heartbreak house-第28部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



MANGAN。　Well；　you　have　a　nerve。

MRS　HUSHABYE。　And　you　have　a　heart；　Alfy；　a　whimpering　little
heart；　but　a　real　one。　＇Releasing　him　suddenly＇。　Now　run　and　make
it　up　with　Ellie。　She　has　had　time　to　think　what　to　say　to　you；
which　is　more　than　I　had　＇she　goes　out　quickly　into　the　garden　by
the　port　door＇。

MANGAN。　That　woman　has　a　pair　of　hands　that　go　right　through　you。

ELLIE。　Still　in　love　with　her；　in　spite　of　all　we　said　about　you？

MANGAN。　Are　all　women　like　you　two？　Do　they　never　think　of
anything　about　a　man　except　what　they　can　get　out　of　him？　You
weren't　even　thinking　that　about　me。　You　were　only　thinking
whether　your　gloves　would　last。

ELLIE。　I　shall　not　have　to　think　about　that　when　we　are　married。

MANGAN。　And　you　think　I　am　going　to　marry　you　after　what　I　heard
there！

ELLIE。　You　heard　nothing　from　me　that　I　did　not　tell　you　before。

MANGAN。　Perhaps　you　think　I　can't　do　without　you。

ELLIE。　I　think　you　would　feel　lonely　without　us　all；　now；　after
coming　to　know　us　so　well。

MANGAN　＇with　something　like　a　yell　of　despair＇。　Am　I　never　to
have　the　last　word？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇appearing　at　the　starboard　garden　door＇。　There
is　a　soul　in　torment　here。　What　is　the　matter？

MANGAN。　This　girl　doesn't　want　to　spend　her　life　wondering　how
long　her　gloves　will　last。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇passing　through＇。　Don't　wear　any。　I　never　do
＇he　goes　into　the　pantry＇。

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇appearing　at　the　port　garden　door；　in　a　handsome
dinner　dress＇。　Is　anything　the　matter？

ELLIE。　This　gentleman　wants　to　know　is　he　never　to　have　the　last
word？

LADY　UTTERWORD　＇coming　forward　to　the　sofa＇。　I　should　let　him
have　it；　my　dear。　The　important　thing　is　not　to　have　the　last
word；　but　to　have　your　own　way。

MANGAN。　She　wants　both。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　She　won't　get　them；　Mr　Mangan。　Providence　always
has　the　last　word。

MANGAN　＇desperately＇。　Now　you　are　going　to　come　religion　over　me。
In　this　house　a　man's　mind　might　as　well　be　a　football。　I'm
going。　＇He　makes　for　the　hall；　but　is　stopped　by　a　hail　from　the
Captain；　who　has　just　emerged　from　his　pantry＇。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Whither　away；　Boss　Mangan？

MANGAN。　To　hell　out　of　this　house：　let　that　be　enough　for　you　and
all　here。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　You　were　welcome　to　come：　you　are　free　to　go。
The　wide　earth；　the　high　seas；　the　spacious　skies　are　waiting　for
you　outside。

LADY　UTTERWORD。　But　your　things；　Mr　Mangan。　Your　bag；　your　comb
and　brushes；　your　pyjamas

HECTOR　＇who　has　just　appeared　in　the　port　doorway　in　a　handsome
Arab　costume＇。　Why　should　the　escaping　slave　take　his　chains　with
him？

MANGAN。　That's　right；　Hushabye。　Keep　the　pyjamas；　my　lady；　and
much　good　may　they　do　you。

HECTOR　＇advancing　to　Lady　Utterword's　left　hand＇。　Let　us　all　go
out　into　the　night　and　leave　everything　behind　us。

MANGAN。　You　stay　where　you　are；　the　lot　of　you。　I　want　no
company；　especially　female　company。

ELLIE。　Let　him　go。　He　is　unhappy　here。　He　is　angry　with　us。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Go；　Boss　Mangan；　and　when　you　have　found　the
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！

LA