　giving
yourself　out　to　be　me？　You；　that　nigh　blew　my　head　off！　Shooting
yourself；　in　a　manner　of　speaking！

MAZZINI。　My　dear　Captain　Shotover；　ever　since　I　came　into　this
house　I　have　done　hardly　anything　else　but　assure　you　that　I　am
not　Mr　William　Dunn；　but　Mazzini　Dunn；　a　very　different　person。

THE　BURGLAR。　He　don't　belong　to　my　branch；　Captain。　There's　two
sets　in　the　family：　the　thinking　Dunns　and　the　drinking　Dunns；
each　going　their　own　ways。　I'm　a　drinking　Dunn：　he's　a　thinking
Dunn。　But　that　didn't　give　him　any　right　to　shoot　me。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　So　you've　turned　burglar；　have　you？

THE　BURGLAR。　No；　Captain：　I　wouldn't　disgrace　our　old　sea　calling
by　such　a　thing。　I　am　no　burglar。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　What　were　you　doing　with　my　diamonds？

GUINNESS。　What　did　you　break　into　the　house　for　if　you're　no
burglar？

RANDALL。　Mistook　the　house　for　your　own　and　came　in　by　the　wrong
window；　eh？

THE　BURGLAR。　Well；　it's　no　use　my　telling　you　a　lie：　I　can　take
in　most　captains；　but　not　Captain　Shotover；　because　he　sold
himself　to　the　devil　in　Zanzibar；　and　can　divine　water；　spot
gold；　explode　a　cartridge　in　your　pocket　with　a　glance　of　his
eye；　and　see　the　truth　hidden　in　the　heart　of　man。　But　I'm　no
burglar。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Are　you　an　honest　man？

THE　BURGLAR。　I　don't　set　up　to　be　better　than　my
fellow…creatures；　and　never　did；　as　you　well　know；　Captain。　But
what　I　do　is　innocent　and　pious。　I　enquire　about　for　houses　where
the　right　sort　of　people　live。　I　work　it　on　them　same　as　I　worked
it　here。　I　break　into　the　house；　put　a　few　spoons　or　diamonds　in
my　pocket；　make　a　noise；　get　caught；　and　take　up　a　collection。
And　you　wouldn't　believe　how　hard　it　is　to　get　caught　when　you're
actually　trying　to。　I　have　knocked　over　all　the　chairs　in　a　room
without　a　soul　paying　any　attention　to　me。　In　the　end　I　have　had
to　walk　out　and　leave　the　job。

RANDALL。　When　that　happens；　do　you　put　back　the　spoons　and
diamonds？

THE　BURGLAR。　Well；　I　don't　fly　in　the　face　of　Providence；　if
that's　what　you　want　to　know。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Guinness；　you　remember　this　man？

GUINNESS。　I　should　think　I　do；　seeing　I　was　married　to　him；　the
blackguard！

HESIONE　　　　　　　　　｝　　＇exclaiming　　｛　Married　to　him！
LADY　UTTERWORD　　｝　　together＇　　　　｛　Guinness！！

THE　BURGLAR。　It　wasn't　legal。　I've　been　married　to　no　end　of
women。　No　use　coming　that　over　me。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Take　him　to　the　forecastle　＇he　flings　him　to
the　door　with　a　strength　beyond　his　years＇。

GUINNESS。　I　suppose　you　mean　the　kitchen。　They　won't　have　him
there。　Do　you　expect　servants　to　keep　company　with　thieves　and
all　sorts？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Land…thieves　and　water…thieves　are　the　same
flesh　and　blood。　I'll　have　no　boatswain　on　my　quarter…deck。　Off
with　you　both。

THE　BURGLAR。　Yes；　Captain。　＇He　goes　out　humbly＇。

MAZZINI。　Will　it　be　safe　to　have　him　in　the　house　like　that？

GUINNESS。　Why　didn't　you　shoot　him；　sir？　If　I'd　known　who　he　was；
I'd　have　shot　him　myself。　＇She　goes　out＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Do　sit　down；　everybody。　＇She　sits　down　on　the
sofa＇。

