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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； that you would
kill a 'ole ship's company for just one guttle of it。 What？
Admiral Guinea； my old Commander； go back on poor old Pew？ and
him high and dry？ ＇Not you！ When we had words over the negro
lass at Lagos； what did you do？ fair dealings was your word：
fair as between man and man； and we had it out with p'int and
edge on Lagos sands。 And you're not going back on your word to
me； now I'm old and blind？ No； no！ belay that； I say。 Give me
the old motto： Fair dealings； as between man and man。＇
GAUNT。 David Pew； it were better for you that you were sunk in
fifty fathom。 I know your life； and first and last； it is one
broadside of wickedness。 You were a porter in a school； and beat
a boy to death； you ran for it； turned slaver； and shipped with
me； a green hand。 Ay； that was the craft for you： that was the
right craft； and I was the right captain； there was none worse
that sailed to Guinea。 Well； what came of that？ In five years'
time you made yourself the terror and abhorrence of your
messmates。 The worst hands detested you； your captain … that was
me； John Gaunt； the chief of sinners … cast you out for a Jonah。
＇Who was it stabbed the Portuguese and made off inland with his
miserable wife？ Who； raging drunk on rum； clapped fire to the
baracoons and burned the poor soulless creatures in their
chains？＇ Ay； you were a scandal to the Guinea coast； from Lagos
down to Calabar？ and when at last I sent you ashore； a marooned
man … your shipmates； devils as they were； cheering and rejoicing
to be quit of you … by heaven； it was a ton's weight off the
brig！
PEW。 Cap'n Gaunt； Cap'n Gaunt； these are ugly words。
GAUNT。 What next？ You shipped with Flint the Pirate。 What you
did then I know not； the deep seas have kept the secret： kept
it； ay； and will keep against the Great Day。 God smote you with
blindness； but you heeded not the sign。 That was His last mercy；
look for no more。 To your knees； man； and repent！ Pray for a
new heart； flush out your sins with tears； flee while you may
from the terrors of the wrath to come。
PEW。 Now； I want this clear： Do I understand that you're going
back on me； and you'll see me damned first？
GAUNT。 Of me you shall have neither money nor strong drink： not
a guinea to spend in riot； not a drop to fire your heart with
devilry。
PEW。 Cap'n； do you think it wise to quarrel with me？ I put it
to you now； Cap'n； fairly； as between man and man … do you think
it wise？
GAUNT。 I fear nothing。 My feet are on the Rock。 Begone！ （HE
OPENS THE BIBLE AND BEGINS TO READ。）
PEW （AFTER A PAUSE）。 Well； Cap'n； you know best； no doubt； and
David Pew's about the last man； though I says it； to up and
thwart an old Commander。 You've been 'ard on David Pew； Cap'n：
'ard on the poor blind； but you'll live to regret it … ah； my
Christian friend； you'll live to eat them words up。 But there's
no malice here： that ain't Pew's way； here's a sailor's hand
upon it 。 。 。 。 You don't say nothing？ （GAUNT TURNS A PAGE。）
Ah； reading； was you？ Reading； by thunder！ Well； here's my
respecks （SINGING） …
'Time for us to go； Time for us to go； When the money's out； and
the liquor's done； Why； it's time for us to go。
（HE GOES TAPPING UP TO DOOR； TURNS ON THE THRESHOLD； AND LISTENS。
GAUNT TURNS A PAGE。 PEW； WITH A GRIMACE； STRIKES HIS HAND UPON
THE POCKET WITH THE KEYS； AND GOES。）
DROP。
ACT II。
The Stage represents the parlour of the 'Admiral Benbow' inn。
Fire…place； R。； with high…backed settles on each side； in front
of these； and facing the audience； R。； a small table laid with a
cloth。 Tables； L。； with glasses； pipes； etc。 Broadside ballads
on the wall。 Outer door of inn； with the half…door in L。； corner
back； door； R。； beyond the fire…place； window with red half…
curtains； spittons； candles on both the front tables； night
without。
SCENE I
PEW； afterwards MRS。 DRAKE； out and in。
PEW （ENTERING）。 Kind Christian friends … （LISTENING； THEN
DROPPING THE WHINE。） Hey？ nobody！ Hey？ A grog…shop not two
cable…lengths from the Admiral's back…door； and the Admiral not
there？ I never knew a seaman brought so low： he ain't but the
bones of the man he used to be。 Bear away for the New Jerusalem；
and this is what you run aground on； is it？ Good again； but it
ain't Pew's way； Pew's way is rum。 … Sanded floor。 Rum is his
word； and rum his motion。 … Settle … chimbley … settle again …
spittoon … table rigged for supper。 Table…glass。 （DRINKS
