heartbreak house-第12章
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week that she is coming home for a year for her health。 And very
glad you should be to see your own daughter again after all these
years。
THE CAPTAIN。 I am not glad。 The natural term of the affection of
the human animal for its offspring is six years。 My daughter
Ariadne was born when I was forty…six。 I am now eighty…eight。 If
she comes； I am not at home。 If she wants anything； let her take
it。 If she asks for me； let her be informed that I am extremely
old； and have totally forgotten her。
NURSE GUINNESS。 That's no talk to offer to a young lady。 Here；
ducky； have some tea； and don't listen to him ＇she pours out a
cup of tea＇。
THE CAPTAIN ＇rising wrathfully＇。 Now before high heaven they have
given this innocent child Indian tea： the stuff they tan their
own leather insides with。 ＇He seizes the cup and the tea…pot and
empties both into the leathern bucket＇。
ELLIE ＇almost in tears＇。 Oh； please！ I am so tired。 I should have
been glad of anything。
NURSE GUINNESS。 Oh； what a thing to do！ The poor lamb is ready to
drop。
THE CAPTAIN。 You shall have some of my tea。 Do not touch that
fly…blown cake： nobody eats it here except the dogs。 ＇He
disappears into the pantry＇。
NURSE GUINNESS。 There's a man for you！ They say he sold himself
to the devil in Zanzibar before he was a captain； and the older
he grows the more I believe them。
A WOMAN'S VOICE ＇in the hall＇。 Is anyone at home？ Hesione！ Nurse！
Papa！ Do come； somebody； and take in my luggage。
Thumping heard； as of an umbrella； on the wainscot。
NURSE GUINNESS。 My gracious！ It's Miss Addy； Lady Utterword； Mrs
Hushabye's sister： the one I told the captain about。 ＇Calling＇。
Coming； Miss； coming。
She carries the table back to its place by the door and is
harrying out when she is intercepted by Lady Utterword； who
bursts in much flustered。 Lady Utterword； a blonde； is very
handsome； very well dressed； and so precipitate in speech and
action that the first impression （erroneous） is one of comic
silliness。
LADY UTTERWORD。 Oh； is that you； Nurse？ How are you？ You don't
look a day older。 Is nobody at home？ Where is Hesione？ Doesn't
she expect me？ Where are the servants？ Whose luggage is that on
the steps？ Where's papa？ Is everybody asleep？ ＇Seeing Ellie＇。 Oh！
I beg your pardon。 I suppose you are one of my nieces。
＇Approaching her with outstretched arms＇。 Come and kiss your
aunt； darling。
ELLIE。 I'm only a visitor。 It is my luggage on the steps。
NURSE GUINNESS。 I'll go get you some fresh tea； ducky。 ＇She takes
up the tray＇。
ELLIE。 But the old gentleman said he would make some himself。
NURSE GUINNESS。 Bless you！ he's forgotten what he went for
already。 His mind wanders from one thing to another。
LADY UTTERWORD。 Papa； I suppose？
NURSE GUINNESS。 Yes； Miss。
LADY UTTERWORD ＇vehemently＇。 Don't be silly； Nurse。 Don't call me
Miss。
NURSE GUINNESS ＇placidly＇。 No； lovey ＇she goes out with the
tea…tray＇。
LADY UTTERWORD ＇sitting down with a flounce on the sofa＇。 I know
what you must feel。 Oh； this house； this house！ I come back to it
after twenty…three years； and it is just the same： the luggage
lying on the steps； the servants spoilt and impossible； nobody at
home to receive anybody； no regular meals； nobody ever hungry
because they are always gnawing bread and butter or munching
apples； and； what is worse； the same disorder in ideas； in talk；
in feeling。 When I was a child I was used to it： I had never
known anything better； though I was unhappy； and longed all the
timeoh； how I longed！to be respectable； to be a lady； to live
as others did； not to have to think of everything for myself。 I
married at nineteen to escape from it。 My husband is Sir Hastings
Utterword； who has been governor of all the crown colonies in
succession。 I have always been the mistress of Government House。
I have been so happy： I had forgotten that people could live like
this。 I wanted to see my father； my sister； my nephews and nieces
（one ought to； you know）； and I was looking forward to it。 And
