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publican I may be； but tavern is a word that I don't hold with；
and here there's no bad drink； and no loose company； and as for
my blessedest Kit； I declare I love him like my own。
ARETHUSA。 Why； who could help it； Mrs。 Drake？＇
KIT。 Arethusa； you're an angel。 Do I want to please Captain
Gaunt？ Why； that's as much as ask whether I love you。 ＇I don't
deny that his words cut me； for they did。 But as for wanting to
please him； if he was deep as the blue Atlantic； I would beat it
out。 And elderly； too？ Aha； you witch； you're wise！ Elderly？
You've set the course； you leave me alone to steer it。
Matrimony's my port； and love is my cargo。＇ That's a likely
question； ain't it； Mrs。 Drake？ Do I want to please him！
Elderly； says you？ Why； see here： Fill up my glass； and I'll
drink to Arethusa on my knees。
ARETHUSA。 Why； you stupid boy； do you think that would please
him？
KIT。 On my knees I'll drink it！ （AS HE KNEELS AND DRAINS THE
GLASS； GAUNT ENTERS； AND HE SCRAMBLES TO HIS FEET。）
SCENE IV
TO THESE； GAUNT
GAUNT。 Arethusa； this is no place for you。
ARETHUSA。 No； father。
GAUNT。 I wish you had been spared this sight； but look at him；
child； since you are here； look at God's image； so debased。 And
you； young man （TO KIT）； you have proved that I was right。 Are
you the husband for this innocent maid？
KIT。 Captain Gaunt； I have a word to say to you。 Terror is your
last word； you're bitter hard upon poor sinners； bitter hard and
black … you that were a sinner yourself。 These are not the true
colours： don't deceive yourself； you're out of your course。
＇GAUNT。 Heaven forbid that I should be hard； Christopher。 It is
not I； it's God's law that is of iron。 Think！ if the blow were
to fall now； some cord to snap within you； some enemy to plunge a
knife into your heart； this room； with its poor taper light； to
vanish； this world to disappear like a drowning man into the
great ocean； and you； your brain still whirling； to be snatched
into the presence of the eternal Judge： Christopher French； what
answer would you make？ For these gifts wasted； for this rich
mercy scorned； for these high…handed bravings of your better
angel； … what have you to say？
KIT。 Well； sir； I want my word with you； and by your leave I'll
have it out。
ARETHUSA。 Kit； for pity's sake！
KIT。 Arethusa； I don't speak to you； my dear： you've got my
ring； and I know what that means。 The man I speak to is Captain
Gaunt。 I came to…day as happy a man as ever stepped； and with as
fair a look…out。 What did you care？ what was your reply？ None
of your flesh and blood； you said； should lie at the mercy of a
wretch like me！ Am I not flesh and blood that you should trample
on me like that？ Is that charity； to stamp the hope out of a
poor soul？＇
GAUNT。 You speak wildly； or the devil of drink that is in you
speaks instead。
KIT。 You think me drunk？ well； so I am； and whose fault is it
but yours？ It was I that drank； but you take your share of it；
Captain Gaunt： you it was that filled the can。
GAUNT。 Christopher French； I spoke but for your good； your good
and hers。 'Woe unto him' … these are the dreadful words … 'by
whom offences shall come： it were better … ' Christopher； I can
but pray for both of us。
KIT。 Prayers？ Now I tell you freely； Captain Gaunt； I don't
value your prayers。 Deeds are what I ask； kind deeds and words …
that's the true…blue piety： to hope the best and do the best；
and speak the kindest。 As for you； you insult me to my face； and
then you'll pray for me？ What's that？ Insult behind my back is
what I call it！ No； sir； you're out of the course； you're no
good man to my view； be you who you may。
MRS。 DRAKE。 O Christopher！ To Captain Gaunt？
ARETHUSA。 Father； father； come away！
KIT。 Ah； you see？ She suffers too； we all suffer。 You spoke
just now of a devil； well； I'll tell you the devil you have： the
devil of judging others。 And as for me； I'll get as drunk as
Bacchus。
GAUNT。 Come！
SCENE V
PEW； MRS。 DRAKE； KIT
PEW （COMING OUT AND WAVING HIS PIPE）。 Commander； shake！ Hooray
for old England！ If there's anything in the world that goes to
old Pew's 'art； it's argyment。 Commander； you handled him like a
babby； kept the weather gauge； and hulled him every shot。
Commander； give it a name； and let that name be rum！
KIT。 Ay； rum's the sailor's fancy。 Mrs。 Drake； a bottle and
clean glasses。
MRS。 DRAKE。 Kit French； I wouldn't。 Think better of it； there's
a dear！ And that sweet girl just gone！
