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MISS FOSTER。 This is the most amazing circumstance。 You take my
breath away。 My niece refuse George Austin？ why； I give you my
word； I thought she had adored you。 A perfect scandal： it
positively must not get abroad。
AUSTIN。 Madam； for that young lady I have a singular regard。
Judge me as tenderly as you can； and set it down； if you must； to
an old man's vanity … for； Evelina； we are no longer in the
heyday of our youth … judge me as you will： I should prefer to
have it known。
MISS FOSTER。 Can you？ George Austin； you？ My youth was
nothing； I was a failure； but for you？ no； George； you never can；
you never must be old。 You are the triumph of my generation；
George； and of our old friendship too。 Think of my first dance
and my first partner。 And to have this story … no； I could not
bear to have it told of you。
AUSTIN。 Madam； there are some ladies over whom it is a boast to
have prevailed； there are others whom it is a glory to have
loved。 And I am so vain； dear Evelina； that even thus I am proud
to link my name with that of Dorothy Musgrave。
MISS FOSTER。 George； you are changed。 I would not know you。
AUSTIN。 I scarce know myself。 But pardon me； dear friend
（TAKING HIS WATCH）； in less than four minutes our illustrious
guest will descend amongst us； and I observe Mr。 Fenwick； with
whom I have a pressing business。 Suffer me； dear Evelina！ …
SCENE III
To these； FENWICK。 MISS FOSTER remains seated； L。 AUSTIN goes
R。 to FENWICK； whom he salutes with great respect
AUSTIN。 Mr。 Fenwick； I have played and lost。 That noble lady；
justly incensed at my misconduct； has condemned me。 Under the
burden of such a loss； may I console myself with the esteem of
Mr。 Fenwick？
FENWICK。 She refused you？ Pardon me； sir； but was the fault not
yours？
AUSTIN。 Perhaps to my shame； I am no novice； Mr。 Fenwick； but I
have never felt nor striven as to…day。 I went upon your errand；
but； you may trust me； sir； before I had done I found it was my
own。 Until to…day I never rightly valued her； sure； she is fit
to be a queen。 I have a remorse here at my heart to which I am a
stranger。 Oh！ that was a brave life； that was a great heart that
I have ruined。
FENWICK。 Ay； sir； indeed。
AUSTIN。 But； sir； it is not to lament the irretrievable that I
intrude myself upon your leisure。 There is something to be done；
to save； at least to spare； that lady。 You did not fail to
observe the brother？
FENWICK。 No； sir； he knows all； and being both intemperate and
ignorant …
AUSTIN。 Surely。 I know。 I have to ask you then to find what
friends you can among this company； and if you have none； to make
them。 Let everybody hear the news。 Tell it （if I may offer the
suggestion） with humour： how Mr。 Austin； somewhat upon the wane；
but still filled with sufficiency； gloriously presumed and was
most ingloriously set down by a young lady from the north： the
lady's name a secret； which you will permit to be divined。 The
laugh … the position of the hero … will make it circulate； … you
perceive I am in earnest； … and in this way I believe our young
friend will find himself forestalled。
FENWICK。 Mr。 Austin； I would not have dared to ask so much of
you； I will go further： were the positions changed； I should
fear to follow your example。
AUSTIN。 Child； child； you could not afford it。
SCENE IV
To there； the ROYAL DUKE； C。； then； immediately； ANTHONY； L。
FENWICK crosses to MISS FOSTER； R。 AUSTIN accosts the DUKE； C。；
in dumb show； the muted strings take up a new air； Mozart's
'Anglaise'； couples passing under the limes； and forming a group
behind AUSTIN and the DUKE。 ANTHONY in front； L。； watches
AUSTIN； who； as he turns from the DUKE； sees him； and comes
forward with extended hand。
AUSTIN。 Dear child； let me present you to his Royal Highness。
ANTHONY （WITH NECKLACE）。 Mr。 Austin； do you recognise the bribe
you gave my sister's maid？
AUSTIN。 Hush； sir； hush！ you forget the presence of the Duke。
ANTHONY。 Mr。 Austin； you are a coward and a scoundrel。
AUSTIN。 My child； you will regret these words： I refuse your
quarrel。
ANTHONY。 You do？ Take that。 （HE STRIKES AUSTIN ON THE MOUTH。
AT THE MOMENT OF THE BLOW …）
SCENE V
TO THESE； DOROTHY； L。 U。 E。 DOROTHY； UNSEEN BY AUSTIN； SHRIEKS。
SENSATION。 MUSIC STOPS。 TABLEAU
AUSTIN （RECOVERING HIS COMPOSURE）。 Your Royal Highness； suffer
me to excuse the disrespect of this young gentleman。 He has so
much apology； and I have； I hope； so good a credit； as incline me
