My very bones blushed red. You've had your
revenge, Boss. Aren't you satisfied?
MANGAN. Serve you right! Do you hear? Serve you right! You're
just cruel. Cruel.
MRS HUSHABYE. Yes: cruelty would be delicious if one could only
find some sort of cruelty that didn't really hurt. By the way
[sitting down beside him on the arm of the chair], what's your
name? It's not really Boss, is it?
MANGAN [shortly]. If you want to know, my name's Alfred.
MRS HUSHABYE [springs up]. Alfred!! Ellie, he was christened
after Tennyson!!!
MANGAN [rising]. I was christened after my uncle, and never had a
penny from him, damn him! What of it?
MRS HUSHABYE. It comes to me suddenly that you are a real person:
that you had a mother, like anyone else. [Putting her hands on
his shoulders and surveying him]. Little Alf!
MANGAN. Well, you have a nerve.
MRS HUSHABYE. And you have a heart, Alfy, a whimpering little
heart, but a real one. [Releasing him suddenly]. Now run and make
it up with Ellie. She has had time to think what to say to you,
which is more than I had [she goes out quickly into the garden by
the port door].
MANGAN. That woman has a pair of hands that go right through you.
ELLIE. Still in love with her, in spite of all we said about you?
MANGAN.
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