heartbreak house-第30节

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call　England？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　The　captain　is　in　his　bunk；　drinking　bottled
ditch…water；　and　the　crew　is　gambling　in　the　forecastle。　She　will
strike　and　sink　and　split。　Do　you　think　the　laws　of　God　will　be
suspended　in　favor　of　England　because　you　were　born　in　it？

HECTOR。　Well；　I　don't　mean　to　be　drowned　like　a　rat　in　a　trap。　I
still　have　the　will　to　live。　What　am　I　to　do？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Do？　Nothing　simpler。　Learn　your　business　as　an
Englishman。

HECTOR。　And　what　may　my　business　as　an　Englishman　be；　pray？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Navigation。　Learn　it　and　live；　or　leave　it　and
be　damned。

ELLIE。　Quiet；　quiet：　you'll　tire　yourself。

MAZZINI。　I　thought　all　that　once；　Captain；　but　I　assure　you
nothing　will　happen。

A　dull　distant　explosion　is　heard。

HECTOR　＇starting　up＇。　What　was　that？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Something　happening　＇he　blows　his　whistle＇。
Breakers　ahead！

The　light　goes　out。

HECTOR　＇furiously＇。　Who　put　that　light　out？　Who　dared　put　that
light　out？

NURSE　GUINNESS　＇running　in　from　the　house　to　the　middle　of　the
esplanade＇。　I　did；　sir。　The　police　have　telephoned　to　say　we'll
be　summoned　if　we　don't　put　that　light　out：　it　can　be　seen　for
miles。

HECTOR。　It　shall　be　seen　for　a　hundred　miles　＇he　dashes　into　the
house＇。

NURSE　GUINNESS。　The　Rectory　is　nothing　but　a　heap　of　bricks；　they
say。　Unless　we　can　give　the　Rector　a　bed　he　has　nowhere　to　lay
his　head　this　night。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　The　Church　is　on　the　rocks；　breaking　up。　I　told
him　it　would　unless　it　headed　for　God's　open　sea。

NURSE　GUINNESS。　And　you　are　all　to　go　down　to　the　cellars。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Go　there　yourself；　you　and　all　the　crew。　Batten
down　the　hatches。

NURSE　GUINNESS。　And　hide　beside　the　coward　I　married！　I'll　go　on
the　roof　first。　＇The　lamp　lights　up　again＇。　There！　Mr　Hushabye's
turned　it　on　again。

THE　BURGLAR　＇hurrying　in　and　appealing　to　Nurse　Guinness＇。　Here：
where's　the　way　to　that　gravel　pit？　The　boot…boy　says　there's　a
cave　in　the　gravel　pit。　Them　cellars　is　no　use。　Where's　the
gravel　pit；　Captain？

NURSE　GUINNESS。　Go　straight　on　past　the　flagstaff　until　you　fall
into　it　and　break　your　dirty　neck。　＇She　pushes　him　contemptuously
towards　the　flagstaff；　and　herself　goes　to　the　foot　of　the
hammock　and　waits　there；　as　it　were　by　Ariadne's　cradle＇。

Another　and　louder　explosion　is　heard。　The　burglar　stops　and
stands　trembling。

ELLIE　＇rising＇。　That　was　nearer。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　The　next　one　will　get　us。　＇He　rises＇。　Stand　by；
all　hands；　for　judgment。

THE　BURGLAR。　Oh　my　Lordy　God！　＇He　rushes　away　frantically　past
the　flagstaff　into　the　gloom＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇emerging　panting　from　the　darkness＇。　Who　was　that
running　away？　＇She　comes　to　Ellie＇。　Did　you　hear　the　explosions？
And　the　sound　in　the　sky：　it's　splendid：　it's　like　an　orchestra：
it's　like　Beethoven。

ELLIE。　By　thunder；　Hesione：　it　is　Beethoven。

She　and　Hesione　throw　themselves　into　one　another's　arms　in　wild
excitement。　The　light　increases。

MAZZINI　＇anxiously＇。　The　light　is　getting　brighter。

NURSE　GUINNESS　＇looking　up　at　the　house＇。　It's　Mr　Hushabye
turning　on　all　the　lights　in　the　house　and　tearing　down　the
curtains。

RANDALL　＇rushing　in　in　his　pyjamas；　distractedly　waving　a　flute＇。
Ariadne；　my　soul；　my　precious；　go　down　to　the　cellars：　I　beg　and
implore　you；　go　down　to　the　cellars！

