heartbreak house-第27章
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ELLIE。 Good…night； dearest。 ＇She kisses him＇。
MAZZINI。 Good…night； love。 ＇He makes for the door； but turns
aside to the bookshelves＇。 I'll just take a book ＇he takes one＇。
Good…night。 ＇He goes out； leaving Ellie alone with the captain＇。
The captain is intent on his drawing。 Ellie； standing sentry over
his chair； contemplates him for a moment。
ELLIE。 Does nothing ever disturb you； Captain Shotover？
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 I've stood on the bridge for eighteen hours in
a typhoon。 Life here is stormier； but I can stand it。
ELLIE。 Do you think I ought to marry Mr Mangan？
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER ＇never looking up＇。 One rock is as good as
another to be wrecked on。
ELLIE。 I am not in love with him。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 Who said you were？
ELLIE。 You are not surprised？
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 Surprised！ At my age！
ELLIE。 It seems to me quite fair。 He wants me for one thing： I
want him for another。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 Money？
ELLIE。 Yes。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 Well； one turns the cheek： the other kisses it。
One provides the cash： the other spends it。
ELLIE。 Who will have the best of the bargain； I wonder？
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 You。 These fellows live in an office all day。
You will have to put up with him from dinner to breakfast； but
you will both be asleep most of that time。 All day you will be
quit of him； and you will be shopping with his money。 If that is
too much for you； marry a seafaring man： you will be bothered
with him only three weeks in the year； perhaps。
ELLIE。 That would be best of all； I suppose。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 It's a dangerous thing to be married right up
to the hilt； like my daughter's husband。 The man is at home all
day； like a damned soul in hell。
ELLIE。 I never thought of that before。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 If you're marrying for business； you can't be
too businesslike。
ELLIE。 Why do women always want other women's husbands？
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 Why do horse…thieves prefer a horse that is
broken…in to one that is wild？
ELLIE ＇with a short laugh＇。 I suppose so。 What a vile world it
is！
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 It doesn't concern me。 I'm nearly out of it。
ELLIE。 And I'm only just beginning。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 Yes； so look ahead。
ELLIE。 Well； I think I am being very prudent。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 I didn't say prudent。 I said look ahead。
ELLIE。 What's the difference？
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 It's prudent to gain the whole world and lose
your own soul。 But don't forget that your soul sticks to you if
you stick to it； but the world has a way of slipping through your
fingers。
ELLIE ＇wearily； leaving him and beginning to wander restlessly
about the room＇。 I'm sorry； Captain Shotover； but it's no use
talking like that to me。 Old…fashioned people are no use to me。
Old…fashioned people think you can have a soul without money。
They think the less money you have； the more soul you have。 Young
people nowadays know better。 A soul is a very expensive thing to
keep： much more so than a motor car。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 Is it？ How much does your soul eat？
ELLIE。 Oh； a lot。 It eats music and pictures and books and
mountains and lakes and beautiful things to wear and nice people
to be with。 In this country you can't have them without lots of
money： that is why our souls are so horribly starved。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 Mangan's soul lives on pig's food。
ELLIE。 Yes： money is thrown away on him。 I suppose his soul was
starved when he was young。 But it will not be thrown away on me。
It is just because I want to save my soul that I am marrying for
money。 All the women who are not fools do。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 There are other ways of getting money。 Why
don't you steal it？
ELLIE。 Because I don't want to go to prison。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 Is that the only reason？ Are you quite sure
honesty has nothing to do with it？
ELLIE。 Oh； you are very very old…fashioned； Captain。 Does any
modern girl believe that the legal and illegal ways of getting
money are the honest and dishonest ways？ Mangan robbed my father
and my father's friends。 I should rob all the money back from
Mangan if the police would let me。 As they won't； I must get it
back by marrying him。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 I can't argue： I'm too old： my mind is made up
and finished。 All I can tell you is that； old…fashioned or
new…fashioned； if you sell yourself； you deal your soul a blow
that all the books and pictures and concerts and scenery in the
world won't heal ＇he gets up suddenly and makes for the pantry＇。
ELLIE ＇running after him and seizing him by the sleeve＇。 Then why
did you sell yourself to the devil in Zanzibar？
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER ＇stopping； startled＇。 What？
ELLIE。 You shall not run away before you answer。 I have found out
that trick of yours。 If you sold yourself； why shouldn't I？
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 I had to deal with men so degraded that they
wouldn't obey me unless I swore at them and kicked them and beat
them with my fists。 Foolish people took young thieves off the
streets； flung them into a training ship where they were taught
to fear the cane instead of fearing God； and thought they'd made
men and sailors of them by private subscription。 I tricked these
thieves into believing I'd sold myself to the devil。 It saved my
soul from the kicking and swearing that was damning me by inches。
ELLIE ＇releasing him＇。 I shall pretend to sell myself to Boss
Mangan to save my soul from the poverty that is damning me by
inches。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 Riches will damn you ten times deeper。 Riches
won't save even your body。
ELLIE。 Old…fashioned again。 We know now that the soul is the
body； and the body the soul。 They tell us they are different
because they want to persuade us that we can keep our souls if we
let them make slaves of our bodies。 I am afraid you are no use to
me； Captain。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 What did you expect？ A Savior； eh？ Are you
old…fashioned enough to believe in that？
ELLIE。 No。 But I thought you were very wise； and might help me。
Now I have found you out。 You pretend to be busy； and think of
fine things to say； and run in and out to surprise people by
saying them； and get away before they can answer you。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 It confuses me to be answered。 It discourages
me。 I cannot bear men and women。 I have to run away。 I must run
away now ＇he tries to＇。
ELLIE ＇again seizing his arm＇。 You shall not run away from me。 I
can hypnotize you。 You are the only person in the house I can say
what I like to。 I know you are fond of me。 Sit down。 ＇She draws
him to the sofa＇。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER ＇yielding＇。 Take care： I am in my dotage。 Old
men are dangerous： it doesn't matter to them what is going to
happen to the world。
They sit side by side on the sofa。 She leans affectionately
against him with her head on his shoulder and her eyes half
closed。
ELLIE ＇dreamily＇。 I should have thought nothing else mattered to
old men。 They can't be very interested in what is going to happen
to themselves。
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER。 A man's interest in the world is only the
overflow from his interest in himself。 When you are a child your
vessel is not yet full； so you care for nothing but your own
affairs。 When you grow up； your vessel overflows； and you are a
politician； a philosopher； or an explorer and adventurer。 In old
age the vessel dries up： there is no overflow： you are a child
again。 I can give you the memories of my ancient wisdom： mere
scraps and leavings； but I no longer really care for anything but
my own little wants and hobbies。 I sit here working out my old
ideas as a means of destroying my fellow…creatures。 I see my
daughters and their men living foolish lives of romance and
sentiment and snobbery。 I see you； the younger generation；
turning from their romance and sentiment and snobbery to money
and comfort and hard common sense。 I was ten times happier on the
bridge in the typhoon； or frozen into Arctic ice for months in
darkness； than you or they have ever been。 You are looking for a
rich husband。 At your age I looked for hardship； danger； horror；
and death； that I might feel the life in me more intensely。 I did
not let the fear of death govern my life； and my reward was； I
had my life。 You are going to let the fear of poverty govern your
