heartbreak house-第32章

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LADY　UTTERWORD。　Really；　Miss　Dunn！　Really；　papa！

MANGAN。　He　told　me　I　was　too　old！　And　him　a　mummy！

HECTOR　＇quoting　Shelley＇。

〃Their　altar　the　grassy　earth　outspreads
　And　their　priest　the　muttering　wind。〃

ELLIE。　Yes：　I；　Ellie　Dunn；　give　my　broken　heart　and　my　strong
sound　soul　to　its　natural　captain；　my　spiritual　husband　and
second　father。

She　draws　the　captain's　arm　through　hers；　and　pats　his　hand。　The
captain　remains　fast　asleep。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Oh；　that's　very　clever　of　you；　pettikins。　Very
clever。　Alfred；　you　could　never　have　lived　up　to　Ellie。　You　must
be　content　with　a　little　share　of　me。

MANGAN　＇snifflng　and　wiping　his　eyes＇。　It　isn't　kind＇his
emotion　chokes　him＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　You　are　well　out　of　it；　Mr　Mangan。　Miss　Dunn　is
the　most　conceited　young　woman　I　have　met　since　I　came　back　to
England。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Oh；　Ellie　isn't　conceited。　Are　you；　pettikins？

ELLIE。　I　know　my　strength　now；　Hesione。

MANGAN。　Brazen；　I　call　you。　Brazen。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Tut；　tut；　Alfred：　don't　be　rude。　Don't　you　feel　how
lovely　this　marriage　night　is；　made　in　heaven？　Aren't　you　happy；
you　and　Hector？　Open　your　eyes：　Addy　and　Ellie　look　beautiful
enough　to　please　the　most　fastidious　man：　we　live　and　love　and
have　not　a　care　in　the　world。　We　women　have　managed　all　that　for
you。　Why　in　the　name　of　common　sense　do　you　go　on　as　if　you　were
two　miserable　wretches？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　I　tell　you　happiness　is　no　good。　You　can　be
happy　when　you　are　only　half　alive。　I　am　happier　now　I　am　half
dead　than　ever　I　was　in　my　prime。　But　there　is　no　blessing　on　my
happiness。

ELLIE　＇her　face　lighting　up＇。　Life　with　a　blessing！　that　is　what
I　want。　Now　I　know　the　real　reason　why　I　couldn't　marry　Mr
Mangan：　there　would　be　no　blessing　on　our　marriage。　There　is　a
blessing　on　my　broken　heart。　There　is　a　blessing　on　your　beauty；
Hesione。　There　is　a　blessing　on　your　father's　spirit。　Even　on　the
lies　of　Marcus　there　is　a　blessing；　but　on　Mr　Mangan's　money
there　is　none。

MANGAN。　I　don't　understand　a　word　of　that。

ELLIE。　Neither　do　I。　But　I　know　it　means　something。

MANGAN。　Don't　say　there　was　any　difficulty　about　the　blessing。　I
was　ready　to　get　a　bishop　to　marry　us。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Isn't　he　a　fool；　pettikins？

HECTOR　＇fiercely＇。　Do　not　scorn　the　man。　We　are　all　fools。

Mazzini；　in　pyjamas　and　a　richly　colored　silk　dressing　gown；
comes　from　the　house；　on　Lady　Utterword's　side。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Oh！　here　comes　the　only　man　who　ever　resisted　me。
What's　the　matter；　Mr　Dunn？　Is　the　house　on　fire？

MAZZINI。　Oh；　no：　nothing's　the　matter：　but　really　it's　impossible
to　go　to　sleep　with　such　an　interesting　conversation　going　on
under　one's　window；　and　on　such　a　beautiful　night　too。　I　just　had
to　come　down　and　join　you　all。　What　has　it　all　been　about？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Oh；　wonderful　things；　soldier　of　freedom。

HECTOR。　For　example；　Mangan；　as　a　practical　business　man；　has
tried　to　undress　himself　and　has　failed　ignominiously；　whilst
you；　as　an　idealist；　have　succeeded　brilliantly。

MAZZINI。　I　hope　you　don't　mind　my　being　like　this；　Mrs　Hushabye。
＇He　sits　down　on　the　campstool＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　On　the　contrary；　I　could　wish　you　always　like　that。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Your　daughter's　match　is　off；　Mr　Dunn。　It　seems
that　Mr　Mangan；　whom　we　all　supposed　to　be　a　man　of　property；
owns　absolutely　nothing。

MAZZINI。　Well；　of　course　I　knew　that；　Lady　Utterword。　But　if
people　believe　in　him　and　are　always　giving　him　money；　whereas
they　don't　believe　in　me　and　never　give　me　any；　how　can　I　ask
poor　Ellie　to　depend　on　what　I　can　do　for　her？

MANGAN。　Don't　you　run　away　with　this　idea　that　I　have　nothing。
I

HECTOR。　Oh；　don't　explain。　We　understand。　You　have　a　couple　of
thousand　pounds　in　exchequer　bills；　50；000　shares　worth　tenpence
a　dozen；　and　half　a　dozen　tabloids　of　cyanide　of　potassium　to
poison　yourself　with　when　you　are　found　out。　That's　the　reality
of　your　millions。

MAZZINI。　Oh　no；　no；　no。　He　is　quite　honest：　the　businesses　are
genuine　and　perfectly　legal。

