heartbreak house-第11章
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stability of the wall allows。 A row of lockers under the windows
provides an unupholstered windowseat interrupted by twin glass
doors； respectively halfway between the stern post and the sides。
Another door strains the illusion a little by being apparently in
the ship's port side； and yet leading； not to the open sea； but
to the entrance hall of the house。 Between this door and the
stern gallery are bookshelves。 There are electric light switches
beside the door leading to the hall and the glass doors in the
stern gallery。 Against the starboard wall is a carpenter's bench。
The vice has a board in its jaws； and the floor is littered with
shavings； overflowing from a waste…paper basket。 A couple of
planes and a centrebit are on the bench。 In the same wall；
between the bench and the windows； is a narrow doorway with a
half door； above which a glimpse of the room beyond shows that it
is a shelved pantry with bottles and kitchen crockery。
On the starboard side； but close to the middle； is a plain oak
drawing…table with drawing…board； T…square； straightedges； set
squares； mathematical instruments； saucers of water color； a
tumbler of discolored water； Indian ink； pencils； and brushes on
it。 The drawing…board is set so that the draughtsman's chair has
the window on its left hand。 On the floor at the end of the
table； on its right； is a ship's fire bucket。 On the port side of
the room； near the bookshelves； is a sofa with its back to the
windows。 It is a sturdy mahogany article； oddly upholstered in
sailcloth； including the bolster； with a couple of blankets
hanging over the back。 Between the sofa and the drawing…table is
a big wicker chair； with broad arms and a low sloping back； with
its back to the light。 A small but stout table of teak； with a
round top and gate legs； stands against the port wall between the
door and the bookcase。 It is the only article in the room that
suggests （not at all convincingly） a woman's hand in the
furnishing。 The uncarpeted floor of narrow boards is caulked and
holystoned like a deck。
The garden to which the glass doors lead dips to the south before
the landscape rises again to the hills。 Emerging from the hollow
is the cupola of an observatory。 Between the observatory and the
house is a flagstaff on a little esplanade； with a hammock on the
east side and a long garden seat on the west。
A young lady； gloved and hatted； with a dust coat on； is sitting
in the window…seat with her body twisted to enable her to look
out at the view。 One hand props her chin： the other hangs down
with a volume of the Temple Shakespeare in it； and her finger
stuck in the page she has been reading。
A clock strikes six。
The young lady turns and looks at her watch。 She rises with an
air of one who waits； and is almost at the end of her patience。
She is a pretty girl； slender； fair； and intelligent looking；
nicely but not expensively dressed； evidently not a smart idler。
With a sigh of weary resignation she comes to the draughtsman's
chair； sits down； and begins to read Shakespeare。 Presently the
book sinks to her lap； her eyes close； and she dozes into a
slumber。
An elderly womanservant comes in from the hall with three
unopened bottles of rum on a tray。 She passes through and
disappears in the pantry without noticing the young lady。 She
places the bottles on the shelf and fills her tray with empty
bottles。 As she returns with these； the young lady lets her book
drop； awakening herself； and startling the womanservant so that
she all but lets the tray fall。
THE WOMANSERVANT。 God bless us！ ＇The young lady picks up the book
and places it on the table＇。 Sorry to wake you； miss； I'm sure；
but you are a stranger to me。 What might you be waiting here for
now？
THE YOUNG LADY。 Waiting for somebody to show some signs of
knowing that I have been invited here。
THE WOMANSERVANT。 Oh； you're invited； are you？ And has nobody
come？ Dear！ dear！
THE YOUNG LADY。 A wild…looking old gentleman came and looked in
at the window； and I heard him calling out； 〃Nurse； there is a