PEW。 Ma'am； I'm not a 'ard man； I'm not the man to up and force
a act of parleyment upon a helpless female。 But you see here：
Pew's friends is sacred。 Here's my friend here； a perfeck
seaman； and a man with a 'ed upon his shoulders； and a man that；
damme； I admire。 He give you a order； ma'am： … march！
MRS。 DRAKE。 Kit； don't you listen to that blind man； he's the
devil wrote upon his face。
PEW。 Don't you insinuate against my friend。 HE ain't a child； I
hope？ HE knows his business？ Don't you get trying to go a
lowering of my friend in his own esteem。
MRS。 DRAKE。 Well； I'll bring it； Kit； but it's against the
grain。 （EXIT。）
KIT。 I say； old boy； come to think of it； why should we？ It's
been glasses round with me all day。 I've got my cargo。
PEW。 You？ and you just argy'd the 'ed off of Admiral Guinea？ O
stash that！ I stand treat； if it comes to that！
KIT。 What！ Do I meet with a blind seaman and not stand him？
That's not the man I am！
MRS。 DRAKE （RE…ENTERING WITH BOTTLE AND GLASSES）。 There！
PEW。 Easy does it； ma'am。
KIT。 Mrs。 Drake； you had better trot。
MRS。 DRAKE。 Yes； I'll trot； and I trot with a sick heart； Kit
French； to leave you drinking your wits away with that low blind
man。 For a low man you are … a low blind man … and your clothes
they would disgrace a scarecrow。 I'll go to my bed； Kit； and O；
dear boy； go soon to yours … the old room； you know； it's ready
for you … and go soon and sleep it off； for you know； dear； they；
one and all； regret it in the morning； thirty years I've kept
this house； and one and all they did regret it； dear。
PEW。 Come now； you walk！
MRS。 DRAKE。 O； it's not for your bidding。 You a seaman？ The
ship for you to sail in is the hangman's cart。 … Good…night； Kit
dear； and better company！
SCENE VI
PEW； KIT。 They sit at the other table； L。
PEW。 Commander； here's HER 'ealth！
KIT。 Ay； that's the line： HER health！ But that old woman there
is a good old woman； Pew。
PEW。 So she is； Commander。 But there's no woman understands a
seaman； now you and me； being both bred to it； we splice by
natur'。 As for A。 G。； if argyment can win her； why； she's yours。
If I'd a…had your 'ed for argyment； damme； I'd a…been a Admiral；
I would！ And if argyment won't win her； well； see here； you put
your trust in David Pew。
KIT。 David Pew； I don't know who you are； David Pew； I never
heard of you； I don't seem able to clearly see you。 Mrs。 Drake；
she's a smart old woman； Pew； and she says you've the devil in
your face。
PEW。 Ah； and why； says you？ Because I up and put her in her
place； when she forgot herself to you； Commander。
KIT。 Well； Pew； that's so； you stood by me like a man。 Shake
hands； Pew； and we'll make a night of it； or we'll know why； old
boy！
PEW。 That's my way。 That's Pew's way； that is。 That's Pew's
way all over。 Commander； excuse the liberty； but when I was your
age； making allowance for a lowlier station and less 'ed for
argyment； I was as like you as two peas。 I know it by the v'ice
（SINGS） …
'We hadn't been three days at sea before we saw a sail；
So we clapped on every stitch would stand； although it blew a
gale；
And we walked along full fourteen knots； for the barkie she did
know
As well as ever a soul on board； 'twas time for us to go。'
Chorus； Cap'n！
PEW AND KIT （IN CHORUS） …
'Time for us to go；
Time for us to go；
As well as ever a soul on board；
'Twas time for us to go。'
PEW （SINGS） …
'We carried away the royal yard； and the stunsail boom was gone；
Says the skipper； 〃They may go or stand； I'm damned if I don't
crack on；
So the weather braces we'll round in； and the trysail set also；
And we'll keep the brig three p'ints away； for it's time for us
to go。
Give it mouth； Commander！
PEW AND KIT （IN CHORUS） …
'Time for us to go；
Time for us to go；
And we'll keep the brig three p'ints away；
For it's time for us to go。'
PEW。 I ain't sung like that since I sang to Admiral 'Awke； the
night before I lost my eyes； I ain't。 'Sink me！' says he； says
Admiral 'Awke； my old commander （TOUCHING HIS HAT）； 'sink me！' he
says； 'if that ain't 'art…of…oak；' he says： ''art…of…oak；' says
he； 'and a pipe like a bloody blackbird！' Commander； here's my
respecks； and the devil fly away with Admiral Guinea！
KIT。 I say； Pew； how's this？ How do you know about Admiral
Guinea？ I say； Pew； I begin to think you know too much。
PEW。 I ax your pardon； but as a man with a 'ed for argyment …
and that's your best p'int o' sailing； Commander； intelleck is
your best p'in