HECTOR　＇disgusted＇。　Yah！　Not　even　a　great　swindler！

MANGAN。　So　you　think。　But　I've　been　too　many　for　some　honest　men；
for　all　that。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　There　is　no　pleasing　you；　Mr　Mangan。　You　are
determined　to　be　neither　rich　nor　poor；　honest　nor　dishonest。

MANGAN。　There　you　go　again。　Ever　since　I　came　into　this　silly
house　I　have　been　made　to　look　like　a　fool；　though　I'm　as　good　a
man　in　this　house　as　in　the　city。

ELLIE　＇musically＇。　Yes：　this　silly　house；　this　strangely　happy
house；　this　agonizing　house；　this　house　without　foundations。　I
shall　call　it　Heartbreak　House。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Stop；　Ellie；　or　I　shall　howl　like　an　animal。

MANGAN　＇breaks　into　a　low　snivelling＇！！！

MRS　HUSAHBYE。　There！　you　have　set　Alfred　off。

ELLIE。　I　like　him　best　when　he　is　howling。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Silence！　＇Mangan　subsides　into　silence＇。　I　say；
let　the　heart　break　in　silence。

HECTOR。　Do　you　accept　that　name　for　your　house？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　It　is　not　my　house：　it　is　only　my　kennel。

HECTOR。　We　have　been　too　long　here。　We　do　not　live　in　this　house：
we　haunt　it。

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇heart　torn＇。　It　is　dreadful　to　think　how　you　have
been　here　all　these　years　while　I　have　gone　round　the　world。　I
escaped　young；　but　it　has　drawn　me　back。　It　wants　to　break　my
heart　too。　But　it　shan't。　I　have　left　you　and　it　behind。　It　was
silly　of　me　to　come　back。　I　felt　sentimental　about　papa　and
Hesione　and　the　old　place。　I　felt　them　calling　to　me。

MAZZINI。　But　what　a　very　natural　and　kindly　and　charming　human
feeling；　Lady　Utterword！

LADY　UTTERWORD。　So　I　thought；　Mr　Dunn。　But　I　know　now　that　it　was
only　the　last　of　my　influenza。　I　found　that　I　was　not　remembered
and　not　wanted。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　You　left　because　you　did　not　want　us。　Was　there
no　heartbreak　in　that　for　your　father？　You　tore　yourself　up　by
the　roots；　and　the　ground　healed　up　and　brought　forth　fresh
plants　and　forgot　you。　What　right　had　you　to　come　back　and　probe
old　wounds？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　You　were　a　complete　stranger　to　me　at　first；　Addy；
but　now　I　feel　as　if　you　had　never　been　away。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　Thank　you；　Hesione；　but　the　influenza　is　quite
cured。　The　place　may　be　Heartbreak　House　to　you；　Miss　Dunn；　and
to　this　gentleman　from　the　city　who　seems　to　have　so　little
self…control；　but　to　me　it　is　only　a　very　ill…regulated　and
rather　untidy　villa　without　any　stables。

HECTOR。　Inhabited　by？

ELLIE。　A　crazy　old　sea　captain　and　a　young　singer　who　adores　him。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　A　sluttish　female；　trying　to　stave　off　a　double
chin　and　an　elderly　spread；　vainly　wooing　a　born　soldier　of
freedom。

MAZZINI。　Oh；　really；　Mrs　Hushabye

MANGAN。　A　member　of　His　Majesty's　Government　that　everybody　sets
down　as　a　nincompoop：　don't　forget　him；　Lady　Utterword。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　And　a　very　fascinating　gentleman　whose　chief
occupation　is　to　be　married　to　my　sister。

HECTOR。　All　heartbroken　imbeciles。

MAZZINI。　Oh　no。　Surely；　if　I　may　say　so；　rather　a　favorable
specimen　of　what　is　best　in　our　English　culture。　You　are　very
charming　people；　most　advanced；　unprejudiced；　frank；　humane；
unconventional；　democratic；　free…thinking；　and　everything　that　is
delightful　to　thoughtful　people。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　You　do　us　proud；　Mazzini。

MAZZINI。　I　am　not　flattering；　really。　Where　else　could　I　feel
perfectly　at　ease　in　my　pyjamas？　I　sometimes　dream　that　I　am　in
very　distinguished　society；　and　suddenly　I　have　nothing　on　but　my
pyjamas！　Sometimes　I　haven't　even　pyjamas。　And　I　always　feel
overwhelmed　with　confusion。　But　here；　I　don't　mind　in　the　least：
it　seems　quite　natural。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　An　infallible　sign　that　you　are　now　not　in　really
distinguished　society；　Mr　Dunn。　If　you　were　in　my　house；　you
would　feel　embarrassed。

MAZZINI。　I　shall　take　particular　care　to　keep　out　of　your　house；
Lady　Utterword。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　You　will　be　quite　wrong；　Mr　Dunn。　I　should　make
you　very　comfortable；　and　you　would　not　have　the　trouble　and
anxiety　of　wondering　whether　you　should　wear　your　purple　and　gold
or　your　green　and　crimson　dressing…gown　at　dinner。　You　complicate
life　instead　of　simplifying　it　by　doing　these　ridiculous　things。

ELLIE。　Your　house　is　no