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SCENE V
ARETHUSA
ARETHUSA。 I thought the time dragged long and weary when I knew
that Kit was homeward bound； all the white sails a…blowing out
towards England； and my Kit's face turned this way？ （SHE BEGINS
TO DUST。） Sure； if my mother were here； she would understand and
help us； she would understand a young maid's heart； though her
own had never an ache； and she would love my Kit。 （PUTTING BACK
THE TELESCOPE。） To think she died： husband and child … and so
much love … she was taken from them all。 Ah； there is no parting
but the grave！ And Kit and I both live； and both love each
other； and here am I cast down？ O； Arethusa； shame！ And your
love home from the deep seas； and loving you still； and the sun
shining； and the world all full of hope？ O； hope； you're a good
word！
SCENE VI
ARETHUSA； TO HER； PEW
PEW （SINGING WITHOUT） …
'Time for us to go！
Time for us to go！
And we'll keep the brig three pints away；
For it's time for us to go。'
ARETHUSA。 Who comes here？ a seaman by his song； and father out！
（SHE TRIES THE AIR） 'Time for us to go！' It sounds a wild kind
of song。 （TAP…TAP； PEW PASSES THE WINDOW。） O； what a face … and
blind！
PEW （ENTERING）。 Kind Christian friends； take pity on a poor
blind mariner； as lost his precious sight in the defence of his
native country； England； and God bless King George！
ARETHUSA。 What can I do for you； sailor？
PEW。 Good Christian lady； help a poor blind mariner to a
mouthful of meat。 I've served His Majesty in every quarter of
the globe； I've spoke with 'Awke and glorious Anson； as I might
with you； and I've tramped it all night long； upon my sinful
feet； and with a empty belly。
ARETHUSA。 You shall not ask bread and be denied by a sailor's
daughter and a sailor's sweetheart； and when my father returns he
shall give you something to set you on your road。
PEW。 Kind and lovely lady； do you tell me that you are in a
manner of speaking alone？ or do my ears deceive a poor blind
seaman？
ARETHUSA。 I live here with my father； and my father is abroad。
PEW。 Dear； beautiful； Christian lady； tell a poor blind man your
honoured name； that he may remember it in his poor blind prayers。
ARETHUSA。 Sailor； I am Arethusa Gaunt。
PEW。 Sweet lady； answer a poor blind man one other question：
are you in a manner of speaking related to Cap'n John Gaunt？
Cap'n John as in the ebony trade were known as Admiral Guinea？
ARETHUSA。 Captain John Gaunt is my father。
PEW （DROPPING THE BLIND MAN'S WHINE）。 Lord； think of that now！
They told me this was where he lived； and so it is。 And here's
old Pew； old David Pew； as was the Admiral's own bo'sun；
colloguing in his old commander's parlour； with his old
commander's gal （SEIZES ARETHUSA）。 Ah； and a bouncer you are；
and no mistake。
ARETHUSA。 Let me go！ how dare you？
PEW。 Lord love you； don't you struggle； now； don't you。 （SHE
ESCAPES INTO FRONT R。 CORNER； WHERE HE KEEPS HER IMPRISONED。）
Ah； well； we'll get you again； my lovely woman。 What a arm
you've got … great god of love … and a face like a peach！ I'm a
judge； I am。 （SHE TRIES TO ESCAPE； HE STOPS HER。） No； you
don't； O； I can hear a flea jump！ ＇But it's here where I miss my
deadlights。 Poor old Pew； him as the ladies always would have
for their fancy man and take no denial； here you are with your
commander's daughter close aboard； and you can't so much as guess
the colour of her lovely eyes。 （SINGING） …
'Be they black like ebony；
Or be they blue like to the sky。'
Black like the Admiral's？ or blue like his poor dear wife's？ Ah；
I was fond of that there woman； I was： the Admiral was jealous
of me。＇ Arethusa； my dear； … my heart； what a 'and and arm you
HAVE got； I'll dream o' that 'and and arm； I will！ … but as I was
a…saying； does the Admiral ever in a manner of speaking refer to
his old bo'sun David Pew？ him as he fell out with about the black
woman at Lagos； and almost slashed the shoulder off of him one
morning before breakfast？
ARETHUSA。 You leave this house。
PEW。 Hey？ （HE CROSSES AND SEIZES HER AGAIN） Don't you fight； my
lovely one： now don't make old blind Pew forget his manners
before a female。 What！ you will？ Stop that； or I'll have the
arm right out of your body。 （HE GIVES HER ARM A WRENCH。）
ARETHUSA。 O！ help； help！
PEW。 Stash your patter； damn you。 （ARETHUSA GIVES IN。） Ah； I
thought it： Pew's way； Pew's way。 Now； look you here； my lovely
woman。 If you sling in another word that isn't in answer to my
