heartbreak house-第20章

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MRS　HUSHABYE。　Coming；　darling；　coming　＇she　goes　quickly　into　the
garden＇。

The　captain　goes　back　to　his　place　at　the　table。

HECTOR　＇going　out　into　the　hall＇。　Shall　I　turn　up　the　lights　for
you？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　No。　Give　me　deeper　darkness。　Money　is　not　made
in　the　light。



ACT　II

The　same　room；　with　the　lights　turned　up　and　the　curtains　drawn。
Ellie　comes　in；　followed　by　Mangan。　Both　are　dressed　for　dinner。
She　strolls　to　the　drawing…table。　He　comes　between　the　table　and
the　wicker　chair。

MANGAN。　What　a　dinner！　I　don't　call　it　a　dinner：　I　call　it　a
meal。

ELLIE。　I　am　accustomed　to　meals；　Mr　Mangan；　and　very　lucky　to　get
them。　Besides；　the　captain　cooked　some　maccaroni　for　me。

MANGAN　＇shuddering　liverishly＇。　Too　rich：　I　can't　eat　such
things。　I　suppose　it's　because　I　have　to　work　so　much　with　my
brain。　That's　the　worst　of　being　a　man　of　business：　you　are
always　thinking；　thinking；　thinking。　By　the　way；　now　that　we　are
alone；　may　I　take　the　opportunity　to　come　to　a　little
understanding　with　you？

ELLIE　＇settling　into　the　draughtsman's　seat＇。　Certainly。　I　should
like　to。

MANGAN　＇taken　aback＇。　Should　you？　That　surprises　me；　for　I
thought　I　noticed　this　afternoon　that　you　avoided　me　all　you
could。　Not　for　the　first　time　either。

ELLIE。　I　was　very　tired　and　upset。　I　wasn't　used　to　the　ways　of
this　extraordinary　house。　Please　forgive　me。

MANGAN。　Oh；　that's　all　right：　I　don't　mind。　But　Captain　Shotover
has　been　talking　to　me　about　you。　You　and　me；　you　know。

ELLIE　＇interested＇。　The　captain！　What　did　he　say？

MANGAN。　Well；　he　noticed　the　difference　between　our　ages。

ELLIE。　He　notices　everything。

MANGAN。　You　don't　mind；　then？

ELLIE。　Of　course　I　know　quite　well　that　our　engagement

MANGAN。　Oh！　you　call　it　an　engagement。

ELLIE。　Well；　isn't　it？

MANGAN。　Oh；　yes；　yes：　no　doubt　it　is　if　you　hold　to　it。　This　is
the　first　time　you've　used　the　word；　and　I　didn't　quite　know
where　we　stood：　that's　all。　＇He　sits　down　in　the　wicker　chair；
and　resigns　himself　to　allow　her　to　lead　the　conversation＇。　You
were　saying？

ELLIE。　Was　I？　I　forget。　Tell　me。　Do　you　like　this　part　of　the
country？　I　heard　you　ask　Mr　Hushabye　at　dinner　whether　there　are
any　nice　houses　to　let　down　here。

MANGAN。　I　like　the　place。　The　air　suits　me。　I　shouldn't　be
surprised　if　I　settled　down　here。

ELLIE。　Nothing　would　please　me　better。　The　air　suits　me　too。　And
I　want　to　be　near　Hesione。

MANGAN　＇with　growing　uneasiness＇。　The　air　may　suit　us；　but　the
question　is；　should　we　suit　one　another？　Have　you　thought　about
that？

ELLIE。　Mr　Mangan；　we　must　be　sensible；　mustn't　we？　It's　no　use
pretending　that　we　are　Romeo　and　Juliet。　But　we　can　get　on　very
well　together　if　we　choose　to　make　the　best　of　it。　Your　kindness
of　heart　will　make　it　easy　for　me。

MANGAN　＇leaning　forward；　with　the　beginning　of　something　like
deliberate　unpleasantness　in　his　voice＇。　Kindness　of　heart；　eh？　I
ruined　your　father；　didn't　I？

ELLIE。　Oh；　not　intentionally。

MANGAN。　Yes　I　did。　Ruined　him　on　purpose。

ELLIE。　On　purpose！

MANGAN。　Not　out　of　ill…nature；　you　know。　And　you'll　admit　that　I
kept　a　job　for　him　when　I　had　finished　with　him。　But　business　is
business；　and　I　ruined　him　as　a　matter　of　business。

ELLIE。　I　don't　understand　how　that　can　be。　Are　you　trying　to　make
me　feel　that　I　need　not　be　grateful　to　you；　so　that　I　may　choose
freely？

MANGAN　＇rising　aggressively＇。　No。　I　mean　what　I　say。

ELLIE。　But　how　could　it　possibly　do　you　any　good　to　ruin　my
father？　The　money　he　lost　was　yours。

MANGAN　＇with　a　sour　laugh＇。　Was　mine！　It　is　mine；　Miss　Ellie；　and
all　the　money　the　other　fellows　lost　too。　＇He　shoves　his　hands
into　his　pockets　and　shows　his　teeth＇。　I　just　smoked　them　out
like　a　hive　of　bees。　What　do　you　say　to　that？　A　bit　of　shock；　eh？

