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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 blow。
ARETHUSA。 I understand … I can see： you brood on trifles；
misunderstandings； unkindnesses you think them； though my mother
never knew of them； or never gave them a second thought。 It is
natural； when death has come between。
GAUNT。 I married her from Falmouth。 She was comely as the roe；
I see her still … her dove's eyes and her smile！ I was older
than she； and I had a name for hardness； a hard and wicked man；
but she loved me … my Hester！ … and she took me as I was。 O how
I repaid her trust！ Well； our child was born to us； and we named
her after the brig I had built and sailed； the old craft whose
likeness … older than you； girl … stands there above our heads。
And so far； that was happiness。 But she yearned for my
salvation； and it was there I thwarted her。 My sins were a
burden upon her spirit； a shame to her in this world； her terror
in the world to come。 She talked much and often of my leaving
the devil's trade I sailed in。 She had a tender and a Christian
heart； and she would weep and pray for the poor heathen creatures
that I bought and sold and shipped into misery； till my
conscience grew hot within me。 I've put on my hat； and gone out
and made oath that my next cargo should be my last； but it never
was； that oath was never kept。 So I sailed again and again for
the Guinea coast； until the trip came that was to be my last
indeed。 Well； it fell out that we had good luck trading； and I
stowed the brig with these poor heathen as full as she would
hold。 We had a fair run westward till we were past the line； but
one night the wind rose and there came a hurricane； and for seven
days we were tossed on the deep seas； in the hardest straits； and
every hand on deck。 For several days they were battened down：
all that time we heard their cries and lamentations； but worst at
the beginning； and when at last； and near dead myself； I crept
below … O！ some they were starved； some smothered； some dead of
broken limbs； and the hold was like a lazar…house in the time of
the anger of the Lord！
ARETHUSA。 O！
GAUNT。 It was two hundred and five that we threw overboard： two
hundred and five lost souls that I had hurried to their doom。 I
had many die with me before； but not like that … not such a
massacre as that； and I stood dumb before the sight。 For I saw I
was their murderer … body and soul their murderer； and； Arethusa；
my Hester knew it。 That was her death…stroke： it felled her。
She had long been dying slowly； but from the hour she heard that
story； the garment of the flesh began to waste and perish； the
fountains of her life dried up； she faded before my face； and in
two months from my landing … O Hester； Hester； would God I had
died for thee！
ARETHUSA。 Mother！ O poor soul！ O poor father！ O father； it
was hard on you。
GAUNT。 The night she died； she lay there； in her bed。 She took
my hand。 'I am going；' she said； 'to heaven。 For Christ's
sake；' she said； 'come after me； and bring my little maid。 I'll
be waiting and wearying till you come；' and she kissed my hand；
the hand that killed her。 At that I broke out calling on her to
stop； for it was more than I could bear。 But no； she said she
must still tell me of my sins； and how the thought of them had
bowed down her life。 'And O！' she said； 'if I couldn't prevail
on you alive； let my death。' 。 。 。 Well； then； she died。 What
have I done since then？ I've laid my course for Hester。 Sin；
temptation； pleasure； all this poor shadow of a world； I saw them
not： I saw my Hester waiting； waiting and wearying。 I have made
my election sure； my sins I have cast them out。 Hester； Hester；
I will come to you； poor waiting one； and I'll bring your little
maid： ay； dearest soul； I'll bring your little maid safe with
me！
ARETHUSA。 O teach me how！ Show me the way！ only show me。 … O
mother； mother！ … If it were paved with fire； show me the way；
and I will walk it bare…foot！
GAUNT。 They call me a miser。 They say that in this sea…chest of
mine I hoard my gold。 （HE PASSES R。 TO CHEST； TAKES OUT KEY； AND
UNLOCKS IT。） They think my treasure and my very soul are locked
up here。 They speak after the flesh； but they are right。 See！
ARETHUSA。 Her watch？ the wedding ring？ O father； forgive me！
GAUNT。 Ay； her watch that counted the hours when I was away；
they were few and sorrowful； my Hester's hours； and this poor