young and attractive female waiting in the poop。 Go and see what
she wants。〃 Are you the nurse？
THE WOMANSERVANT。 Yes； miss： I'm Nurse Guinness。 That was old
Captain Shotover； Mrs Hushabye's father。 I heard him roaring； but
I thought it was for something else。 I suppose it was Mrs
Hushabye that invited you； ducky？
THE YOUNG LADY。 I understood her to do so。 But really I think I'd
better go。
NURSE GUINNESS。 Oh； don't think of such a thing； miss。 If Mrs
Hushabye has forgotten all about it； it will be a pleasant
surprise for her to see you； won't it？
THE YOUNG LADY。 It has been a very unpleasant surprise to me to
find that nobody expects me。
NURSE GUINNESS。 You'll get used to it； miss： this house is full
of surprises for them that don't know our ways。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER ＇looking in from the hall suddenly： an ancient
but still hardy man with an immense white beard； in a reefer
jacket with a whistle hanging from his neck＇。 Nurse； there is a
hold…all and a handbag on the front steps for everybody to fall
over。 Also a tennis racquet。 Who the devil left them there？
THE YOUNG LADY。 They are mine； I'm afraid。
TAE CAPTAIN ＇advancing to the drawing…table＇。 Nurse； who is this
misguided and unfortunate young lady？
NURSE GUINNESS。 She says Miss Hessy invited her； sir。
THE CAPTAIN。 And had she no friend； no parents； to warn her
against my daughter's invitations？ This is a pretty sort of
house； by heavens！ A young and attractive lady is invited here。
Her luggage is left on the steps for hours； and she herself is
deposited in the poop and abandoned； tired and starving。 This is
our hospitality。 These are our manners。 No room ready。 No hot
water。 No welcoming hostess。 Our visitor is to sleep in the
toolshed； and to wash in the duckpond。
NURSE GUINNESS。 Now it's all right； Captain： I'll get the lady
some tea； and her room shall be ready before she has finished it。
＇To the young lady＇。 Take off your hat； ducky； and make yourself
at home ＇she goes to the door leading to the hall＇。
THE CAPTAIN ＇as she passes him＇。 Ducky！ Do you suppose； woman；
that because this young lady has been insulted and neglected； you
have the right to address her as you address my wretched
children； whom you have brought up in ignorance of the commonest
decencies of social intercourse？
NURSE GUINNESS。 Never mind him； doty。 ＇Quite unconcerned； she
goes out into the hall on her way to the kitchen＇。
THE CAPTAIN。 Madam； will you favor me with your name？ ＇He sits
down in the big wicker chair＇。
THE YOUNG LADY。 My name is Ellie Dunn。
THE CAPTAIN。 Dunn！ I had a boatswain whose name was Dunn。 He was
originally a pirate in China。 He set up as a ship's chandler with
stores which I have every reason to believe he stole from me。 No
doubt he became rich。 Are you his daughter？
ELLIE ＇indignant＇。 No； certainly not。 I am proud to be able to
say that though my father has not been a successful man； nobody
has ever had one word to say against him。 I think my father is
the best man I have ever known。
THE CAPTAIN。 He must be greatly changed。 Has he attained the
seventh degree of concentration？
ELLIE。 I don't understand。
THE CAPTAIN。 But how could he； with a daughter？ I； madam； have
two daughters。 One of them is Hesione Hushabye； who invited you
here。 I keep this house： she upsets it。 I desire to attain the
seventh degree of concentration： she invites visitors and leaves
me to entertain them。 ＇Nurse Guinness returns with the tea…tray；
which she places on the teak table＇。 I have a second daughter who
is； thank God； in a remote part of the Empire with her numskull
of a husband。 As a child she thought the figure…head of my ship；
the Dauntless； the most beautiful thing on earth。 He resembled
it。 He had the same expression： wooden yet enterprising。 She
married him； and will never set foot in this house again。
NURSE GUINNESS ＇carrying the table； with the tea…things on it； to
Ellie's side＇。 Indeed you never were more mistaken。 She is in
England this very moment。 You have been told three times this
week that she is coming home for a year for her health。 And very
glad you