They　all　move　except　Ellie。　Mazzini　resumes　his　seat。　Randall
sits　down　in　the　window…seat　near　the　starboard　door；　again
making　a　pendulum　of　his　poker；　and　studying　it　as　Galileo　might
have　done。　Hector　sits　on　his　left；　in　the　middle。　Mangan；
forgotten；　sits　in　the　port　corner。　Lady　Utterword　takes　the　big
chair。　Captain　Shotover　goes　into　the　pantry　in　deep　abstraction。
They　all　look　after　him：　and　Lady　Utterword　coughs　consciously。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　So　Billy　Dunn　was　poor　nurse's　little　romance。　I
knew　there　had　been　somebody。

RANDALL。　They　will　fight　their　battles　over　again　and　enjoy
themselves　immensely。

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇irritably＇。　You　are　not　married；　and　you　know
nothing　about　it；　Randall。　Hold　your　tongue。

RANDALL。　Tyrant！

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Well；　we　have　had　a　very　exciting　evening。
Everything　will　be　an　anticlimax　after　it。　We'd　better　all　go　to
bed。

RANDALL。　Another　burglar　may　turn　up。

MAZZINI。　Oh；　impossible！　I　hope　not。

RANDALL。　Why　not？　There　is　more　than　one　burglar　in　England。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　What　do　you　say；　Alf？

MANGAN　＇huffily＇。　Oh；　I　don't　matter。　I'm　forgotten。　The　burglar
has　put　my　nose　out　of　joint。　Shove　me　into　a　corner　and　have
done　with　me。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇jumping　up　mischievously；　and　going　to　him＇。　Would
you　like　a　walk　on　the　heath；　Alfred？　With　me？

ELLIE。　Go；　Mr　Mangan。　It　will　do　you　good。　Hesione　will　soothe
you。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇slipping　her　arm　under　his　and　pulling　him
upright＇。　Come；　Alfred。　There　is　a　moon：　it's　like　the　night　in
Tristan　and　Isolde。　＇She　caresses　his　arm　and　draws　him　to　the
port　garden　door＇。

MANGAN　＇writhing　but　yielding＇。　How　you　can　have　the　face…the
heart…＇he　breaks　down　and　is　heard　sobbing　as　she　takes　him　out＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　What　an　extraordinary　way　to　behave！　What　is　the
matter　with　the　man？

ELLIE　＇in　a　strangely　calm　voice；　staring　into　an　imaginary
distance＇。　His　heart　is　breaking：　that　is　all。　＇The　captain
appears　at　the　pantry　door；　listening＇。　It　is　a　curious
sensation：　the　sort　of　pain　that　goes　mercifully　beyond　our
powers　of　feeling。　When　your　heart　is　broken；　your　boats　are
burned：　nothing　matters　any　more。　It　is　the　end　of　happiness　and
the　beginning　of　peace。

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇suddenly　rising　in　a　rage；　to　the　astonishment　of
the　rest＇。　How　dare　you？

HECTOR。　Good　heavens！　What's　the　matter？

RANDALL　＇in　a　warning　whisper＇。　Tchtch…tch！　Steady。

ELLIE　＇surprised　and　haughty＇。　I　was　not　addressing　you
particularly；　Lady　Utterword。　And　I　am　not　accustomed　to　being
asked　how　dare　I。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Of　course　not。　Anyone　can　see　how　badly　you　have
been　brought　up。

MAZZINI。　Oh；　I　hope　not；　Lady　Utterword。　Really！

LADY　UTTERWORD。　I　know　very　well　what　you　meant。　The　impudence！

ELLIE。　What　on　earth　do　you　mean？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇advancing　to　the　table＇。　She　means　that　her
heart　will　not　break。　She　has　been　longing　all　her　life　for
someo