HECTOR. You are under a spell, man. Old Shotover sold himself to the devil in Zanzibar. The devil gave him a black witch for a wife; and these two demon daughters are their mystical progeny. I am tied to Hesione's apron-string; but I'm her husband; and if I did go stark staring mad about her, at least we became man and wife. But why should you let yourself be dragged about and beaten by Ariadne as a toy donkey is dragged about and beaten by a child? What do you get by it? Are you her lover? RANDALL. You must not misunderstand me. In a higher sense--in a Platonic sense-- HECTOR. Psha! Platonic sense! She makes you her servant; and when pay-day comes round, she bilks you: that is what you mean. RANDALL [feebly]. Well, if I don't mind, I don't see what business it is of yours. Besides, I tell you I am going to punish her. You shall see: I know how to deal with women. I'm really very sleepy. Say good-night to Mrs Hushabye for me, will you, like a good chap. Good-night. [He hurries out]. HECTOR. Poor wretch! Oh women! women! women! [He lifts his fists in invocation to heaven]. Fall. Fall and crush. [He goes out into the garden]. ACT III In the garden, Hector, as he comes out through the glass door of the poop, finds Lady Utterword lying voluptuously in the hammock on the east side of the flagstaff, in the circle of light cast by the electric arc, which is like a moon in its opal globe. Beneath the head of the hammock, a campstool. On the other side of the flagstaff, on the long garden seat, Captain Shotover is asleep, with Ellie beside him, leaning affectionately against him on his right hand. On his left is a deck chair. Behind them in the gloom, Hesione is strolling about with Mangan. It is a fine still night, moonless. LADY UTTERWORD. What a lovely night! It seems made for us. HECTOR. The night takes no interest in us. What are we to the night? [He sits down moodily in the deck chair]. ELLIE [dreamily, nestling against the captain]. Its beauty soaks into my nerves. In the night there is peace for the old and hope for the young. HECTOR. Is that remark your own? ELLIE. No. Only the last thing the captain said before he went to sleep. CAPTAIN SHOTOVER. I'm not asleep. HECTOR. Randall is. Also Mr Mazzini Dunn. Mangan, too, probably. MANGAN. No. HECTOR. Oh, you are there. I thought Hesione would have sent you to bed by this time. MRS HUSHABYE [coming to the back of the garden seat, into the light, with Mangan]. I think I shall. He keeps telling me he has a presentiment that he is going to die. I never met a man so greedy for sympathy. MANGAN [plaintively]. But I have a presentiment. I really have. And you wouldn't listen. MRS HUSHABYE. I was listening for something else. There was a sort of splendid drumming in the sky. Did none of you hear it? It came from a distance and then died away. MANGAN. I tell you it was a train. MRS HUSHABYE. And I tell you, Alf, there is no train at this hour. The last is nine forty-five.