MRS HUSHABYE. You did it, Ellie. You put him asleep.
MAZZINI [rising quickly and coming to the back of the chair]. Oh, I hope not. Did you, Ellie?
ELLIE [wearily]. He asked me to.
MAZZINI. But it's dangerous. You know what happened to me.
ELLIE [utterly indifferent]. Oh, I daresay I can wake him. If not, somebody else can.
MRS HUSHABYE. It doesn't matter, anyhow, because I have at last persuaded your father that you don't want to marry him.
ELLIE [suddenly coming out of her listlessness, much vexed]. But why did you do that, Hesione? I do want to marry him. I fully intend to marry him.
MAZZINI. Are you quite sure, Ellie? Mrs Hushabye has made me feel that I may have been thoughtless and selfish about it.
ELLIE [very clearly and steadily]. Papa. When Mrs. Hushabye takes it on herself to explain to you what I think or don't think, shut your ears tight; and shut your eyes too. Hesione knows nothing about me: she hasn't the least notion of the sort of person I am, and never will. I promise you I won't do anything I don't want to do and mean to do for my own sake.
MAZZINI. You are quite, quite sure?