e how nobly he had behaved. Of course it was considered a great
chance for me, as he is so rich. And--and--we drifted into a sort
of understanding--I suppose I should call it an engagement--[she is
distressed and cannot go on].

MRS HUSHABYE [rising and marching about]. You may have drifted into it;
but you will bounce out of it, my pettikins, if I am to have anything to
do with it.

ELLIE [hopelessly]. No: it's no use. I am bound in honor and gratitude.
I will go through with it.

MRS HUSHABYE [behind the sofa, scolding down at her]. You know, of
course, that it's not honorable or grateful to marry a man you don't
love. Do you love this Mangan man?

ELLIE. Yes. At least--

MRS HUSHABYE. I don't want to know about "at least": I want to know
the worst. Girls of your age fall in love with all sorts of impossible
people, especially old people.

ELLIE. I like Mr Mangan very much; and I shall always be--

MRS HUSHABYE [impatiently completing the sentence and prancing away
intolerantly to starboard]. --grateful to him for his kindness to dear
father. I know. Anybody else?

ELLIE. What do you mean?

MRS HUSHABYE. Anybody else? Are you in love with anybody else?

ELLIE. Of course not.

MRS HUSHABYE. Humph! [The book on the drawing-table catches her eye. She
picks it up, and evidently finds the title very unexpected. She looks at
Ellie, and asks, quaintly] Quite sure you're not in love with an actor?

ELLIE. No, no. Why? What put such a thing into your head?

MRS HUSHABYE. This is yours, isn't it? Why else should you be reading
Othello?

ELLIE. My father taught me to love Shakespeare.

MRS HUSHAYE [flinging the book down on the table]. Really! your father
does seem to be about the limit.

ELLIE [naively]. Do you never read Shakespeare, Hesione? That seems to
me so extraordinary. I like Othello.

MRS HUSHABYE. Do you, indeed? He was jealous, wasn't he?

ELLIE. Oh, not that. I think all the part about jealousy is horrible.
But don't you think it must have been a wonderful experience for
Desdemona, brought up so quietly at home, to meet a man who had been
out in the world doing all sorts of brave things and having terrible
adventures, and yet finding something in her that made him love to sit
and talk with her and tell her about them?

MRS HUSHABYE. That's your idea of romance, is it?

ELLIE. Not romance, exactly. It might really happen.

Ellie's eyes show that she is not arguing, but in a daydream. Mrs