George Bernard Shaw a penn State Electronic Classics Series Publication

Mazzini Dunn enters from the hall. He is a little elderly man
with bulging credulous eyes and earnest manners. He is dressed

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48
Heartbreak House
in a blue serge jacket suit with an unbuttoned mackintosh over
it, and carries a soft black hat of clerical cut.
ELLIE
. At last! Captain Shotover, here is my father.
THE CAPTAIN
. This! Nonsense! not a bit like him [he goes
away through the garden, shutting the door sharply behind him].
LADY UTTERWORD
. I will not be ignored and pretended
to be somebody else. I will have it out with Papa now, this
instant. [To Mazzini]. Excuse me. [She follows the captain
out, making a hasty bow to Mazzini, who returns it].
MRS HUSHABYE 
[hospitably shaking hands]. How good of
you to come, Mr Dunn! You don’t mind Papa, do you? He is
as mad as a hatter, you know, but quite harmless and ex-
tremely clever. You will have some delightful talks with him.
MAZZINI
. I hope so. [To Ellie]. So here you are, Ellie, dear.
[He draws her arm affectionately through his]. I must thank
you, Mrs Hushabye, for your kindness to my daughter. I’m
afraid she would have had no holiday if you had not invited
her.
MRS HUSHABYE
. Not at all. Very nice of her to come and
attract young people to the house for us.
MAZZINI 
[smiling]. I’m afraid Ellie is not interested in young
men, Mrs Hushabye. Her taste is on the graver, solider side.
MRS HUSHABYE 
[with a sudden rather hard brightness in
her manner]. Won’t you take off your overcoat, Mr Dunn?
You will find a cupboard for coats and hats and things in the
corner of the hall.
MAZZINI 
[hastily releasing Ellie]. Yes—thank you—I had
better—[he goes out].
MRS HUSHABYE 
[emphatically]. The old brute!
ELLIE
. Who?
MRS HUSHABYE
. Who! Him. He. It [pointing after
Mazzini]. “Graver, solider tastes,” indeed!
ELLIE 
[aghast]. You don’t mean that you were speaking like
that of my father!
MRS HUSHABYE
. I was. You know I was.
ELLIE 
[with dignity]. I will leave your house at once. [She
turns to the door].
MRS HUSHABYE
. If you attempt it, I’ll tell your father why.

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49
GB Shaw
ELLIE 
[turning again]. Oh! How can you treat a visitor like
this, Mrs Hushabye?
MRS HUSHABYE
. I thought you were going to call me
Hesione.
ELLIE
. Certainly not now?
MRS HUSHABYE
. Very well: I’ll tell your father.
ELLIE 
[distressed]. Oh!
MRS HUSHABYE
. If you turn a hair—if you take his part
against me and against your own heart for a moment, I’ll
give that born soldier of freedom a piece of my mind that
will stand him on his selfish old head for a week.
ELLIE
. Hesione! My father selfish! How little you know—
She is interrupted by Mazzini, who returns, excited and per-
spiring.
MAZZINI
. Ellie, Mangan has come: I thought you’d like to
know. Excuse me, Mrs Hushabye, the strange old gentle-
man—
MRS HUSHABYE
. Papa. Quite so.
MAZZINI
. Oh, I beg your pardon, of course: I was a little
confused by his manner. He is making Mangan help him
with something in the garden; and he wants me too—
A powerful whistle is heard.
THE CAPTAIN’S VOICE
. Bosun ahoy! [the whistle is re-
peated].
MAZZINI 
[flustered]. Oh dear! I believe he is whistling for
me. [He hurries out].
MRS HUSHABYE
. Now my father is a wonderful man if
you like.
ELLIE
. Hesione, listen to me. You don’t understand. My
father and Mr Mangan were boys together. Mr Ma—
MRS HUSHABYE
. I don’t care what they were: we must sit
down if you are going to begin as far back as that. [She snatches