heartbreak house-第34章

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MAZZINI　＇anxiously＇。　The　light　is　getting　brighter。

NURSE　GUINNESS　＇looking　up　at　the　house＇。　It's　Mr　Hushabye
turning　on　all　the　lights　in　the　house　and　tearing　down　the
curtains。

RANDALL　＇rushing　in　in　his　pyjamas；　distractedly　waving　a　flute＇。
Ariadne；　my　soul；　my　precious；　go　down　to　the　cellars：　I　beg　and
implore　you；　go　down　to　the　cellars！

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇quite　composed　in　her　hammock＇。　The　governor's
wife　in　the　cellars　with　the　servants！　Really；　Randall！

RANDALL。　But　what　shall　I　do　if　you　are　killed？

LADY　UTTERWORD。　You　will　probably　be　killed；　too；　Randall。　Now
play　your　flute　to　show　that　you　are　not　afraid；　and　be　good。
Play　us　〃Keep　the　home　fires　burning。〃

NURSE　GUINNESS　＇grimly＇。　THEY'LL　keep　the　home　fires　burning　for
us：　them　up　there。

RANDALL　＇having　tried　to　play＇。　My　lips　are　trembling。　I　can't
get　a　sound。

MAZZINI。　I　hope　poor　Mangan　is　safe。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　He　is　hiding　in　the　cave　in　the　gravel　pit。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　My　dynamite　drew　him　there。　It　is　the　hand　of
God。

HECTOR　＇returning　from　the　house　and　striding　across　to　his
former　place＇。　There　is　not　half　light　enough。　We　should　be
blazing　to　the　skies。

ELLIE　＇tense　with　excitement＇。　Set　fire　to　the　house；　Marcus。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　My　house！　No。

HECTOR。　I　thought　of　that；　but　it　would　not　be　ready　in　time。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　The　judgment　has　come。　Courage　will　not　save
you；　but　it　will　show　that　your　souls　are　still　live。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Sh…sh！　Listen：　do　you　hear　it　now？　It's
magnificent。

They　all　turn　away　from　the　house　and　look　up；　listening。

HECTOR　＇gravely＇。　Miss　Dunn；　you　can　do　no　good　here。　We　of　this
house　are　only　moths　flying　into　the　candle。　You　had　better　go
down　to　the　cellar。

ELLIE　＇scornfully＇。　I　don't　think。

MAZZINI。　Ellie；　dear；　there　is　no　disgrace　in　going　to　the
cellar。　An　officer　would　order　his　soldiers　to　take　cover。　Mr
Hushabye　is　behaving　like　an　amateur。　Mangan　and　the　burglar　are
acting　very　sensibly；　and　it　is　they　who　will　survive。

ELLIE。　Let　them。　I　shall　behave　like　an　amateur。　But　why　should
you　run　any　risk？

MAZZINI。　Think　of　the　risk　those　poor　fellows　up　there　are
running！

NURSE　GUINNESS。　Think　of　them；　indeed；　the　murdering　blackguards！
What　next？

A　terrific　explosion　shakes　the　earth。　They　reel　back　into　their
seats；　or　clutch　the　nearest　support。　They　hear　the　falling　of
the　shattered　glass　from　the　windows。

MAZZINI。　Is　anyone　hurt？

HECTOR。　Where　did　it　fall？

NURSE　GUINNESS　＇in　hideous　triumph＇。　Right　in　the　gravel　pit：　I
seen　it。　Serve　un　right！　I　seen　it　＇she　runs　away　towards　the
gravel　pit；　laughing　harshly＇。

HECTOR。　One　husband　gone。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Thirty　pounds　of　good　dynamite　wasted。

MAZZINI。　Oh；　poor　Mangan！

HECTOR。　Are　you　immortal　that　you　need　pity　him？　Our　turn　next。

They　wait　in　silence　and　intense　expectation。　Hesione　and　Ellie
hold　each　other's　hand　tight。

A　distant　explosion　is　heard。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇relaxing　her　grip＇。　Oh！　they　have　passed　us。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　The　danger　is　over；　Randall。　Go　to　bed。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Turn　in；　all　hands。　The　ship　is　safe。　＇He　sits
down　and　goes　asleep＇。

ELLIE　＇disappointedly＇。　Safe！

HECTOR　＇disgustedly＇。　Yes；　safe。　And　how　damnably　dull　the　world
has　become　again　suddenly！　＇he　sits　down＇。

MAZZINI　＇sitting　down＇。　I　was　quite　wrong；　after　all。　It　is　we
who　have　survived；　and　Mangan　and　the　burglar…

HECTOR。　the　two　burglars

LADY　UTTERWORD。　the　two　practical　men　of　business

MAZZINI。　both　gone。　And　the　poor　clergyman　will　have　to　get　a
new　house。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　But　what　a　glorious　experience！　I　hope　they'll　come
again　tomorrow　night。

ELLIE　＇radiant　at　the　prospect＇。　Oh；　I　hope　so。

Randall　at　last　succeeds　in　keeping　the　home　fires　burning　on　his　flute。







End