heartbreak house-第16章

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really　rather　splendid；　you　know。

ELLIE　＇turning　on　her＇。　Splendid！　Yes；　splendid　looking；　of
course。　But　how　can　you　love　a　liar？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　I　don't　know。　But　you　can；　fortunately。　Otherwise
there　wouldn't　be　much　love　in　the　world。

ELLIE。　But　to　lie　like　that！　To　be　a　boaster！　a　coward！

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇rising　in　alarm＇。　Pettikins；　none　of　that；　if　you
please。　If　you　hint　the　slightest　doubt　of　Hector's　courage；　he
will　go　straight　off　and　do　the　most　horribly　dangerous　things　to
convince　himself　that　he　isn't　a　coward。　He　has　a　dreadful　trick
of　getting　out　of　one　third…floor　window　and　coming　in　at
another；　just　to　test　his　nerve。　He　has　a　whole　drawerful　of
Albert　Medals　for　saving　people's　lives。

ELLIE。　He　never　told　me　that。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　He　never　boasts　of　anything　he　really　did：　he　can't
bear　it；　and　it　makes　him　shy　if　anyone　else　does。　All　his
stories　are　made…up　stories。

ELLIE　＇coming　to　her＇。　Do　you　mean　that　he　is　really　brave；　and
really　has　adventures；　and　yet　tells　lies　about　things　that　he
never　did　and　that　never　happened？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Yes；　pettikins；　I　do。　People　don't　have　their
virtues　and　vices　in　sets：　they　have　them　anyhow：　all　mixed。

ELLIE　＇staring　at　her　thoughtfully＇。　There's　something　odd　about
this　house；　Hesione；　and　even　about　you。　I　don't　know　why　I'm
talking　to　you　so　calmly。　I　have　a　horrible　fear　that　my　heart　is
broken；　but　that　heartbreak　is　not　like　what　I　thought　it　must
be。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇fondling　her＇。　It's　only　life　educating　you；
pettikins。　How　do　you　feel　about　Boss　Mangan　now？

ELLIE　＇disengaging　herself　with　an　expression　of　distaste＇。　Oh；
how　can　you　remind　me　of　him；　Hesione？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Sorry；　dear。　I　think　I　hear　Hector　coming　back。　You
don't　mind　now；　do　you；　dear？

ELLIE。　Not　in　the　least。　I　am　quite　cured。

Mazzini　Dunn　and　Hector　come　in　from　the　hall。

HECTOR　＇as　he　opens　the　door　and　allows　Mazzini　to　pass　in＇。　One
second　more；　and　she　would　have　been　a　dead　woman！

MAZZINI。　Dear！　dear！　what　an　escape！　Ellie；　my　love；　Mr　Hushabye
has　just　been　telling　me　the　most　extraordinary

ELLIE。　Yes；　I've　heard　it　＇she　crosses　to　the　other　side　of　the
room＇。

HECTOR　＇following　her＇。　Not　this　one：　I'll　tell　it　to　you　after
dinner。　I　think　you'll　like　it。　The　truth　is　I　made　it　up　for
you；　and　was　looking　forward　to　the　pleasure　of　telling　it　to
you。　But　in　a　moment　of　impatience　at　being　turned　out　of　the
room；　I　threw　it　away　on　your　father。

ELLIE　＇turning　at　bay　with　her　back　to　the　carpenter's　bench；
scornfully　self…possessed＇。　It　was　not　thrown　away。　He　believes
it。　I　should　not　have　believed　it。

MAZZINI　＇benevolently＇。　Ellie　is　very　naughty；　Mr　Hushabye。　Of
course　she　does　not　really　think　that。　＇He　goes　to　the
bookshelves；　and　inspects　the　titles　of　the　volumes＇。

Boss　Mangan　comes　in　from　the　hall；　followed　by　the　captain。
Mangan；　carefully　frock…coated　as　for　church　or　for　a　diHECTORs'
meeting；　is　about　fifty…five；　with　a　careworn；　mistrustful
expression；　standing　a　little　on　an　entirely　imaginary　dignity；
with　a　dull　complexion；　straight；　lustreless　hair；　and　features
so　entirely　commonplace　that　it　is　impossible　to　describe　them。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇to　Mrs　Hushabye；　introducing　the　newcomer＇。
Says　his　name　is　Mangan。　Not　able…bodied。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇graciously＇。　How　do　you　do；　Mr　Mangan？

MANGAN　＇shaking　hands＇。　Very　pleased。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Dunn's　lost　his　muscle；　but　recovered　his
nerve。　Men　seldom　do　after　three　attacks　of　delirium　tremens　＇he
goes　into　the　pantry＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　I　congratulate　you；　Mr　Dunn。

MAZZINI　＇dazed＇。　I　am　a　lifelong　teetotaler。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　You　will　find　it　far　less　trouble　to　let　papa　have
his　own　way　than　try　to　explain。

MAZZINI。　But　three　attacks　of　delirium　tremens；　really！

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇to　Mangan＇。　Do　you　know　my　husband；　Mr　Mangan　＇she
indicates　Hector＇。

