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and that's your best p'int o' sailing； Commander； intelleck is
your best p'int … as a man with a 'ed for argyment； how do I make
it out？
KIT。 Aha； you're a sly dog； you're a deep dog； Pew； but you
can't get the weather of Kit French。 How do I make it out？ I'll
tell you。 I make it out like this： Your name's Pew； ain't it？
Very well。 And you know Admiral Guinea； and that's his name； eh？
Very well。 Then you're Pew； and the Admiral's the Admiral； and
you know the Admiral； and by George； that's all。 Hey？ Drink
about； boys； drink about！
PEW。 Lord love you； if I'd a…had a 'ed like yours！ Why the
Admiral was my first cap'n。 I was that man's bo'sun； I was；
aboard the ARETHUSA； and we was like two brothers。 Did you never
hear of Guinea…land and the black ivory business？ （SINGS） …
'A quick run to the south we had； and when we made the Bight
We kept the offing all day long and crossed the bar at night。
Six hundred niggers in the hold and seventy we did stow；
And when we'd clapped the hatches on； 'twas time for us to go。'
Lay forward； lads！
KIT AND PEW （IN CHORUS） …
'Time for us to go；' etc。
KIT。 I say； Pew； I like you； you're a damned ugly dog； but I
like you。 But look ye here； Pew： fair does it； you know； or we
part company this minute。 If you and the Ad … the Admirable were
like brothers on the Guinea coast； why aren't you like brothers
here？
PEW。 Ah； I see you coming。 What a 'ed！ what a 'ed！ Since Pew
is a friend of the family； says you； why didn't he sail in and
bear a hand； says you； when you was knocking the Admiral's ship
about his ears in argyment？
KIT。 Well； Pew； now you put a name to it； why not？
PEW。 Ah； why not？ There I recko'nise you。 ＇Well； see here：
argyment's my weakness； in a manner of speaking； I wouldn't
a…borne down and spiled sport； not for gold untold； no； not for
rum； I wouldn't！ And besides； Commander； I put it to you； as
between man and man； would it have been seaman…like to let on and
show myself to a old shipmate； when he was yard…arm to yard…arm
with a craft not half his metal； and getting blown out of water
every broadside？ Would it have been 'ansome？ I put it to you；
as between man and man。
KIT。 Pew； I may have gifts； but I never thought of that。 Why；
no： not seaman…like。 Pew； you've a heart； that's what I like
you for。
PEW。 Ah； that I have： you'll see。 I wanted … now you follow me
… I wanted to keep square with Admiral Guinea。＇ Why？ says you。
Well； put it that I know a fine young fellow when I sees him； and
put it that I wish him well； and put it； for the sake of
argyment； that the father of that lovely female's in my power。
Aha？ Pew's Power！ Why； in my 'ands he's like this pocket
'andke'cher。 Now； brave boy； do you see？
KIT。 No； Pew； my head's gone； I don't see。
PEW。 Why； cheer up； Commander！ You want to marry this lovely
female？
KIT。 Ay； that I do； but I'm not fit for her； Pew； I'm a drunken
dog； and I'm not fit for her。
PEW。 Now； Cap'n； you'll allow a old seaman to be judge： one as
sailed with 'Awke and blessed Benb… with 'Awke and noble Anson。
You've been open and above…board with me； and I'll do the same by
you： it being the case that you're hard hit about a lovely
woman； which many a time and oft it has happened to old Pew； and
him with a feeling 'art that bleeds for you； Commander； why look
here： I'm that girl's godfather； promised and vowed for her； I
did； and I like you； and you're the man for her； and； by the
living Jacob； you shall splice！
KIT。 David Pew； do you mean what you say？
PEW。 Do I mean what I say？ Does David Pew？ Ask Admiral 'Awke！
Ask old Admiral Byng in his coffin； where I laid him with these
lands！ Pew does； is what those naval commanders would reply。
Mean it？ I reckon so。
KIT。 Then； shake hands。 You're an honest man； Pew … old Pew！ …
and I'll make your fortune。 But there's something else； if I
could keep the run of it。 O； ah！ But CAN you？ That's the
point。 Can you； don't you see？
PEW。 Can I？ You leave that to me； I'll bring you to your
moorings； I'm the man that can； and I'm him that will。 But only；
look here； let's understand each other。 You're a bold blade；
ain't you？ You won't stick at a trifle for a lovely female？
You'll back me up？ You're a man； ain't you？ a man； and you'll
see me through and through it； hey？ Come； is that so？ Are you
fair and square and stick at nothing？
KIT。 Me； Pew？ I'll go through fire and water。
PEW。 I'll risk it。 … Well； then； see here； my son： another
