George Bernard Shaw a penn State Electronic Classics Series Publication

A dull distant explosion is heard.
HECTOR 
[starting up]. What was that?
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER
. Something happening [he blows
his whistle]. Breakers ahead!
The light goes out.
HECTOR 
[furiously]. Who put that light out? Who dared
put that light out?
NURSE GUINNESS 
[running in from the house to the middle
of the esplanade]. I did, sir. The police have telephoned to say
we’ll be summoned if we don’t put that light out: it can be
seen for miles.
HECTOR
. It shall be seen for a hundred miles [he dashes
into the house].
NURSE GUINNESS
. The Rectory is nothing but a heap of
bricks, they say. Unless we can give the Rector a bed he has
nowhere to lay his head this night.
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER
. The Church is on the rocks, break-
ing up. I told him it would unless it headed for God’s open sea.
NURSE GUINNESS
. And you are all to go down to the
cellars.
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER
. Go there yourself, you and all the
crew. Batten down the hatches.

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131
GB Shaw
NURSE GUINNESS
. And hide beside the coward I mar-
ried! I’ll go on the roof first. [The lamp lights up again]. There!
Mr Hushabye’s turned it on again.
THE BURGLAR 
[hurrying in and appealing to Nurse
Guinness]. Here: where’s the way to that gravel pit? The boot-
boy says there’s a cave in the gravel pit. Them cellars is no
use. Where’s the gravel pit, Captain?
NURSE GUINNESS
. Go straight on past the flagstaff until
you fall into it and break your dirty neck. [She pushes him
contemptuously towards the flagstaff, and herself goes to the foot
of the hammock and waits there, as it were by Ariadne’s cradle].
Another and louder explosion is heard. The burglar stops and
stands trembling.
ELLIE 
[rising]. That was nearer.
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER
. The next one will get us. [He rises].
Stand by, all hands, for judgment.
THE BURGLAR
. Oh my Lordy God! [He rushes away fran-
tically past the flagstaff into the gloom].
MRS HUSHABYE 
[emerging panting from the darkness].
Who was that running away? [She comes to Ellie]. Did you
hear the explosions? And the sound in the sky: it’s splendid:
it’s like an orchestra: it’s like Beethoven.
ELLIE
. By thunder, Hesione: it is Beethoven.
She and Hesione throw themselves into one another’s arms in
wild excitement. The light increases.
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 cel-
lars: 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.”

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132
Heartbreak House
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