按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
this little spread； as I've got by act of parleyment。
MRS。 DRAKE （AT KNITTING）。 Do you know the captain； sailor？
PEW。 Know him？ I was that man's bos'un； ma'am。 In the Guinea
trade； we was known as 'Pew's Cap'n；' and 'Gaunt's Bo'sun；' one
for other like。 We was like two brothers； ma'am。 And a
excellent cold duck； to be sure； and the rum lovely。
MRS。 DRAKE。 If you know John Gaunt； you know his daughter
Arethusa。
PEW。 What？ Arethusa？ Know her； says you？ know her？ Why； Lord
love you； I was her god…father。 ＇'Pew；' says Jack Gaunt to me；
'Pew；' he says； 'you're a man；' he says； 'I like a man to be a
man；' says he； 'and damme；' he says； 'I like YOU； and sink me；'
says he； 'if you don't promise and vow in the name of that
new…born babe；' he says； 'why damme； Pew；' says he； 'you're not
the man I take you for。'＇ Yes； ma'am； I named that female； with
my own 'ands I did； Arethusa； I named her； that was the name I
give her； so now you know if I speak true。 And if you'll be as
good as get me another noggin of rum； why； we'll drink her 'elth
with three times three。 （EXIT MRS。 DRAKE： PEW EATING。 MRS。
DRAKE RE…ENTERING WITH RUM。）
＇MRS。 DRAKE。 If what you say be true； sailor （and I don't say it
isn't； mind！）； it's strange that Arethusa and that godly man her
father have never so much as spoke your name。
PEW。 Why； that's so！ And why； says you？ Why； when I dropped in
and paid my respecks this morning； do you think she knew me？ No
more'n a babe unborn！ Why； ma'am； when I promised and vowed for
her； I was the picter of a man…o'…war's man； I was： eye like a
eagle； walked the deck in a hornpipe； foot up and foot down；
v'ice as mellow as rum； 'and upon 'art； and all the females took
dead aback at the first sight； Lord bless 'em！ Know me？ Not
likely。 And as for me； when I found her such a lovely woman … by
the feel of her 'and and arm！ … you might have knocked me down
with a feather。 But here's where it is； you see： when you've
been knocking about on blue water for a matter of two…and…forty
year； shipwrecked here； and blown up there； and everywhere out of
luck； and given over for dead by all your messmates and
relations； why； what it amounts to is this： nobody knows you；
and you hardly know yourself； and there you are； and I'll trouble
you for another noggin of rum。
MRS。 DRAKE。 I think you've had enough。
PEW。 I don't； so bear a hand。 （EXIT MRS。 DRAKE； PEW EMPTIES THE
GLASS。） Rum； ah； rum； you're a lovely creature； they haven't
never done you justice。 （PROCEEDS TO FILL AND LIGHT PIPE；
RE…ENTER MRS。 DRAKE WITH RUM。）＇ And now； ma'am； since you're so
genteel and amicable…like； what about my old commander？ Is he；
in a manner of speaking； on half pay？ or is he living on his
fortune； like a gentleman slaver ought？
MRS。 DRAKE。 Well； sailor； people talk； you know。
PEW。 I know； ma'am； I'd have been rolling in my coach； if they'd
have held their tongues。
MRS。 DRAKE。 And they do say that Captain Gaunt； for so pious a
man； is little better than a miser。
PEW。 Don't say it； ma'am； not to old Pew。 Ah； how often have I
up and strove with him！ 'Cap'n； live it down；' says I。 'Ah；
Pew；' says he； 'you're a better man than I am；' he says； 'but
dammne；' he says； 'money；' he says； 'is like rum to me。'
（INSINUATING。） And what about a old sea…chest； hey？ a old
sea…chest； strapped with brass bands？
MRS。 DRAKE。 Why； that'll be the chest in his parlour； where he
has it bolted to the wall； as I've seen with my own eyes； and so
might you； if you had eyes to see with。
PEW。 No； ma'am； that ain't good enough； you don't bam old Pew。
You never was in that parlour in your life。
MRS。 DRAKE。 I never was？ Well； I declare！
PEW。 Well then； if you was； where's the chest？ Beside the
chimbley； hey？ （WINKING。） Beside the table with the 'oly Bible？
MRS。 DRAKE。 No； sailor； you don't get any information out of me。
PEW。 What； ma'am？ Not to old Pew？ Why； my god…child showed it
me herself； and I told her where she'd find my name … P； E； W；
Pew … cut out on the starn of it； and sure enough she did。 Why；
ma'am； it was his old money…box when he was in the Guinea trade；
and they do say he keeps the rhino in it still。
MRS。 DRAKE。 No； sailor； nothing out of me！ And if you want to
know； you can ask the Admiral himself！ （SHE CROSSES； L。）
PEW。 Hey？ Old girl fly？ Then I reckon I must have a mate； if
it was the parish bull。
SCENE II
TO THESE； KIT； A LITTLE DRUNK
KIT （LOOKING IN OVER HALF…DOOR）。 Mrs。 Drake！ Mother！ Where are
