heartbreak house-第13章

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Do　you　hear？

NURSE。　Yes；　ducky：　all　right。　I'll　tell　them　all　they　must　call
you　My　Lady。　＇She　takes　her　tray　out　with　undisturbed　placidity＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　What　comfort？　what　sense　is　there　in　having
servants　with　no　manners？

ELLIE　＇rising　and　coming　to　the　table　to　put　down　her　empty　cup＇。
Lady　Utterword；　do　you　think　Mrs　Hushabye　really　expects　me？

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Oh；　don't　ask　me。　You　can　see　for　yourself　that
I've　just　arrived；　her　only　sister；　after　twenty…three　years'
absence！　and　it　seems　that　I　am　not　expected。

THE　CAPTAIN。　What　does　it　matter　whether　the　young　lady　is
expected　or　not？　She　is　welcome。　There　are　beds：　there　is　food。
I'll　find　a　room　for　her　myself　＇he　makes　for　the　door＇。

ELLIE　＇following　him　to　stop　him＇。　Oh；　please＇He　goes　out＇。
Lady　Utterword；　I　don't　know　what　to　do。　Your　father　persists　in
believing　that　my　father　is　some　sailor　who　robbed　him。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　You　had　better　pretend　not　to　notice　it。　My
father　is　a　very　clever　man；　but　he　always　forgot　things；　and　now
that　he　is　old；　of　course　he　is　worse。　And　I　must　warn　you　that
it　is　sometimes　very　hard　to　feel　quite　sure　that　he　really
forgets。

Mrs　Hushabye　bursts　into　the　room　tempestuously　and　embraces
Ellie。　She　is　a　couple　of　years　older　than　Lady　Utterword；　and
even　better　looking。　She　has　magnificent　black　hair；　eyes　like
the　fishpools　of　Heshbon；　and　a　nobly　modelled　neck；　short　at　the
back　and　low　between　her　shoulders　in　front。　Unlike　her　sister
she　is　uncorseted　and　dressed　anyhow　in　a　rich　robe　of　black　pile
that　shows　off　her　white　skin　and　statuesque　contour。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Ellie；　my　darling；　my　pettikins　＇kissing　her＇；　how
long　have　you　been　here？　I've　been　at　home　all　the　time：　I　was
putting　flowers　and　things　in　your　room；　and　when　I　just　sat　down
for　a　moment　to　try　how　comfortable　the　armchair　was　I　went　off
to　sleep。　Papa　woke　me　and　told　me　you　were　here。　Fancy　your
finding　no　one；　and　being　neglected　and　abandoned。　＇Kissing　her
again＇。　My　poor　love！　＇She　deposits　Ellie　on　the　sofa。　Meanwhile
Ariadne　has　left　the　table　and　come　over　to　claim　her　share　of
attention＇。　Oh！　you've　brought　someone　with　you。　Introduce　me。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Hesione；　is　it　possible　that　you　don't　know　me？

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇conventionally＇。　Of　course　I　remember　your　face
quite　well。　Where　have　we　met？

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Didn't　Papa　tell　you　I　was　here？　Oh！　this　is
really　too　much。　＇She　throws　herself　sulkily　into　the　big　chair＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Papa！

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Yes；　Papa。　Our　papa；　you　unfeeling　wretch！
＇Rising　angrily＇。　I'll　go　straight　to　a　hotel。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇seizing　her　by　the　shoulders＇。　My　goodness　gracious
goodness；　you　don't　mean　to　say　that　you're　Addy！

LADY　UTTERWORD。　I　certainly　am　Addy；　and　I　don't　think　I　can　be
so　changed　that　you　would　not　have　recognized　me　if　you　had　any
real　affection　for　me。　And　Papa　didn't　think　me　even　worth
mentioning！

MRS　HUSHABYE。　What　a　lark！　Sit　down　＇she　pushes　her　back　into　the
chair　instead　of　kissing　her；　and　posts　herself　behind　it＇。　You
DO　look　a　swell。　You're　much　handsomer　than　you　used　to　be。
You've　made　the　acquaintance　of　Ellie；　of　course。　She　is　going　to
marry　a　perfect　hog　of　a　millionaire　for　the　sake　of　her　father；
who　is　as　poor　as　a　church　mouse；　and　you　must　help　me　to　stop
her。

ELLIE。　Oh；　please；　Hesione！

MRS　HUSHABYE。　My　pettikins；　the　man's　coming　here　today　with　your
father　to　begin　persecuting　you；　and　everybody　will　see　the　state
of　the　case　in　ten　minutes；　so　what's　the　use　of　making　a　secret
of　it？

ELLIE。　He　is　not　a　hog；　Hesione。　You　don't　know　how　wonderfully
good　he　was　to　my　father；　and　how　deeply　grateful　I　am　to　him。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇to　Lady　Utterword＇。　Her　father　is　a　very　remarkable
man；　Addy。　His　name　is　Mazzini　Dunn。　Mazzini　was　a　celebrity　of
some　kind　who　knew　Ellie's　grandparents。　They　were　both　poets；
like　the　Brownings；　and　when　her　father　came　into　the　world
Mazzini　said；　〃Another　soldier　born　for　freedom！〃　So　they
christened　him　Mazzini；　and　he　has　been　fighting　for　freedom　in
his　quiet　way　ever　since。　That's　why　he　is　so　poor。

