heartbreak house-第32部分

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ELLIE。　What　do　you　run　away　for？　To　sleep？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　No。　To　get　a　glass　of　rum。

ELLIE　＇frightfully　disillusioned＇。　Is　that　it？　How　disgusting！　Do
you　like　being　drunk？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　No：　I　dread　being　drunk　more　than　anything　in
the　world。　To　be　drunk　means　to　have　dreams；　to　go　soft；　to　be
easily　pleased　and　deceived；　to　fall　into　the　clutches　of　women。
Drink　does　that　for　you　when　you　are　young。　But　when　you　are　old：
very　very　old；　like　me；　the　dreams　come　by　themselves。　You　don't
know　how　terrible　that　is：　you　are　young：　you　sleep　at　night
only；　and　sleep　soundly。　But　later　on　you　will　sleep　in　the
afternoon。　Later　still　you　will　sleep　even　in　the　morning；　and
you　will　awake　tired；　tired　of　life。　You　will　never　be　free　from
dozing　and　dreams；　the　dreams　will　steal　upon　your　work　every　ten
minutes　unless　you　can　awaken　yourself　with　rum。　I　drink　now　to
keep　sober；　but　the　dreams　are　conquering：　rum　is　not　what　it
was：　I　have　had　ten　glasses　since　you　came；　and　it　might　be　so
much　water。　Go　get　me　another：　Guinness　knows　where　it　is。　You
had　better　see　for　yourself　the　horror　of　an　old　man　drinking。

ELLIE。　You　shall　not　drink。　Dream。　I　like　you　to　dream。　You　must
never　be　in　the　real　world　when　we　talk　together。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　I　am　too　weary　to　resist；　or　too　weak。　I　am　in
my　second　childhood。　I　do　not　see　you　as　you　really　are。　I　can't
remember　what　I　really　am。　I　feel　nothing　but　the　accursed
happiness　I　have　dreaded　all　my　life　long：　the　happiness　that
comes　as　life　goes；　the　happiness　of　yielding　and　dreaming
instead　of　resisting　and　doing；　the　sweetness　of　the　fruit　that
is　going　rotten。

ELLIE。　You　dread　it　almost　as　much　as　I　used　to　dread　losing　my
dreams　and　having　to　fight　and　do　things。　But　that　is　all　over
for　me：　my　dreams　are　dashed　to　pieces。　I　should　like　to　marry　a
very　old；　very　rich　man。　I　should　like　to　marry　you。　I　had　much
rather　marry　you　than　marry　Mangan。　Are　you　very　rich？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　No。　Living　from　hand　to　mouth。　And　I　have　a
wife　somewhere　in　Jamaica：　a　black　one。　My　first　wife。　Unless
she's　dead。

ELLIE。　What　a　pity！　I　feel　so　happy　with　you。　＇She　takes　his
hand；　almost　unconsciously；　and　pats　it＇。　I　thought　I　should
never　feel　happy　again。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Why？

ELLIE。　Don't　you　know？

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　No。

ELLIE。　Heartbreak。　I　fell　in　love　with　Hector；　and　didn't　know　he
was　married。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　Heartbreak？　Are　you　one　of　those　who　are　so
sufficient　to　themselves　that　they　are　only　happy　when　they　are
stripped　of　everything；　even　of　hope？

ELLIE　＇gripping　the　hand＇。　It　seems　so；　for　I　feel　now　as　if
there　was　nothing　I　could　not　do；　because　I　want　nothing。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER。　That's　the　only　real　strength。　That's　genius。
That's　better　than　rum。

ELLIE　＇throwing　away　his　hand＇。　Rum！　Why　did　you　spoil　it？

Hector　and　Randall　come　in　from　the　garden　through　the　starboard
door。

HECTOR。　I　beg　your　pardon。　We　did　not　know　there　was　anyone　here。

ELLIE　＇rising＇。　That　means　that　you　want　to　tell　Mr　Randall　the
story　about　the　tiger。　Come；　Captain：　I　want　to　talk　to　my
father；　and　you　had　better　come　with　me。

CAPTAIN　SHOTOVER　＇rising＇。　Nonsense！　the　man　is　in　bed。

ELLIE。　Aha！　I've　caught　you。　My　real　father　has　gone　to　bed；　but
the　father　you　gave　me　is　in　the　kitchen。　You　knew　quite　well　all
along。　Come。　＇She　draws　him　out　into　the　garden　with　her　through
the　port　door＇。

HECTOR。　That's　an　extraordinary　girl。　She　has　the　Ancient　Mariner
on　a　string　like　a　Pekinese　dog。