you？ Come and welcome the prodigal！
MRS。 DRAKE （COMING FORWARD TO MEET HIM AS HE ENTERS； PEW REMAINS
CONCEALED BY THE SETTLE； SMOKING； DRINKING； AND LISTENING）。 Lord
bless us and save us； if it ain't my boy！ Give us a kiss。
KIT。 That I will； and twenty if you like； old girl。 （KISSES
HER。）
MRS。 DRAKE。 O Kit； Kit； you've been at those other houses； where
the stuff they give you； my dear； it is poison for a dog。
＇KIT。 Round with friends； mother： only round with friends。
MRS。 DRAKE。 Well； anyway； you'll take a glass just to settle it；
from me。 （SHE BRINGS THE BOTTLE； AND FILLS FOR HIM。） There；
that's pure； that'll do you no harm。＇ But O； Kit； Kit； I thought
you were done with all this Jack…a…shoring。
KIT。 What cheer； mother？ I'm only a sheet in the wind； and
who's the worse for it but me？
MRS。 DRAKE。 Ah； and that dear young lady； and her waiting and
keeping single these two years for the love of you！
KIT。 She； mother？ she's heart of oak； she's true as steel； and
good as gold； and she has my ring on her finger； too。 But
where's the use？ The Admiral won't look at me。
MRS。 DRAKE。 Why not？ You're as good a man as him any day。
KIT。 Am I？ He says I'm a devil； and swears that none of his
flesh and blood … that's what he said； mother！ … should lie at my
mercy。 That's what cuts me。 If it wasn't for the good stuff
I've been taking aboard； and the jolly companions I've been
seeing it out with； I'd just go and make a hole in the water； and
be done with it； I would； by George！
MRS。 DRAKE。 That's like you men。 Ah； we know you； we that keeps
a public…house … we know you； good and bad： you go off on a
frolic and forget； and you never think of the women that sit
crying at home。
KIT。 Crying？ Arethusa cry？ Why； dame； she's the
bravest…hearted girl in all broad England！ Here； fill the glass！
I'll win her yet。 I drink to her； here's to her bright eyes； and
here's to the blessed feet she walks upon！
PEW （LOOKING ROUND THE CORNER OF THE SETTLE）。 Spoke like a
gallant seaman； every inch。 Shipmate； I'm a man as has suffered；
and I'd like to shake your fist； and drink a can of flip with
you。
KIT （COMING DOWN）。 Hullo； my hearty！ who the devil are you？
Who's this； mother？
MRS。 DRAKE。 Nay； I know nothing about him。 （SHE GOES OUT； R。）
PEW。 Cap'n； I'm a brother seaman； and my name is Pew； old David
Pew； as you may have heard of in your time； he having sailed
along of 'Awke and glorious Benbow； and a right…'and man to both。
KIT。 Benbow？ Steady； mate！ D'ye mean to say you went to sea
before you were born？
PEW。 See now！ The sign of this here inn was running in my 'ed；
I reckon。 Benbow； says you？ no； not likely！ Anson； I mean；
Anson and Sir Edward 'Awke： that's the pair： I was their
right…'and man。
KIT。 Well； mate； you may be all that； and more； but you're a rum
un to look at； anyhow。
PEW。 Right you are； and so I am。 But what is looks？ It's the
'art that does it： the 'art is the seaman's star； and here's old
David Pew's； a matter of fifty years at sea； but tough and sound
as the British Constitootion。
KIT。 You're right there； Pew。 Shake hands upon it。 And you're
a man they're down upon； just like myself； I see。 We're a pair
of plain； good…hearted； jolly tars； and all these 'longshore
fellows cock a lip at us； by George。 What cheer； mate？
ARETHUSA （WITHOUT）。 Mrs。 Drake！ Mrs。 Drake！
PEW。 What； a female？ hey？ a female？ Board her board her； mate！
I'm dark。 （HE RETIRES AGAIN BEHIND； TO TABLE； R。； BEHIND
SETTLE。）
ARETHUSA （WITHOUT）。 Mrs。 Drake！
MRS。 DRAKE （RE…ENTERING AND RUNNING TO DOOR）。 Here I am； my
dear； come in。
SCENE III
TO THESE； ARETHUSA
ARETHUSA。 Ah； Kit； I've found you。 I thought you would lodge
with Mrs。 Drake。
KIT。 What？ are you looking for your consort？ Whistle； I'm your
dog； I'll come to you。 I've been toasting you fathom deep； my
beauty； and with every glass I love you dearer。
ARETHUSA。 Now Kit； if you want to please my father； this is not
the way。 Perhaps he thinks too much of the guineas： well；
gather them … if you think me worth the price。 Go you to your
sloop； clinker built； eighty tons burthen … you see I remember；
Skipper Kit！ I don't deny I like a man of spirit； but if you
care to please Captain Gaunt； keep out of taverns； and if you
could carry yourself a bit more … more elderly！
＇KIT。 Can I？ Would I？ Ah； just couldn't and just won't I；
then！
MRS。 DRAKE。 I hope； madam； you don't refer to my house； a
publican I may be； but tavern is a word that I don't hold with；
and here there's no