ELLIE。　I　am　proud　of　his　poverty。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Of　course　you　are；　pettikins。　Why　not　leave　him　in
it；　and　marry　someone　you　love？

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇rising　suddenly　and　explosively＇。　Hesione；　are
you　going　to　kiss　me　or　are　you　not？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　What　do　you　want　to　be　kissed　for？

LADY　UTTERWORD。　I　DON'T　want　to　be　kissed；　but　I　do　want　you　to
behave　properly　and　decently。　We　are　sisters。　We　have　been
separated　for　twenty…three　years。　You　OUGHT　to　kiss　me。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　To…morrow　morning；　dear；　before　you　make　up。　I　hate
the　smell　of　powder。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Oh！　you　unfeeling＇she　is　interrupted　by　the
return　of　the　captain＇。

THE　CAPTAIN　＇to　Ellie＇。　Your　room　is　ready。　＇Ellie　rises＇。　The
sheets　were　damp；　but　I　have　changed　them　＇he　makes　for　the
garden　door　on　the　port　side＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Oh！　What　about　my　sheets？

THE　CAPTAIN　＇halting　at　the　door＇。　Take　my　advice：　air　them：　or
take　them　off　and　sleep　in　blankets。　You　shall　sleep　in　Ariadne's
old　room。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Indeed　I　shall　do　nothing　of　the　sort。　That
little　hole！　I　am　entitled　to　the　best　spare　room。

THE　CAPTAIN　＇continuing　unmoved＇。　She　married　a　numskull。　She
told　me　she　would　marry　anyone　to　get　away　from　home。

LADT　UTTERWORD。　You　are　pretending　not　to　know　me　on　purpose。　I
will　leave　the　house。

Mazzini　Dunn　enters　from　the　hall。　He　is　a　little　elderly　man
with　bulging　credulous　eyes　and　earnest　manners。　He　is　dressed　in
a　blue　serge　jacket　suit　with　an　unbuttoned　mackintosh　over　it；
and　carries　a　soft　black　hat　of　clerical　cut。

ELLIE。　At　last！　Captain　Shotover；　here　is　my　father。

THE　CAPTAIN。　This！　Nonsense！　not　a　bit　like　him　＇he　goes　away
through　the　garden；　shutting　the　door　sharply　behind　him＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　I　will　not　be　ignored　and　pretended　to　be
somebody　else。　I　will　have　it　out　with　Papa　now；　this　instant。
＇To　Mazzini＇。　Excuse　me。　＇She　follows　the　captain　out；　making　a
hasty　bow　to　Mazzini；　who　returns　it＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇hospitably　shaking　hands＇。　How　good　of　you　to　come；
Mr　Dunn！　You　don't　mind　Papa；　do　you？　He　is　as　mad　as　a　hatter；
you　know；　but　quite　harmless　and　extremely　clever。　You　will　have
some　delightful　talks　with　him。

MAZZINI。　I　hope　so。　＇To　Ellie＇。　So　here　you　are；　Ellie；　dear。　＇He
draws　her　arm　affectionately　through　his＇。　I　must　thank　you；　Mrs
Hushabye；　for　your　kindness　to　my　daughter。　I'm　afraid　she　would
have　had　no　holiday　if　you　had　not　invited　her。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Not　at　all。　Very　nice　of　her　to　come　and　attract
young　people　to　the　house　for　us。

MAZZINI　＇smiling＇。　I'm　afraid　Ellie　is　not　interested　in　young
men；　Mrs　Hushabye。　Her　taste　is　on　the　graver；　solider　side。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇with　a　sudden　rather　hard　brightness　in　her
manner＇。　Won't　you　take　off　your　overcoat；　Mr　Dunn？　You　will　find
a　cupboard　for　coats　and　hats　and　things　in　the　corner　of　the
hall。

MAZZINI　＇hastily　releasing　Ellie＇。　Yesthank　youI　had　better
＇he　goes　out＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇emphatically＇。　The　old　brute！

ELLIE。　Who？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Who！　Him。　He。　It　＇pointing　after　Mazzini＇。　〃Graver；
solider　tastes；〃　indeed！

ELLIE　＇aghast＇。　You　don't　mean　that　you　were　speaking　like　that
of　my　father！

MRS　HUSHABYE。　I　was。　You　know　I　was。

ELLIE　＇with　dignity＇。　I　will　leave　your　house　at　once。　＇She　turns
to　the　door＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　If　you　attempt　it；　I'll　tell　your　father　why。

ELLIE　＇turning　again＇。　Oh！　How　can　you　treat　a　visitor　like　this；
Mrs　Hushabye？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　I　thought　you　were　going　to　call　me　Hesione。

ELLIE。　Certainly　not　now？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Very　well：　I'll　tell　your　father。

ELLIE　＇distressed＇。　Oh！

MRS　HUSHABYE。　If　you　turn　a　hairif　you　take　his　part　against　me
and　against　your　own　heart　for　a　moment；　I'll　give　that　born
soldier　of　freedom　a　piece　of　my　mind　that　will　stand　him　on　his
selfish　old　head　for　a　week。

ELLIE。　Hesione！　My　father　selfish！　How　little　you　know

She　is　interrupted　by　Mazzini；　who　returns；　excited　and
perspiring。

MAZZINI。　Ellie；　Mangan　has　come：　I　thought　you'd　like　to　know。
Excuse　me；　Mrs　Hushabye；　the　strange　old　gent