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇quite　composed　in　her　hammock＇。　The　governor's
wife　in　the　cellars　with　the　servants！　Really；　Randall！

RANDALL。　But　what　shall　I　do　if　you　are　killed？

LADY　UTTERWORD。　You　will　probably　be　killed；　too；　Randall。　Now
play　your　flute　to　show　that　you　are　not　afraid；　and　be　good。
Play　us　〃Keep　the　home　fires　burning。〃

NURSE　GUINNESS　＇grimly＇。　THEY'LL　keep　the　home　fires　burning　for
us：　them　up　there。

RANDALL　＇having　tried　to　play＇。　My　lips　are　trembling。　I　can't
get　a　sound。

MAZZINI。　I　hope　poor　Mangan　is　safe。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　He　is　hiding　in　the　cave　in　the　gravel　pit。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　My　dynamite　drew　him　there。　It　is　the　hand　of
God。

HECTOR　＇returning　from　the　house　and　striding　across　to　his
former　place＇。　There　is　not　half　light　enough。　We　should　be
blazing　to　the　skies。

ELLIE　＇tense　with　excitement＇。　Set　fire　to　the　house；　Marcus。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　My　house！　No。

HECTOR。　I　thought　of　that；　but　it　would　not　be　ready　in　time。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　The　judgment　has　come。　Courage　will　not　save
you；　but　it　will　show　that　your　souls　are　still　live。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Sh…sh！　Listen：　do　you　hear　it　now？　It's
magnificent。

They　all　turn　away　from　the　house　and　look　up；　listening。

HECTOR　＇gravely＇。　Miss　Dunn；　you　can　do　no　good　here。　We　of　this
house　are　only　moths　flying　into　the　candle。　You　had　better　go
down　to　the　cellar。

ELLIE　＇scornfully＇。　I　don't　think。

MAZZINI。　Ellie；　dear；　there　is　no　disgrace　in　going　to　the
cellar。　An　officer　would　order　his　soldiers　to　take　cover。　Mr
Hushabye　is　behaving　like　an　amateur。　Mangan　and　the　burglar　are
acting　very　sensibly；　and　it　is　they　who　will　survive。

ELLIE。　Let　them。　I　shall　behave　like　an　amateur。　But　why　should
you　run　any　risk？

MAZZINI。　Think　of　the　risk　those　poor　fellows　up　there　are
running！

NURSE　GUINNESS。　Think　of　them；　indeed；　the　murdering　blackguards！
What　next？

A　terrific　explosion　shakes　the　earth。　They　reel　back　into　their
seats；　or　clutch　the　nearest　support。　They　hear　the　falling　of
the　shattered　glass　from　the　windows。

MAZZINI。　Is　anyone　hurt？

HECTOR。　Where　did　it　fall？

NURSE　GUINNESS　＇in　hideous　triumph＇。　Right　in　the　gravel　pit：　I
seen　it。　Serve　un　right！　I　seen　it　＇she　runs　away　towards　the
gravel　pit；　laughing　harshly＇。

HECTOR。　One　husband　gone。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Thirty　pounds　of　good　dynamite　wasted。

MAZZINI。　Oh；　poor　Mangan！

HECTOR。　Are　you　immortal　that　you　need　pity　him？　Our　turn　next。

They　wait　in　silence　and　intense　expectation。　Hesione　and　Ellie
hold　each　other's　hand　tight。

A　distant　explosion　is　heard。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇relaxing　her　grip＇。　Oh！　they　have　passed　us。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　The　danger　is　over；　Randall。　Go　to　bed。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Turn　in；　all　hands。　The　ship　is　safe。　＇He　sits
down　and　goes　asleep＇。

ELLIE　＇disappointedly＇。　Safe！

HECTOR　＇disgustedly＇。　Yes；　safe。　And　how　damnably　dull　the　world
has　become　again　suddenly！　＇he　sits　down＇。

MAZZINI　＇sitting　down＇。　I　was　quite　wrong；　after　all。　It　is　we
who　have　survived；　and　Mangan　and　the　burglar…

HECTOR。　the　two　burglars

LADY　UTTERWORD。　the　two　practical　men　of　business

MAZZINI。　both　gone。　And　the　poor　clergyman　will　have　to　get　a
new　house。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　But　what　a　glorious　experience！　I　hope　they'll　come
again　tomorrow　night。

ELLIE　＇radiant　at　the　prospect＇。　Oh；　I　hope　so。

Randall　at　last　succeeds　in　keeping　the　home　fires　burning　on　his　flute。







End