questions； I'll pull your j'ints out one by one。 Where's the
Commander？
ARETHUSA。 I have said： he is abroad。
PEW。 When's he coming aboard again？
ARETHUSA。 At any moment。
PEW。 Does he keep his strength？
ARETHUSA。 You'll see when he returns。 （HE WRENCHES HER ARM
AGAIN。） Ah！
PEW。 Is he still on piety？
ARETHUSA。 O； he is a Christian man！
PEW。 A Christian man； is he？ Where does he keep his rum？
ARETHUSA。 Nay； you shall steal nothing by my help。
PEW。 No more I shall （BECOMING AMOROUS）。 You're a lovely woman；
that's what you are； how would you like old Pew for a sweetheart；
hey？ He's blind； is Pew； but strong as a lion； and the sex is
his 'ole delight。 Ah； them beautiful； beautiful lips！ A kiss！
Come！
ARETHUSA。 Leave go； leave go！
PEW。 Hey？ you would？
ARETHUSA。 Ah！ （SHE THRUSTS HIM DOWN； AND ESCAPES TO DOOR； R。）
SCENE VII
PEW （PICKING HIMSELF UP）。 Ah； she's a bouncer； she is！ Where's
my stick？ That's the sort of female for David Pew。 Didn't she
fight？ and didn't she struggle？ and shouldn't I like to twist her
lovely neck for her？ Pew's way with 'em all： the prettier they
was； the uglier he were to 'em。 Pew's way： a way he had with
him； and a damned good way too。 （LISTENS AT L。 DOOR。） That's
her bedroom； I reckon； and she's double…locked herself in。 Good
again： it's a crying mercy the Admiral didn't come in。 But you
always loses your 'ed； Pew； with a female： that's what charms
'em。 Now for business。 The front door。 No bar； only a big lock
（TRYING KEYS FROM HIS POCKET）。 Key one； no go。 Key two； no go。
Key three； ah； that does it。 Ah！ （FEELING KEY） him with the
three wards and the little 'un： good again！ Now if I could only
find a mate in this rotten country 'amlick： one to be eyes to
me； I can steer； but I can't conn myself； worse luck！ If I could
only find a mate！ And to…night； about three bells in the middle
watch； old Pew will take a little cruise； and lay aboard his
ancient friend the Admiral； or； barring that； the Admiral's old
sea…chest … the chest he kept the shiners in aboard the brig。
Where is it； I wonder？ in his berth； or in the cabin here？ It's
big enough； and the brass bands is plain to feel by。 （SEARCHING
ABOUT WITH STICK。） Dresser … chair … （KNOCKING HIS HEAD ON THE
CUPBOARD。） Ah！ … O； corner cupboard。 Admiral's chair …
Admiral's table … Admiral's … hey！ what's this？ … a book …
sheepskin … smells like a 'oly Bible。 Chair （HIS STICK JUST
AVOIDS THE CHEST）。 No sea…chest。 I must have a mate to see for
me； to see for old Pew： him as had eyes like a eagle！
Meanwhile； rum。 Corner cupboard； of course （TAP…TAPPING）。 Rum …
rum … rum。 Hey？ （HE LISTENS。） Footsteps。 Is it the Admiral？
（WITH THE WHINE。） Kind Christian friends …
SCENE VIII
PEW； to him GAUNT
GAUNT。 What brings you here？
PEW。 Cap'n； do my ears deceive me？ or is this my old commander？
GAUNT。 My name is John Gaunt。 Who are you； my man； and what's
your business？
PEW。 Here's the facks； so help me。 A lovely female in this
house was Christian enough to pity the poor blind； and lo and
belold！ who should she turn out to be but my old commander's
daughter！ 'My dear；' says I to her； 'I was the Admiral's own
particular bo'sun。' … 'La； sailor；' she says to me； 'how glad
he'll be to see you！' … 'Ah；' says I； 'won't he just … that's
all。' … 'I'll go and fetch him；' she says； 'you make yourself at
'ome。' And off she went； and； Commander； here I am。
GAUNT （SITTING DOWN）。 Well？
PEW。 Well； Cap'n？
GAUNT。 What do you want？
PEW。 Well； Admiral； in a general way； what I want in a manner of
speaking is money and rum。 （A PAUSE。）
GAUNT。 David Pew； I have known you a long time。
PEW。 And so you have； aboard the old ARETHUSA； and you don't
seem that cheered up as I'd looked for； with an old shipmate
dropping in； one as has been seeking you two years and more … and
blind at that。 Don't you remember the old chantie？ …
'Time for us to go；
Time for us to go；
And when we'd clapped the hatches on；
'Twas time for us to go。
What a note you had to sing； what a swaller for a pannikin of
rum； and what a fist for the shiners！ Ah； Cap'n； they didn't
call you Admiral Guinea for nothing。 I can see that old
sea…chest of yours … her with the brass bands； where you kept
your gold dust and doubloons： you know！ … I can see her as well
this minute as though you and me was still at it playing put on
the lid of her 。 。 。 You don't say nothing； Cap'n？ 。 。 。 Well；
here it is： I want money and I want rum。 You don't know what it
is to want rum； you don't： it gets to that p'int；