RANDALL。　Now　that　they　have　gone；　shall　we　have　a　friendly　chat？

HECTOR。　You　are　in　what　is　supposed　to　be　my　house。　I　am　at　your
disposal。

Hector　sits　down　in　the　draughtsman's　chair；　turning　it　to　face
Randall；　who　remains　standing；　leaning　at　his　ease　against　the
carpenter's　bench。

RANDALL。　I　take　it　that　we　may　be　quite　frank。　I　mean　about　Lady
Utterword。

HECTOR。　You　may。　I　have　nothing　to　be　frank　about。　I　never　met
her　until　this　afternoon。

RANDALL　＇straightening　up＇。　What！　But　you　are　her　sister's
husband。

HECTOR。　Well；　if　you　come　to　that；　you　are　her　husband's　brother。

RANDALL。　But　you　seem　to　be　on　intimate　terms　with　her。

HECTOR。　So　do　you。

RANDALL。　Yes：　but　I　AM　on　intimate　terms　with　her。　I　have　known
her　for　years。

HECTOR。　It　took　her　years　to　get　to　the　same　point　with　you　that
she　got　to　with　me　in　five　minutes；　it　seems。

RANDALL　＇vexed＇。　Really；　Ariadne　is　the　limit　＇he　moves　away
huffishly　towards　the　windows＇。

HECTOR　＇coolly＇。　She　is；　as　I　remarked　to　Hesione；　a　very
enterprising　woman。

RANDALL　＇returning；　much　troubled＇。　You　see；　Hushabye；　you　are
what　women　consider　a　good…looking　man。

HECTOR。　I　cultivated　that　appearance　in　the　days　of　my　vanity；
and　Hesione　insists　on　my　keeping　it　up。　She　makes　me　wear　these
ridiculous　things　＇indicating　his　Arab　costume＇　because　she
thinks　me　absurd　in　evening　dress。

RANDALL。　Still；　you　do　keep　it　up；　old　chap。　Now；　I　assure　you　I
have　not　an　atom　of　jealousy　in　my　disposition

HECTOR。　The　question　would　seem　to　be　rather　whether　your　brother
has　any　touch　of　that　sort。

RANDALL。　What！　Hastings！　Oh；　don't　trouble　about　Hastings。　He　has
the　gift　of　being　able　to　work　sixteen　hours　a　day　at　the　dullest
detail；　and　actually　likes　it。　That　gets　him　to　the　top　wherever
he　goes。　As　long　as　Ariadne　takes　care　that　he　is　fed　regularly；
he　is　only　too　thankful　to　anyone　who　will　keep　her　in　good　humor
for　him。

HECTOR。　And　as　she　has　all　the　Shotover　fascination；　there　is
plenty　of　competition　for　the　job；　eh？

RANDALL　＇angrily＇。　She　encourages　them。　Her　conduct　is　perfectly
scandalous。　I　assure　you；　my　dear　fellow；　I　haven't　an　atom　of
jealousy　in　my　composition；　but　she　makes　herself　the　talk　of
every　place　she　goes　to　by　her　thoughtlessness。　It's　nothing
more：　she　doesn't　really　care　for　the　men　she　keeps　hanging　about
her；　but　how　is　the　world　to　know　that？　It's　not　fair　to
Hastings。　It's　not　fair　to　me。

HECTOR。　Her　theory　is　that　her　conduct　is　so　correct

RANDALL。　Correct！　She　does　nothing　but　make　scenes　from　morning
till　night。　You　be　careful；　old　chap。　She　will　get　you　into
trouble：　that　is；　she　would　if　she　really　cared　for　you。

HECTOR。　Doesn't　she？

RANDALL。　Not　a　scrap。　She　may　want　your　scalp　to　add　to　her
collection；　but　her　true　affection　has　been　engaged　years　ago。
You　had　really　better　be　careful。

HECTOR。　Do　you　suffer　much　from　this　jealousy？

RANDALL。　Jealousy！　I　jealous！　My　dear　fellow；　haven't　I　told　you
that　there　is　not　an　atom　of

HECTOR。　Yes。　And　Lady　Utterword　told　me　she　never　made　scenes。
Well；　don't　waste　your　jealousy　on　my　moustache。　Never　waste
jealousy　on　a　real　man：　it　is　the　imaginary　hero　that　supplants
us　all　in　the　long　run。　Besides；　jealousy　does　not　belong　to　your
easy　man…of…the…world　pose；　which　you　carry　so　well　in　other
respects。

RANDALL。　Really；　Hushabye；　I　think　a　man　may　be　allowed　to　be　a
gentleman　without　being　accused　of　posing。

HECTOR。　It　is　a　pose　like　any　other。　In　this　house　we　know　all
the　poses：　our　game　is　to　find　out　the　man　under　the　pose。　The
man　under　your　pose　is　apparently　Ellie's　favorite