MANGAN　＇going　to　Hector；　who　meets　him　with　outstretched　hand＇。
Very　pleased。　＇Turning　to　Ellie＇。　I　hope；　Miss　Ellie；　you　have
not　found　the　journey　down　too　fatiguing。　＇They　shake　hands＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Hector；　show　Mr　Dunn　his　room。

HECTOR。　Certainly。　Come　along；　Mr　Dunn。　＇He　takes　Mazzini　out＇。

ELLIE。　You　haven't　shown　me　my　room　yet；　Hesione。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　How　stupid　of　me！　Come　along。　Make　yourself　quite
at　home；　Mr　Mangan。　Papa　will　entertain　you。　＇She　calls　to　the
captain　in　the　pantry＇。　Papa；　come　and　explain　the　house　to　Mr
Mangan。

She　goes　out　with　Ellie。　The　captain　comes　from　the　pantry。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　You're　going　to　marry　Dunn's　daughter。　Don't。
You're　too　old。

MANGAN　＇staggered＇。　Well！　That's　fairly　blunt；　Captain。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　It's　true。

MANGAN。　She　doesn't　think　so。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　She　does。

MANGAN。　Older　men　than　I　have

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇finishing　the　sentence　for　him＇。made　fools　of
themselves。　That；　also；　is　true。

MANGAN　＇asserting　himself＇。　I　don't　see　that　this　is　any　business
of　yours。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　It　is　everybody's　business。　The　stars　in　their
courses　are　shaken　when　such　things　happen。

MANGAN。　I'm　going　to　marry　her　all　the　same。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　How　do　you　know？

MANGAN　＇playing　the　strong　man＇。　I　intend　to。　I　mean　to。　See？　I
never　made　up　my　mind　to　do　a　thing　yet　that　I　didn't　bring　it
off。　That's　the　sort　of　man　I　am；　and　there　will　be　a　better
understanding　between　us　when　you　make　up　your　mind　to　that；
Captain。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　You　frequent　picture　palaces。

MANGAN。　Perhaps　I　do。　Who　told　you？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Talk　like　a　man；　not　like　a　movie。　You　mean
that　you　make　a　hundred　thousand　a　year。

MANGAN。　I　don't　boast。　But　when　I　meet　a　man　that　makes　a　hundred
thousand　a　year；　I　take　off　my　hat　to　that　man；　and　stretch　out
my　hand　to　him　and　call　him　brother。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Then　you　also　make　a　hundred　thousand　a　year；
hey？

MANGAN。　No。　I　can't　say　that。　Fifty　thousand；　perhaps。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　His　half　brother　only　＇he　turns　away　from
Mangan　with　his　usual　abruptness；　and　collects　the　empty　tea…cups
on　the　Chinese　tray＇。

MANGAN　＇irritated＇。　See　here；　Captain　Shotover。　I　don't　quite
understand　my　position　here。　I　came　here　on　your　daughter's
invitation。　Am　I　in　her　house　or　in　yours？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　You　are　beneath　the　dome　of　heaven；　in　the
house　of　God。　What　is　true　within　these　walls　is　true　outside
them。　Go　out　on　the　seas；　climb　the　mountains；　wander　through　the
valleys。　She　is　still　too　young。

MANGAN　＇weakening＇。　But　I'm　very　little　over　fifty。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　You　are　still　less　under　sixty。　Boss　Mangan；
you　will　not　marry　the　pirate's　child　＇he　carries　the　tray　away
into　the　pantry＇。

MANGAN　＇following　him　to　the　half　door＇。　What　pirate's　child？
What　are　you　talking　about？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇in　the　pantry＇。　Ellie　Dunn。　You　will　not　marry
her。

MANGAN。　Who　will　stop　me？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇emerging＇。　My　daughter　＇he　makes　for　the　door
leading　to　the　hall＇。

MANGAN　＇following　him＇。　Mrs　Hushabye！　Do　you　mean　to　say　she
brought　me　down　here　to　break　it　off？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇stopping　and　turning　on　him＇。　I　know　nothing
more　than　I　have　seen　in　her　eye。　She　will　break　it　off。　Take　my
advice：　marry　a　West　Indian　negress：　they　make　excellent　wives。　I
was　married　to　one　myself　for　two　years。

MANGAN。　Well；　I　am　damned！

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　I　thought　so。　I　was；　too；　for　many　years。　The
negress　redeemed　me。

MANGAN　＇feebly＇。　This　is　queer。　I　ought　to　walk　out　of　this
house。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Why？

MANGAN。　Well；　many　men　would　be　offended　by　your　style　of
talking。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Nonsense！　It's　the　other　sort　of　talking　that
makes　quarrels。　Nobody　ever　quarrels　with　me。

A　gentleman；　whose　first…rate　tailoring　and　frictionless　manners
proclaim　the　wellbred　West　Ender；　comes　in　from　the　hall。　He　has
an　engaging　air　of　being　young　and　unmarried；　but　on　close
inspection　is　found　to　be　at　least　over　forty。

THE　GENTLEMAN。　Excuse　my　intruding　in　this　fashion；　but　there　is
no　knocker　on　the　door　and　the　bell　does　not　seem　to　ring。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Why　should　there　be　a　knocker？　Why　should　the
bell　ring？　The　door　is　open。

THE　GENTLEMAN。　Precisely。　So　I　ventured　to　come　in。