contrivance numbered them。 The ring … with that I married her。
This chain； it's of Guinea gold； I brought it home for her； the
year before we married； and she wore it to her wedding。 It was a
vanity： they are all vanities； but they are the treasure of my
soul。 Below here； see； her wedding dress。 Ay； the watch has
stopped： dead； dead。 And I know that my Hester died of me； and
day and night； asleep and awake； my soul abides in her
remembrance。
ARETHUSA。 And you come in your sleep to look at them。 O poor
father！ I understand … I understand you now。
GAUNT。 In my sleep？ Ay？ do I so？ My Hester！
ARETHUSA。 And why； why did you not tell me？ I thought … I was
like the rest！ … I feared you were a miser。 O； you should have
told me； I should have been so proud … so proud and happy。 I
knew you loved her； but not this； not this。
GAUNT。 Why should I have spoken？ It was all between my Hester
and me。
ARETHUSA。 Father； may I speak？ May I tell you what my heart
tells me？ You do not understand about my mother。 You loved her
… O； as few men can love。 And she loved you： think how she
loved you！ In this world； you know … you have told me … there is
nothing perfect。 All we men and women have our sins； and they
are a pain to those that love us； and the deeper the love； the
crueller the pain。 That is life； and it is life we ask； not
heaven； and what matter for the pain； if only the love holds on？
Her love held： then she was happy！ Her love was immortal； and
when she died； her one grief was to be parted from you； her one
hope to welcome you again。
GAUNT。 And you； Arethusa： I was to bring her little maid。
ARETHUSA。 God bless her； yes； and me！ But； father； can you not
see that she was blessed among women？
GAUNT。 Child； child； you speak in ignorance； you touch upon
griefs you cannot fathom。
ARETHUSA。 No； dearest； no。 She loved you； loved you and died of
it。 Why else do women live？ What would I ask but just to love
my Kit and die for him； and look down from heaven； and see him
keep my memory holy and live the nobler for my sake？
GAUNT。 Ay； do you so love him？
ARETHUSA。 Even as my mother loved my father。
GAUNT。 Ay？ Then we will see。 What right have I … You are your
mother's child： better； tenderer； wiser than I。 Let us seek
guidance in prayer。 Good…night； my little maid。
ARETHUSA。 O father； I know you at last。
SCENE II
GAUNT and ARETHUSA go out； L。； carrying the candles。 Stage dark。
A distant clock chimes the quarters； and strikes one。 Then； the
tap…tapping of Pew's stick is hear without； the key is put into
the lock； and enter PEW； C。； he pockets key； and is followed by
KIT； with dark lantern
PEW。 Quiet； you lubber！ Can't you foot it soft； you that has
daylights and a glim？
KIT。 All right； old boy。 How the devil did we get through the
door？ Shall I knock him up？
PEW。 Stow your gab （SEIZING HIS WRIST）。 Under your breath！
KIT。 Avast that！ You're a savage dog； aren't you？
PEW。 Turn on that glim。
KIT。 It's as right as a trivet； Pew。 What next？ By George；
Pew； I'll make your fortune。
PEW。 Here； now； look round this room； and sharp。 D'ye see a old
sea…chest？
KIT。 See it； Pew？ why； d'ye think I'm blind？
PEW。 Take me across； and let me feel of her。 Mum； catch my
hand。 Ah； that's her （FEELING THE CHEST）； that's the Golden
Mary。 Now； see here； my bo； if you've the pluck of a weevil in a
biscuit； this girl is yours； if you hain't； and think to sheer
off； I'm blind； but I'm deadly。
KIT。 You'll keep a civil tongue in your head all the same。 I'll
take threats from nobody； blind or not。 Let's knock up the
Admiral and be done with it。 What I want is to get rid of this
dark lantern。 It makes me feel like a housebreaker； by George。
PEW （SEATED ON CHEST）。 You follow this。 I'm sick of drinking
bilge； when I might be rolling in my coach； and I'm dog…sick of
Jack Gaunt。 Who's he to be wallowing in gold； when a better man
is groping crusts in the gutter and spunging for rum？ Now； here
in this blasted chest is the gold to make men of us for life：
gold； ay； gobs of it； and writin's too … things that if I had the
proof of 'em I'd hold Jack Gaunt to the grindstone till his face
was flat。 I'd have done it single…handed； but I'm blind； worse
luck： I'm all in the damned dark here； poking with a stick …
Lord； burn up with lime the eyes that saw it！ That's why I raked
up you。 Come； out with your iron； and prise the lid off。 You
shall touch your snack； and have the wench for nothing； ay； and
fling her in the street； when done。
KIT。 So you brought me