to accept this blow。 But I must beg of your Highness； and；
gentlemen； all of you here present； to bear with me while I will
explain what is too capable of misconstruction。 I am the
rejected suitor of this young gentleman's sister； of Miss Dorothy
Musgrave： a lady whom I singularly honour and esteem； a word
from whom （if I could hope that word） would fill my life with
happiness。 I was not worthy of that lady； when I was defeated in
fair field； I presumed to make advances through her maid。 See in
how laughable a manner fate repaid me！ The waiting…girl derided；
the mistress denied； and now comes in this very ardent champion
who publicly insults me。 My vanity is cured； you will judge it
right； I am persuaded； all of you； that I should accept my proper
punishment in silence； you； my Lord Duke； to pardon this young
gentleman； and you； Mr。 Musgrave； to spare me further
provocation； which I am determined to ignore。
DOROTHY （RUSHING FORWARD； FALLING AT AUSTIN'S KNEES； AND SEIZING
HIS HAND）。 George； George； it was for me。 My hero！ take me！
What you will！
AUSTIN （IN AN AGONY）。 My dear creature； remember that we are in
public。 （RAISING HER。） Your Royal Highness； may I present you
Mrs。 George Frederick Austin？ （THE CURTAIN FALLS ON A FEW BARS
OF THE 'LASS OF RICHMOND HILL。'）
THE END
Play： ADMIRAL GUINEA
DEDICATED WITH AFFECTION AND ESTEEM TO ANDREW LANG BY THE
SURVIVORS OF THE WALRUS
SAVANNAH； this 27TH day of SEPTEMBER 1884
PERSONS REPRESENTED
JOHN GAUNT； called 'ADMIRAL GUINEA；' once Captain of the Slaver
ARETHUSA。
ARETHUSA GAUNT； his Daughter。
DAVID PEW； a Blind Beggar； once Boatswain of the ARETHUSA
KIT FRENCH； a Privateersman。
MRS。 DRAKE； Landlady of the ADMIRAL BENBOW Inn。
The Scene is laid in the neighbourhood of Barnstaple。 The Time
is about the year 1760。 The action occupies part of a day and
night。
NOTE。 … PASSAGES SUGGESTED FOR OMISSION IN REPRESENTATION ARE
ENCLOSED IN SQUARE BRACKETS； THUS ＇ ＇。
ADMIRAL GUINEA
ACT I。
The Stage represents a room in the Admiral Guinea's house：
fireplace； arm…chair； and table with Bible； L。； towards the
front； door C。； with window on each side； the window on the R。；
practicable； doors； R。 and L。； back； corner cupboard； a brass…
strapped sea…chest fixed to the wall and floor； R。； cutlasses；
telescopes； sextant； quadrant； a calendar； and several maps upon
the wall； a ship clock； three wooden chairs； a dresser against
wall； R。 C。； on the chimney…piece the model of a brig and several
shells。 The centre bare of furniture。 Through the widows and
the door； which is open； green trees and a small field of sea。
SCENE I
ARETHUSA IS DISCOVERED； DUSTING
ARETHUSA。 Ten months and a week to…day！ Now for a new mark。
Since the last； the sun has set and risen over the fields and the
pleasant trees at home； and on Kit's lone ship and the empty sea。
Perhaps it blew； perhaps rained； （AT THE CHART） perhaps he was
far up here to the nor'ard； where the icebergs sail； perhaps at
anchor among these wild islands of the snakes and buccaneers。 O；
you big chart； if I could see him sailing on you！ North and
South Atlantic； such a weary sight of water and no land； never an
island for the poor lad to land upon。 But still； God's there。
（SHE TAKES DOWN THE TELESCOPE TO DUST IT。） Father's spy…glass
again； and my poor Kit perhaps with such another； sweeping the
great deep！
SCENE II
ARETHUSA； to her； KIT； C。 ＇He enters on tiptoe； and she does not
see or hear him＇
ARETHUSA （DUSTING TELESCOPE）。 At sea they have less dust at
least： that's so much comfort。
KIT。 Sweetheart； ahoy！
ARETHUSA。 Kit！
KIT。 Arethusa。
ARETHUSA。 My Kit！ Home again … O my love！ … home again to me！
KIT。 As straight as wind and tide could carry me！
ARETHUSA。 O Kit； my dearest。 O Kit … O！ O！
KIT。 Hey？ Steady； lass： steady； I say。 For goodness' sake；
ease it off。
ARETHUSA。 I will； Kit … I will。 But you came so sudden。
KIT。 I thought ten months of it about preparation enough。
ARETHUSA。 Ten months and a week： you haven't counted the days
as I have。 Another day gone； and one day nearer to Kit： that
has been my almanac。 How brown you are！ how handsome！
KIT。 A pity you can't see yourself！ Well； no； I'll never be
handsome： brown I may be； never handsome。 But I'm better than
that； if the proverb's true； for I'm ten hundred thousand fathoms
deep in love。 I bring you a faithful sailor。 What！ you don't
think much of that for a curiosity？ Well； that's so： you're
right； the rarity is in the girl that's worth it ten