Very few
men in his position go bankrupt. You can live very comfortably on
his reputation for immense wealth.
ELLIE. I cannot commit bigamy, Lady Utterword.
MRS HUSHABYE. } { Bigamy! Whatever on earth are you
} { talking about, Ellie?
LADY UTTERWORD } [exclaiming { Bigamy! What do you mean, Miss
} { Dunn?
MANGAN } altogether] { Bigamy! Do you mean to say you're
} { married already?
HECTOR } { Bigamy! This is some enigma.
ELLIE. Only half an hour ago I became Captain Shotover's white
wife.
MRS HUSHABYE. Ellie! What nonsense! Where?
ELLIE. In heaven, where all true marriages are made.
LADY UTTERWORD. Really, Miss Dunn! Really, papa!
MANGAN. He told me I was too old! And him a mummy!
HECTOR [quoting Shelley].
"Their altar the grassy earth outspreads
And their priest the muttering wind."
ELLIE. Yes: I, Ellie Dunn, give my broken heart and my strong
sound soul to its natural captain, my spiritual husband and
second father.
She draws the captain's arm through hers, and pats his hand. The
captain remains fast asleep.
MRS HUSHABYE. Oh, that's very clever of you, pettikins. Very
clever. Alfred, you could never have lived up to Ellie.
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