now the state of the house！ the way I'm received！ the casual
impudence of that woman Guinness； our old nurse！ really Hesione
might at least have been here： some preparation might have been
made for me。 You must excuse my going on in this way； but I am
really very much hurt and annoyed and disillusioned： and if I had
realized it was to be like this； I wouldn't have come。 I have a
great mind to go away without another word ＇she is on the point
of weeping＇。
ELLIE ＇also very miserable＇。 Nobody has been here to receive me
either。 I thought I ought to go away too。 But how can I； Lady
Utterword？ My luggage is on the steps； and the station fly has
gone。
The captain emerges from the pantry with a tray of Chinese
lacquer and a very fine tea…set on it。 He rests it provisionally
on the end of the table； snatches away the drawing…board； which
he stands on the floor against table legs； and puts the tray in
the space thus cleared。 Ellie pours out a cup greedily。
THE CAPTAIN。 Your tea； young lady。 What！ another lady！ I must
fetch another cup ＇he makes for the pantry＇。
LADY UTTERWORD ＇rising from the sofa； suffused with emotion＇。
Papa！ Don't you know me？ I'm your daughter。
THE CAPTAIN。 Nonsense！ my daughter's upstairs asleep。 ＇He
vanishes through the half door＇。
Lady Utterword retires to the window to conceal her tears。
ELLIE ＇going to her with the cup＇。 Don't be so distressed。 Have
this cup of tea。 He is very old and very strange： he has been
just like that to me。 I know how dreadful it must be： my own
father is all the world to me。 Oh； I'm sure he didn't mean it。
The captain returns with another cup。
THE CAPTAIN。 Now we are complete。 ＇He places it on the tray＇。
LADY UTTERWORD ＇hysterically＇。 Papa； you can't have forgotten me。
I am Ariadne。 I'm little Paddy Patkins。 Won't you kiss me？ ＇She
goes to him and throws her arms round his neck＇。
THE CAPTAIN ＇woodenly enduring her embrace＇。 How can you be
Ariadne？ You are a middle…aged woman： well preserved； madam； but
no longer young。
LADY UTTERWORD。 But think of all the years and years I have been
away； Papa。 I have had to grow old； like other people。
THE CAPTAIN ＇disengaging himself＇。 You should grow out of kissing
strange men： they may be striving to attain the seventh degree of
concentration。
LADY UTTERWORD。 But I'm your daughter。 You haven't seen me for
years。
THE CAPTAIN。 So much the worse！ When our relatives are at home；
we have to think of all their good points or it would be
impossible to endure them。 But when they are away； we console
ourselves for their absence by dwelling on their vices。 That is
how I have come to think my absent daughter Ariadne a perfect
fiend； so do not try to ingratiate yourself here by impersonating
her ＇he walks firmly away to the other side of the room＇。
LADY UTTERWORD。 Ingratiating myself indeed！ ＇With dignity＇。 Very
well； papa。 ＇She sits down at the drawing…table and pours out tea
for herself＇。
THE CAPTAIN。 I am neglecting my social duties。 You remember Dunn？
Billy Dunn？
LADY UTTERWORD。 DO you mean that villainous sailor who robbed
you？
THE CAPTAIN ＇introducing Ellie＇。 His daughter。 ＇He sits down on
the sofa＇。
ELLIE ＇protesting＇。 No
Nurse Guinness returns with fresh tea。
THE CAPTAIN。 Take that hogwash away。 Do you hear？
NURSE。 You've actually remembered about the tea！ ＇To Ellie＇。 Oh；
miss； he didn't forget you after all！ You HAVE made an
impression。
THE CAPTAIN ＇gloomily＇。 Youth！ beauty！ novelty！ They are badly
wanted in this house。 I am excessively old。 Hesione is only
moderately young。 Her children are not youthful。
LADY UTTERWORD。 How can children be expected to be youthful in
this house？ Almost before we could speak we were filled with
notions that might have been all very well for pagan philosophers
of fifty； but were certainly quite unfit for respectable people
of any age。
NURSE。 You were always for respectability； Miss Addy。
LADY UTTERWORD。 Nurse； will you please remember that I am Lady
Utterword； and not Miss Addy； nor lovey； nor darling； nor doty？
Do you hear？
NURSE。 Yes； ducky： all right。 I'll tell them all they must call
you My Lady。