HEELTAP。） Brandy and water； and not enough of it to wet your eye；
damn all greediness； I say。 Pot （DRINKS）； small beer … a drink
that I ab'or like bilge！ What I want is rum。 （CALLING； AND
RAPPING WITH STICK ON TABLE。） Halloa； there！ House； ahoy！
MRS。 DRAKE （WITHOUT）。 Coming； sir； coming。 （SHE ENTERS； R。）
What can I do … ？ （SEEING PEW。） Well I never did！ Now；
beggar…man； what's for you？
＇PEW。 Rum； ma'am； rum； and a bit o' supper。
MRS。 DRAKE。 And a bed to follow； I shouldn't wonder！
PEW。 AND a bed to follow： IF you please。＇
MRS。 DRAKE。 This is the 'ADMIRAL BENBOW；' a respectable house；
and receives none but decent company； and I'll ask you to go
somewhere else； for I don't like the looks of you。
PEW。 Turn me away？ Why； Lord love you； I'm David Pew … old
David Pew … him as was Benbow's own particular cox'n。 You
wouldn't turn away old Pew from the sign of his late commander's
'ed？ Ah； my British female； you'd have used me different if
you'd seen me in the fight！ ＇There laid old Benbow； both his
legs shot off； in a basket； and the blessed spy…glass at his eye
to that same hour： a picter； ma'am； of naval daring： when a
round shot come； and took and knocked a bucketful of shivers
right into my poor daylights。 'Damme；' says the Admiral； 'is
that old Pew； MY old Pew？' he says。 … 'It's old Pew； sir；' says
the first lootenant； 'worse luck；' he says。 … 'Then damme；' says
Admiral Benbow； 'if that's how they serve a lion…'arted seaman；
damme if I care to live；' he says； and； ma'am； he laid down his
spy…glass。＇
MRS。 DRAKE。 Blind man； I don't fancy you； and that's the truth；
and I'll thank you to take yourself off。
PEW。 Thirty years have I fought for country and king； and now in
my blind old age I'm to be sent packing from a measly
public…'ouse？ Mark ye； ma'am； if I go； you take the
consequences。 Is this a inn？ Or haint it？ If it is a inn； then
by act of parleyment； I'm free to sling my 'ammick。 Don't you
forget： this is a act of parleyment job； this is。 You look out。
MRS。 DRAKE。 Why； what's to do with the man and his acts of
parliament？ I don't want to fly in the face of an act of
parliament； not I。 If what you say is true …
PEW。 True？ If there's anything truer than a act of parleyment …
Ah！ you ask the beak。 True？ I've that in my 'art as makes me
wish it wasn't。
MRS。 DRAKE。 I don't like to risk it。 I don't like your looks；
and you're more sea…lawyer than seaman to my mind。 But I'll tell
you what： if you can pay； you can stay。 So there。
PEW。 No chink； no drink？ That's your motto； is it？ Well；
that's sense。 Now； look here； ma'am； I ain't beautiful like you；
but I'm good； and I'll give you warrant for it。 Get me a noggin
of rum； and suthin' to scoff； and a penny pipe； and a half…a…foot
of baccy； and there's a guinea for the reckoning。 There's plenty
more in the locker； so bear a hand； and be smart。 I don't like
waiting； it ain't my way。 （EXIT MRS。 DRAKE； R。 PEW SITS AT THE
TABLE； R。 THE SETTLE CONCEALS HIM FROM ALL THE UPPER PART OF THE
STAGE。）
MRS。 DRAKE （RE…ENTERING）。 Here's the rum； sailor。
PEW （DRINKS）。 Ah； rum！ That's my sheet…anchor： rum and the
blessed Gospel。 Don't you forget that； ma'am： rum and the
Gospel is old Pew's sheet…anchor。 You can take for another while
you're about it； and； I say； short reckonings make long friends；
hey？ Where's my change？
MRS。 DRAKE。 I'm counting it now。 There； there it is； and thank
you for your custom。 （SHE GOES OUT； R。）
PEW （CALLING AFTER HER）。 Don't thank me； ma'am； thank the act of
parleyment！ Rum； fourpence； two penny pieces and a Willi'm…and…
Mary tizzy makes a shilling； and a spade half…guinea is eleven
and six （RE…ENTER MRS。 DRAKE WITH SUPPER； PIPE； ETC。）； and a
blessed majesty George the First crown…piece makes sixteen and
six； and two shilling bits is eighteen and six； and a new
half…crown makes … no it don't！ O； no！ Old Pew's too smart a
hand to be bammed with a soft half…tusheroon。
MRS。 DRAKE （CHANGING PIECE）。 I'm sure I didn't know it； sailor。
PEW （TRYING NEW COIN BETWEEN HIS TEETH）。 In course you didn't；
my dear； but I did； and I thought I'd mention it。 Is that my
supper； hey？ Do my nose deceive me？ （SNIFFING AND FEELING。）
Cold duck？ sage and onions？ a round of double Gloster？ and that
noggin o' rum？ Why； I declare if I'd stayed and took pot…luck
with my old commander； Cap'n John Gaunt； he couldn't have beat
this little spread； as I've got by act of parleyment。
MRS。 DRAKE （AT KNITTING）。 Do you know the captain； sailo