heartbreak house-第25章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


land　where　there　is　happiness　and　where　there　are　no　women；　send
me　its　latitude　and　longitude；　and　I　will　join　you　there。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　You　will　certainly　not　be　comfortable　without
your　luggage；　Mr　Mangan。

ELLIE　＇impatient＇。　Go；　go：　why　don't　you　go？　It　is　a　heavenly
night：　you　can　sleep　on　the　heath。　Take　my　waterproof　to　lie　on：
it　is　hanging　up　in　the　hall。

HECTOR。　Breakfast　at　nine；　unless　you　prefer　to　breakfast　with
the　captain　at　six。

ELLIE。　Good　night；　Alfred。

HECTOR。　Alfred！　＇He　runs　back　to　the　door　and　calls　into　the
garden＇。　Randall；　Mangan's　Christian　name　is　Alfred。

RANDALL　＇appearing　in　the　starboard　doorway　in　evening　dress＇。
Then　Hesione　wins　her　bet。

Mrs　Hushabye　appears　in　the　port　doorway。　She　throws　her　left　arm
round　Hector's　neck：　draws　him　with　her　to　the　back　of　the　sofa：
and　throws　her　right　arm　round　Lady　Utterword's　neck。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　They　wouldn't　believe　me；　Alf。

They　contemplate　him。

MANGAN。　Is　there　any　more　of　you　coming　in　to　look　at　me；　as　if　I
was　the　latest　thing　in　a　menagerie？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　You　are　the　latest　thing　in　this　menagerie。

Before　Mangan　can　retort；　a　fall　of　furniture　is　heard　from
upstairs：　then　a　pistol　shot；　and　a　yell　of　pain。　The　staring
group　breaks　up　in　consternation。

MAZZINI'S　VOICE　＇from　above＇。　Help！　A　burglar！　Help！

HECTOR　＇his　eyes　blazing＇。　A　burglar！！！

MRS　HUSHABYE。　No；　Hector：　you'll　be　shot　＇but　it　is　too　late；　he
has　dashed　out　past　Mangan；　who　hastily　moves　towards　the
bookshelves　out　of　his　way＇。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇blowing　his　whistle＇。　All　hands　aloft！　＇He
strides　out　after　Hector＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　My　diamonds！　＇She　follows　the　captain＇。

RANDALL　＇rushing　after　her＇。　No。　Ariadne。　Let　me。

ELLIE。　Oh；　is　papa　shot？　＇She　runs　out＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Are　you　frightened；　Alf？

MANGAN。　No。　It　ain't　my　house；　thank　God。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　If　they　catch　a　burglar；　shall　we　have　to　go　into
court　as　witnesses；　and　be　asked　all　sorts　of　questions　about　our
private　lives？

MANGAN。　You　won't　be　believed　if　you　tell　the　truth。

Mazzini；　terribly　upset；　with　a　duelling　pistol　in　his　hand；
comes　from　the　hall；　and　makes　his　way　to　the　drawing…table。

MAZZINI。　Oh；　my　dear　Mrs　Hushabye；　I　might　have　killed　him。　＇He
throws　the　pistol　on　the　table　and　staggers　round　to　the　chair＇。
I　hope　you　won't　believe　I　really　intended　to。

Hector　comes　in；　marching　an　old　and　villainous　looking　man
before　him　by　the　collar。　He　plants　him　in　the　middle　of　the　room
and　releases　him。

Ellie　follows；　and　immediately　runs　across　to　the　back　of　her
father's　chair　and　pats　his　shoulders。

RANDALL　＇entering　with　a　poker＇。　Keep　your　eye　on　this　door；
Mangan。　I'll　look　after　the　other　＇he　goes　to　the　starboard　door
and　stands　on　guard　there＇。

Lady　Utterword　comes　in　after　Randall；　and　goes　between　Mrs
Hushabye　and　Mangan。

Nurse　Guinness　brings　up　the　rear；　and　waits　near　the　door；　on
Mangan's　left。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　What　has　happened？

MAZZINI。　Your　housekeeper　told　me　there　was　somebody　upstairs；
and　gave　me　a　pistol　that　Mr　Hushabye　had　been　practising　with。　I
thought　it　would　frighten　him；　but　it　went　off　at　a　touch。

THE　BURGLAR。　Yes；　and　took　the　skin　off　my　ear。　Precious　near
took　the　top　off　my　head。　Why　don't　you　have　a　proper　revolver
instead　of　a　thing　like　that；　that　goes　off　if　you　as　much　as
blow　on　it？

HECTOR。　One　of　my　duelling　pistols。　Sorry。

MAZZINI。　He　put　his　hands　up　and　said　it　was　a　fair　cop。

THE　BURGLAR。　So　it　was。　Send　for　the　police。

HECTOR。　No；　by　thunder！　It　was　not　a　fair　cop。　We　were　four　to
one。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　What　will　they　do　to　him？

THE　BURGLAR。　Ten　years。　Beginning　with　solitary。　Ten　years　off　my
life。　I　shan't　serve　it　all：　I'm　too　old。　It　will　see　me　out。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　You　should　have　thought　of　that　before　you　stole
my　diamonds。

THE　BURGLAR。　Well；　you've　got　them　back；　lady；　haven't　you？　Can
you　give　me　back　the　years　of　my　life　you　are　going　to　take　from
me？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Oh；　we　can't　bury　a　man　alive　for　ten　years　for　a
few　diamonds。