swallow and we jog。
KIT。 No； not to…night； Pew； not to…night！
PEW。 Commander； in a manner of speaking； wherefore？
KIT。 Wherefore； Pew？ 'Cause why； Pew？ 'Cause I'm drunk； and be
damned to you！
PEW。 Commander； I ax your pardon； but； saving your presence；
that's a lie。 What？ drunk？ a man with a 'ed for argyment like
that？ just you get up； and steady yourself on your two pins； and
you'll be as right as ninepence。
＇KIT。 Pew； before we budge； let me shake your flipper again。
You're heart of oak； Pew； sure enough； and if you can bring the
Adam … Admirable about； why； damme； I'll make your fortune！ How
you're going to do it； I don't know； but I'll stand by； and I
know you'll do it if anybody can。 But I'm drunk； Pew； you can't
deny that： I'm as drunk as a Plymouth fiddler； Pew； and how
you're going to do it is a mystery to me。
PEW。 Ah； you leave that to me。 All I want is what I've got：
your promise to stand by and bear a hand （PRODUCING A DARK
LANTERN）。＇ Now； here； you see； is my little glim； it ain't for
me； because I'm blind； worse luck！ and the day and night is the
blessed same to David Pew。 But you watch。 You put the candle
near me。 Here's what there ain't mony blind men could do； take
the pick o' them！ （LIGHTING A SCREW OF PAPER； AND WITH THAT； THE
LANTERN）。 Hey？ That's it。 Hey？ Go and pity the poor blind！
KIT （WHILE PEW BLOWS OUT THE CANDLES）。 But I say； Pew； what do
you want with it？
PEW。 To see by； my son。 （HE SHUTS THE LANTERN AND PUTS IT IN
HIS POCKET。 STAGE QUITE DARK。 MOONLIGHT AT WINDOW。） All
ship…shape？ No sparks about？ No？ Come； then； lean on me and
heave ahead for the lovely female。 （SINGING SOTTO VOCE） …
'Time for us to go； Time for us to go； And when we'd clapped the
hatches on； 'Twas time for us to go。'
DROP
ACT III。
The Stage represents the Admiral's house； as in Act I。 GAUNT
seated； is reading aloud； ARETHUSA sits at his feet。 Candles
SCENE I
ARETHUSA； GAUNT
＇GAUNT （READING）。 'And Ruth said； Intreat me not to leave thee；
or to return from following after thee： for whither thou goest；
I will go； and where thou lodgest； I will lodge： thy people
shall be my people； and thy God my God： Where thou diest； will I
die； and there will I be buried： the Lord do so to me； and more
also； if aught but death part thee and me。' （HE CLOSES THE
BOOK。） Amen。
ARETHUSA。 Amen。 Father； there spoke my heart。＇
GAUNT。 Arethusa； the Lord in his mercy has seen right to vex us
with trials of many kinds。 It is a little matter to endure the
pangs of the flesh： the smart of wounds； the passion of hunger
and thirst； the heaviness of disease； and in this world I have
learned to take thought for nothing save the quiet of your soul。
It is through our affections that we are smitten with the true
pain； even the pain that kills。
ARETHUSA。 And yet this pain is our natural lot。 Father； I fear
to boast； but I know that I can bear it。 Let my life； then； flow
like common lives； each pain rewarded with some pleasure； each
pleasure linked with some pain： nothing pure whether for good or
evil： and my husband； like myself and all the rest of us； only a
poor； kind…hearted sinner； striving for the better part。 What
more could any woman ask？
GAUNT。 Child； child； your words are like a sword。 What would
she ask？ Look upon me whom； in the earthly sense； you are
commanded to respect。 Look upon me： do I bear a mark？ is there
any outward sign to bid a woman avoid and flee from me？
ARETHUSA。 I see nothing but the face I love。
GAUNT。 There is none： nor yet on the young man Christopher；
whose words still haunt and upbraid me。 Yes； I am hard； I was
born hard； born a tyrant； born to be what I was； a slaver
captain。 But to…night； and to save you； I will pluck my heart
out of my bosom。 You shall know what makes me what I am； you
shall hear； out of my own life； why I dread and deprecate this
marriage。 Child； do you remember your mother？
ARETHUSA。 Remember her？ Ah； if she had been here to…day！
GAUNT。 It is thirteen years since she departed； and took with
her the whole sunshine of my life。 Do you remember the manner of
her departure？ You were a child； and cannot； but I can and do。
Remember？ shall I ever forget？ Here or hereafter； ever forget！
Ten years she was my wife； and ten years she lay a…dying。
Arethusa； she was a saint on earth； and it was I that killed her。
ARETHUSA。 Killed her？ my mother？ You？
GAUNT。 Not with my hand； for I loved her。 I would not have hurt
one hair upon her head。 But she got her death by me； as sure as
by a blo