ELLIE。　It　would　have　been；　this　morning。　Now！　you　can't　think　how
little　it　matters。　But　it's　quite　interesting。　Only；　you　must
explain　it　to　me。　I　don't　understand　it。　＇Propping　her　elbows　on
the　drawingboard　and　her　chin　on　her　hands；　she　composes　herself
to　listen　with　a　combination　of　conscious　curiosity　with
unconscious　contempt　which　provokes　him　to　more　and　more
unpleasantness；　and　an　attempt　at　patronage　of　her　ignorance＇。

MANGAN。　Of　course　you　don't　understand：　what　do　you　know　about
business？　You　just　listen　and　learn。　Your　father's　business　was　a
new　business；　and　I　don't　start　new　businesses：　I　let　other
fellows　start　them。　They　put　all　their　money　and　their　friends'
money　into　starting　them。　They　wear　out　their　souls　and　bodies
trying　to　make　a　success　of　them。　They're　what　you　call
enthusiasts。　But　the　first　dead　lift　of　the　thing　is　too　much　for
them；　and　they　haven't　enough　financial　experience。　In　a　year　or
so　they　have　either　to　let　the　whole　show　go　bust；　or　sell　out　to
a　new　lot　of　fellows　for　a　few　deferred　ordinary　shares：　that　is；
if　they're　lucky　enough　to　get　anything　at　all。　As　likely　as　not
the　very　same　thing　happens　to　the　new　lot。　They　put　in　more
money　and　a　couple　of　years'　more　work；　and　then　perhaps　they
have　to　sell　out　to　a　third　lot。　If　it's　really　a　big　thing　the
third　lot　will　have　to　sell　out　too；　and　leave　their　work　and
their　money　behind　them。　And　that's　where　the　real　business　man
comes　in：　where　I　come　in。　But　I'm　cleverer　than　some：　I　don't
mind　dropping　a　little　money　to　start　the　process。　I　took　your
father's　measure。　I　saw　that　he　had　a　sound　idea；　and　that　he
would　work　himself　silly　for　it　if　he　got　the　chance。　I　saw　that
he　was　a　child　in　business；　and　was　dead　certain　to　outrun　his
expenses　and　be　in　too　great　a　hurry　to　wait　for　his　market。　I
knew　that　the　surest　way　to　ruin　a　man　who　doesn't　know　how　to
handle　money　is　to　give　him　some。　I　explained　my　idea　to　some
friends　in　the　city；　and　they　found　the　money；　for　I　take　no
risks　in　ideas；　even　when　they're　my　own。　Your　father　and　the
friends　that　ventured　their　money　with　him　were　no　more　to　me
than　a　heap　of　squeezed　lemons。　You've　been　wasting　your
gratitude：　my　kind　heart　is　all　rot。　I'm　sick　of　it。　When　I　see
your　father　beaming　at　me　with　his　moist；　grateful　eyes；
regularly　wallowing　in　gratitude；　I　sometimes　feel　I　must　tell
him　the　truth　or　burst。　What　stops　me　is　that　I　know　he　wouldn't
believe　me。　He'd　think　it　was　my　modesty；　as　you　did　just　now。
He'd　think　anything　rather　than　the　truth；　which　is　that　he's　a
blamed　fool；　and　I　am　a　man　that　knows　how　to　take　care　of
himself。　＇He　throws　himself　back　into　the　big　chair　with　large
self　approval＇。　Now　what　do　you　think　of　me；　Miss　Ellie？

ELLIE　＇dropping　her　hands＇。　How　strange！　that　my　mother；　who　knew
nothing　at　all　about　business；　should　have　been　quite　right　about
you！　She　always　said　not　before　papa；　of　course；　but　to　us
childrenthat　you　were　just　that　sort　of　man。

MANGAN　＇sitting　up；　much　hurt＇。　Oh！　did　she？　And　yet　she'd　have
let　you　marry　me。

ELLIE。　Well；　you　see；　Mr　Mangan；　my　mother　married　a　very　good
manfor　whatever　you　may　think　of　my　father　as　a　man　of
business；　he　is　the　soul　of　goodnessand　she　is　not　at　all　keen
on　my　doing　the　same。

MANGAN。　Anyhow；　you　don't　want　to　marry　me　now；　do　you？

ELLIE。　＇very　calmly＇。　Oh；　I　think　so。　Why　not？

MANGAN。　＇rising　aghast＇。　Why　not！

ELLIE。　I　don't　see　why　we　shouldn't　get　on　very　well　together。

MANGAN。　Well；　but　look　here；　you　know＇he　stops；　quite　at　a
loss＇。

ELLIE。　＇patiently＇。　Well？

MANGAN。　Well；　I　thought　you　were　rather　particular　about　people's
characters。

ELLIE。　If　we　women　were　particular　about　men's　characters；　we
should　never　get　married　at　all；　Mr　Mangan。

MANGAN。　A　child　like　you　talking　of　〃we　women〃！　What　next！　You're
not　in　earnest？

ELLIE。　Yes；　I　am。　Aren't　you？

MANGAN。　You　mean　to　hold　me　to　it？

ELLIE。　Do　you　wish　to　back　out　of　it？

MANGAN。　Oh；　no。　Not　exactly　back　out　of　it。

ELLIE。　Well？

He　has　nothing　to　say。　With　a　long　whispered　whistle；　he　drops
into　the　wicker　chair　and　stares　before　him　like　a　beggared
gambler。　But　a　cunning　look　soon　comes　into　his　face。　He　leans
over　towards　her　on　his　right　elbow；　and　speaks　in　a　low　steady
voice。

MANGAN。　Suppose　I　told　you　I　was　in　love　with　another　woman！

ELLIE　＇echoi