THE　BURGLAR。　Ten　little　shining　diamonds！　Ten　long　black　years！

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Think　of　what　it　is　for　us　to　be　dragged　through
the　horrors　of　a　criminal　court；　and　have　all　our　family　affairs
in　the　papers！　If　you　were　a　native；　and　Hastings　could　order　you
a　good　beating　and　send　you　away；　I　shouldn't　mind；　but　here　in
England　there　is　no　real　protection　for　any　respectable　person。

THE　BURGLAR。　I'm　too　old　to　be　giv　a　hiding；　lady。　Send　for　the
police　and　have　done　with　it。　It's　only　just　and　right　you
should。

RANDALL　＇who　has　relaxed　his　vigilance　on　seeing　the　burglar　so
pacifically　disposed；　and　comes　forward　swinging　the　poker
between　his　fingers　like　a　well　folded　umbrella＇。　It　is　neither
just　nor　right　that　we　should　be　put　to　a　lot　of　inconvenience　to
gratify　your　moral　enthusiasm；　my　friend。　You　had　better　get　out；
while　you　have　the　chance。

THE　BURGLAR　＇inexorably＇。　No。　I　must　work　my　sin　off　my
conscience。　This　has　come　as　a　sort　of　call　to　me。　Let　me　spend
the　rest　of　my　life　repenting　in　a　cell。　I　shall　have　my　reward
above。

MANGAN　＇exasperated＇。　The　very　burglars　can't　behave　naturally　in
this　house。

HECTOR。　My　good　sir；　you　must　work　out　your　salvation　at　somebody
else's　expense。　Nobody　here　is　going　to　charge　you。

THE　BURGLAR。　Oh；　you　won't　charge　me；　won't　you？

HECTOR。　No。　I'm　sorry　to　be　inhospitable；　but　will　you　kindly
leave　the　house？

THE　BURGLAR。　Right。　I'll　go　to　the　police　station　and　give　myself
up。　＇He　turns　resolutely　to　the　door：　but　Hector　stops　him＇。

HECTOR。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　｛　Oh；　no。　You　mustn't　do　that。
RANDALL。　　　　＇speaking　　　　｛　No　no。　Clear　out　man；　can't　you；　and
　　　　　　　　　　　　　together＇　　　　　　don't　be　a　fool。
MRS。　HUSHABYE　　　　　　　　　　　　｛　Don't　be　so　silly。　Can't　you　repent　at
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　home？

LADY　UTTERWORD。　You　will　have　to　do　as　you　are　told。

THE　BURGLAR。　It's　compounding　a　felony；　you　know。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　This　is　utterly　ridiculous。　Are　we　to　be　forced　to
prosecute　this　man　when　we　don't　want　to？

THE　BURGLAR。　Am　I　to　be　robbed　of　my　salvation　to　save　you　the
trouble　of　spending　a　day　at　the　sessions？　Is　that　justice？　Is　it
right？　Is　it　fair　to　me？

MAZZINI　＇rising　and　leaning　across　the　table　persuasively　as　if
it　were　a　pulpit　desk　or　a　shop　counter＇。　Come；　come！　let　me　show
you　how　you　can　turn　your　very　crimes　to　account。　Why　not　set　up
as　a　locksmith？　You　must　know　more　about　locks　than　most　honest
men？

THE　BURGLAR。　That's　true；　sir。　But　I　couldn't　set　up　as　a
locksmith　under　twenty　pounds。

RANDALL。　Well；　you　can　easily　steal　twenty　pounds。　You　will　find
it　in　the　nearest　bank。

THE　BURGLAR　＇horrified＇。　Oh；　what　a　thing　for　a　gentleman　to　put
into　the　head　of　a　poor　criminal　scrambling　out　of　the　bottomless
pit　as　it　were！　Oh；　shame　on　you；　sir！　Oh；　God　forgive　you！　＇He
throws　himself　into　the　big　chair　and　covers　his　face　as　if　in
prayer＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Really；　Randall！

HECTOR。　It　seems　to　me　that　we　shall　have　to　take　up　a　collection
for　this　inopportunely　contrite　sinner。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　But　twenty　pounds　is　ridiculous。

THE　BURGLAR　＇looking　up　quickly＇。　I　shall　have　to　buy　a　lot　of
tools；　lady。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Nonsense：　you　have　your　burgling　kit。

THE　BURGLAR。　What's　a　jimmy　and　a　centrebit　and　an　acetylene
welding　plant　and　a　bunch　of　skeleton　keys？　I　shall　want　a　forge；
and　a　smithy；　and　a　shop；　and　fittings。　I　can't　hardly　do　it　for
twenty。

HECTOR。　My　worthy　friend；　we　haven't　got　twenty　pounds。

THE　BURGLAR　＇now　master　of　the　situation＇。　You　can　raise　it　among
you；　can't　you？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Give　him　a　sovereign；　Hector；　and　get　rid　of　him。

HECTOR　＇giving　him　a　pound＇。　There！　Off　with　you。

THE　BURGLAR　＇rising　and　taking　the　money　very　ungratefully＇。　I
won't　promise　nothing。　You　have　more　on　you　than　a　quid：　all　the
lot　of　you；　I　mean。

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇vigorously＇。　Oh；　let　us　prosecute　him　and　have
done　with　it。　I　have　a　conscience　too；　I　hope；　and　I　do　not　feel
at　all　sure　that　we　have　any　right　to　let　him　go；　especially　if
he　is　going　to　be　greedy　and　impertinent。

THE　BURGLAR　＇quickly＇。　All　right；　l