heartbreak house-第22部分

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we　are　tempted　to　seek　their　destruction　they　bring　forth　demons
to　delude　us；　disguised　as　pretty　daughters；　and　singers　and
poets　and　the　like；　for　whose　sake　we　spare　them。

HECTOR　＇sitting　up　and　leaning　towards　him＇。　May　not　Hesione　be
such　a　demon；　brought　forth　by　you　lest　I　should　slay　you？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　That　is　possible。　She　has　used　you　up；　and　left
you　nothing　but　dreams；　as　some　women　do。

HECTOR。　Vampire　women；　demon　women。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Men　think　the　world　well　lost　for　them；　and
lose　it　accordingly。　Who　are　the　men　that　do　things？　The　husbands
of　the　shrew　and　of　the　drunkard；　the　men　with　the　thorn　in　the
flesh。　＇Walking　distractedly　away　towards　the　pantry＇。　I　must
think　these　things　out。　＇Turning　suddenly＇。　But　I　go　on　with　the
dynamite　none　the　less。　I　will　discover　a　ray　mightier　than　any
X…ray：　a　mind　ray　that　will　explode　the　ammunition　in　the　belt　of
my　adversary　before　he　can　point　his　gun　at　me。　And　I　must　hurry。
I　am　old：　I　have　no　time　to　waste　in　talk　＇he　is　about　to　go　into
the　pantry；　and　Hector　is　making　for　the　hall；　when　Hesione　comes
back＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Daddiest；　you　and　Hector　must　come　and　help　me　to
entertain　all　these　people。　What　on　earth　were　you　shouting
about？

HECTOR　＇stopping　in　the　act　of　turning　the　door　handle＇。　He　is
madder　than　usual。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　We　all　are。

HECTOR。　I　must　change　＇he　resumes　his　door　opening＇。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Stop；　stop。　Come　back；　both　of　you。　Come　back。
＇They　return；　reluctantly＇。　Money　is　running　short。

HECTOR。　Money！　Where　are　my　April　dividends？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Where　is　the　snow　that　fell　last　year？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Where　is　all　the　money　you　had　for　that　patent
lifeboat　I　invented？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Five　hundred　pounds；　and　I　have　made　it　last　since
Easter！

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Since　Easter！　Barely　four　months！　Monstrous
extravagance！　I　could　live　for　seven　years　on　500　pounds。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Not　keeping　open　house　as　we　do　here；　daddiest。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Only　500　pounds　for　that　lifeboat！　I　got　twelve
thousand　for　the　invention　before　that。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Yes；　dear；　but　that　was　for　the　ship　with　the
magnetic　keel　that　sucked　up　submarines。　Living　at　the　rate　we
do；　you　cannot　afford　life…saving　inventions。　Can't　you　think　of
something　that　will　murder　half　Europe　at　one　bang？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　No。　I　am　ageing　fast。　My　mind　does　not　dwell　on
slaughter　as　it　did　when　I　was　a　boy。　Why　doesn't　your　husband
invent　something？　He　does　nothing　but　tell　lies　to　women。

HECTOR。　Well；　that　is　a　form　of　invention；　is　it　not？　However；
you　are　right：　I　ought　to　support　my　wife。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Indeed　you　shall　do　nothing　of　the　sort：　I　should
never　see　you　from　breakfast　to　dinner。　I　want　my　husband。

HECTOR　＇bitterly＇。　I　might　as　well　be　your　lapdog。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Do　you　want　to　be　my　breadwinner；　like　the　other
poor　husbands？

HECTOR。　No；　by　thunder！　What　a　damned　creature　a　husband　is
anyhow！

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇to　the　captain＇。　What　about　that　harpoon　cannon？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　No　use。　It　kills　whales；　not　men。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Why　not？　You　fire　the　harpoon　out　of　a　cannon。　It
sticks　in　the　enemy's　general；　you　wind　him　in；　and　there　you
are。

HECTOR。　You　are　your　father's　daughter；　Hesione。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　There　is　something　in　it。　Not　to　wind　in
generals：　they　are　not　dangerous。　But　one　could　fire　a　grapnel
and　wind　in　a　machine　gun　or　even　a　tank。　I　will　think　it　out。

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇squeezing　the　captain's　arm　affectionately＇。　Saved！
You　are　a　darling；　daddiest。　Now　we　must　go　back　to　these
dreadful　people　and　entertain　them。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　They　have　had　no　dinner。　Don't　forget　that。

HECTOR。　Neither　have　I。　And　it　is　dark：　it　must　be　all　hours。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　Oh；　Guinness　will　produce　some　sort　of　dinner　for
them。　The　servants　always　take　jolly　good　care　that　there　is　food
in　the　house。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇raising　a　strange　wail　in　the　darkness＇。　What　a
house！　What　a　daughter！

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇raving＇。　What　a　father！

HECTOR　＇following　suit＇。　What　a　husband！

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Is　there　no　thunder　in　heaven？

HECTOR。　Is　there　no　beauty；　no　bravery；　on　earth？

MRS　HUSHABYE。　What　do　men　want？　They　have　their　food；　their
firesides；　their　clothes　mended；　and　our　love　at　the　end　of　the
day。　Why　are　they　not　satisfied？　Why　do　they　envy　us　the　pain
with　which　we　bring　them　into　the　world；　and　make　strange　dangers
and　torments　for　themselves　to　be　even　with　us？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇weirdly　chanting＇。
　　　　　　I　builded　a　house　for　my　daughters；　and　opened　the　doors
　　　　　　　　　　　　thereof；
　　　　　　That　men　might　come　for　their　choosing；　and　their　betters
　　　　　　　　　　　　spring　from　their　love；
　　　　　　But　one　of　them　married　a　numskull；

HECTOR　＇taking　up　the　rhythm＇。
　　　　　　The　other　a　liar　wed；

MRS　HUSHABYE　＇completing　the　stanza＇。
　　　　　　And　now　must　she　lie　beside　him；　even　as　she　made　her　bed。

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇calling　from　the　garden＇。　Hesione！　Hesione！　Where
are　you？

HECTOR。　The　cat　is　on　the　tiles。

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
coun