e.

MANGAN [almost beside himself]. Do you think I'll be made a convenience
of like this?

ELLIE. Come, Mr Mangan! you made a business convenience of my father.
Well, a woman's business is marriage. Why shouldn't I make a domestic
convenience of you?

MANGAN. Because I don't choose, see? Because I'm not a silly gull like
your father. That's why.

ELLIE [with serene contempt]. You are not good enough to clean my
father's boots, Mr Mangan; and I am paying you a great compliment in
condescending to make a convenience of you, as you call it. Of course
you are free to throw over our engagement if you like; but, if you do,
you'll never enter Hesione's house again: I will take care of that.

MANGAN [gasping]. You little devil, you've done me. [On the point of
collapsing into the big chair again he recovers himself]. Wait a bit,
though: you're not so cute as you think. You can't beat Boss Mangan as
easy as that. Suppose I go straight to Mrs Hushabye and tell her that
you're in love with her husband.

ELLIE. She knows it.

MANGAN. You told her!!!

ELLIE. She told me.

MANGAN [clutching at his bursting temples]. Oh, this is a crazy house.
Or else I'm going clean off my chump. Is she making a swop with you--she
to have your husband and you to have hers?

ELLIE. Well, you don't want us both, do you?

MANGAN [throwing himself into the chair distractedly]. My brain won't
stand it. My head's going to split. Help! Help me to hold it. Quick:
hold it: squeeze it. Save me. [Ellie comes behind his chair; clasps his
head hard for a moment; then begins to draw her hands from his forehead
back to his ears]. Thank you. [Drowsily]. That's very refreshing.
[Waking a little]. Don't you hypnotize me, though. I've seen men made
fools of by hypnotism.

ELLIE [steadily]. Be quiet. I've seen men made fools of without
hypnotism.

MANGAN [humbly]. You don't dislike touching me, I hope. You never
touched me before, I noticed.

ELLIE. Not since you fell in love naturally with a grown-up nice woman,
who will never expect you to make love to her. And I will never expect
him to make love to me.

MANGAN. He may, though.

ELLIE [making her passes rhythmically]. Hush. Go to sleep. Do you hear?
You are to go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep; be quiet, deeply
deeply quiet; sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep.

He falls asleep. Ellie steals away; turns the light out; and goes into
the garden.

Nurse Guinness opens the door and is seen in