Now, Mr Dunn, look. Just look. Look hard. Do you still
intend to sacrifice your daughter to that thing?
MAZZINI [troubled]. You have completely upset me, Mrs Hushabye,
by all you have said to me. That anyone could imagine that I--I,
a consecrated soldier of freedom, if I may say so--could
sacrifice Ellie to anybody or anyone, or that I should ever have
dreamed of forcing her inclinations in any way, is a most painful
blow to my--well, I suppose you would say to my good opinion of
myself.
MRS HUSHABYE [rather stolidly]. Sorry.
MAZZINI [looking forlornly at the body]. What is your objection
to poor Mangan, Mrs Hushabye? He looks all right to me. But then
I am so accustomed to him.
MRS HUSHABYE. Have you no heart? Have you no sense? Look at the
brute! Think of poor weak innocent Ellie in the clutches of this
slavedriver, who spends his life making thousands of rough
violent workmen bend to his will and sweat for him: a man
accustomed to have great masses of iron beaten into shape for him
by steam-hammers! to fight with women and girls over a halfpenny
an hour ruthlessly! a captain of industry, I think you call him,
don't you? Are you going to fling your delicate, sweet, helpless
child into such a beast's claws just because he will keep her in
an expensive house and make her wear diamonds to show how rich he
is?
MAZZINI [staring at her in wide-eyed amazement].
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