At your age I looked for hardship, danger, horror,
and death, that I might feel the life in me more intensely. I did
not let the fear of death govern my life; and my reward was, I
had my life. You are going to let the fear of poverty govern your
life; and your reward will be that you will eat, but you will not
live.
ELLIE [sitting up impatiently]. But what can I do? I am not a sea
captain: I can't stand on bridges in typhoons, or go slaughtering
seals and whales in Greenland's icy mountains. They won't let
women be captains. Do you want me to be a stewardess?
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER. There are worse lives. The stewardesses could
come ashore if they liked; but they sail and sail and sail.
ELLIE. What could they do ashore but marry for money? I don't
want to be a stewardess: I am too bad a sailor. Think of
something else for me.
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER. I can't think so long and continuously. I am
too old. I must go in and out. [He tries to rise].
ELLIE [pulling him back]. You shall not. You are happy here,
aren't you?
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER. I tell you it's dangerous to keep me. I can't
keep awake and alert.
ELLIE. What do you run away for? To sleep?
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER. No. To get a glass of rum.
ELLIE [frightfully disillusioned]. Is that it? How disgusting! Do
you like being drunk?
CAPTAIN SHOTOVER.
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