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