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fling her in the street； when done。
KIT。 So you brought me here to steal did you？
PEW。 Ay did I； and you shall。 I'm a biter： I bring blood。
KIT。 Now； Pew； you came here on my promise； or I'd kill you like
a rat。 As it is； out of that door！ One； two； three （DRAWING HIS
CUTLASS）； and off！
PEW （LEAPING AT HIS THROAT； AND WITH A GREAT VOICE）。 Help！
murder！ thieves！
SCENE III
To these； ARETHUSA； GAUNT； with lights。 Stage light。 PEW has
KIT down； and is throttling him
PEW。 I've got him； Cap'n。 What； kill my old commander； and rob
him of his blessed child？ Not with old Pew！
GAUNT。 Get up； David： can't you see you're killing him？
Unhand； I say。
ARETHUSA。 In heaven's name； who is it？
PEW。 It's a damned villain； my pretty； and his name； to the best
of my belief； is French。
ARETHUSA。 Kit？ Kit French？ Never！
KIT （RISING）。 He's done for me。 （FALLS ON CHEST。）
＇PEW。 Don't you take on about him； ducky； he ain't worth it。
Cap'n Gaunt； I took him and I give him up。 You was 'ard on me
this morning； Cap'n： this is my way … Pew's way； this is … of
paying of you out。
ARETHUSA。 Father； this is the blind man that came while you were
abroad。 Sure you'll not listen to HIM。 And you； Kit； you； what
is this？
KIT。 Captain Gaunt； that blind devil has half…throttled me。 He
brought me here … I can't speak … he has almost killed me … and
I'd been drinking too。
GAUNT。 And you； David Pew； what do you say？＇
PEW。 Cap'n； the rights of it is this。 Me and that young man
there was partaking in a friendly drop of rum at the ADMIRAL
BENBOW inn； and I'd just proposed his blessed Majesty； when the
young man he ups and says to me： 'Pew；' he says； 'I like you；
Pew： you're a true seaman；' he says； 'and I'm one as sticks at
nothing； and damme； Pew；' he says； 'I'll make your fortune。'
＇Can he deny as them was his words？ Look at him； you as has
eyes： no； he cannot。 'Come along of me；' he says； 'and damme；
I'll make your fortune。'＇ Well； Cap'n； he lights a dark lantern
（which you'll find it somewhere on the floor； I reckon）； and out
we goes； me follerin' his lead； as I thought was 'art…of…oak and
a true…blue mariner； and the next I knows is； here we was in
here； and him a…askin' me to 'old the glim； while he prised the
lid off of your old sea…chest with his cutlass。
GAUNT。 The chest？ （HE LEAPS； R。； AND EXAMINES CHEST。） Ah！
PEW。 Leastways； I was to 'elp him； by his account of it； while
he nailed the rhino； and then took and carried off that lovely
maid of yours； for a lovely maid she is； and one as touched old
Pew's 'art Cap'n； when I 'eard that； my blood biled。 'Young
man；' I says； 'you don't know David Pew；' I says； and with that I
ups and does my dooty by him； cutlass and all； like a lion…'arted
seaman； though blind。 ＇And then in comes you； and I gives him
up： as you know for a fack is true； and I'll subscribe at the
Assizes。 And that； if you was to cut me into junks； is the
truth； the 'ole truth； and nothing but the truth； world without
end； so help me； amen； and if you'll 'and me over the 'oly Bible；
me not having such a thing about me at the moment； why； I'll put
a oath upon it like a man。＇
ARETHUSA。 Father； have you heard？
＇GAUNT。 I know this man； Arethusa； and the truth is not in him。
ARETHUSA。 Well； and why do we wait？ We know Kit； do we not？
KIT。 Ay； Captain； you know the pair of us； and you can see his
face and mine。＇
GAUNT。 Christopher； the facts are all against you。 I find you
here in my house at midnight： you who at least had eyes to see；
and must have known whither you were going。 It was this man； not
you； who called me up： and when I came in； it was he who was
uppermost and who gave you up to justice。 This unsheathed
cutlass is yours； there hangs the scabbard； empty； and as for the
dark lantern； of what use is light to the blind？ and who could
have trimmed and lighted it but you？
PEW。 Ah； Cap'n； what a 'ed for argyment！
KIT。 And now； sir； now that you have spoken； I claim the liberty
to speak on my side。
GAUNT。 Not so。 I will first have done with this man。 David
Pew； it were too simple to believe your story as you tell it； but
I can find no testimony against you。 From whatever reason；
assuredly you have done me service。 Here are five guineas to set
you on your way。 Begone at once； and while it is yet time； think
upon your repentance。
PEW。 Cap'n； here's my respecks。 You've turned a pious man；
Cap'n； it does my 'art good to 'ear you。 But you ain't the only
one。 O no！ I came about and paid off on the other tack before
you； I reckon： you ask the Chaplain of the Fleet else； as called
me on the quarter…deck before old Admiral 'Awke himself （TOUCHING
HIS HAT）； my old commander。 ＇'David Pew；' he says；
'five…and…thirty year have I been in this trade； man and boy；'
that chaplain says； 'and damme； Pew；' says he； 'if ever I seen
the seaman that could rattle off his catechism within fifty mile
of you。 Here's five guineas out of my own pocket；' he says； 'and
what's more to the pint；' he says； 'I'll speak to my reverend
brother…in…law； the Bishop of Dover；' he says； 'and if ever you
leave the sea； and wants a place as beadle； why damme；' says he；
'you go to him； for you're the man for him； and him for you。'
GAUNT。 David Pew； you never set your foot on a King's ship in
all your life。 There lies the road。
PEW。 Ah； you was always a 'ard man； Cap'n； and a 'ard man to
believe； like Didymus the 'Ebrew prophet。 But it's time for me
to go； and I'll be going。 My service to you； Cap'n： and I kiss
my 'and to that lovely female。
'Time for us to go；
Time for us to go； A
nd when we'd clapped the hatches on；
'Twas time for us to go。'
SCENE IV
KIT； ARETHUSA； GAUNT
ARETHUSA。 Now； Kit？
KIT。 Well； sir； and now？
GAUNT。 I find you here in my house at this untimely and unseemly
hour； I find you there in company with one who； to my assured
knowledge； should long since have swung in the wind at Execution
Dock。 What brought you？ Why did you open my door while I slept
to such a companion？ Christopher French； I have two treasures。
One （LAYING HIS HAND ON ARETHUSA'S SHOULDER） I know you covet。
Christopher； is this your love？
KIT。 Sir； I have been fooled and trapped。 That man declared he
knew you； declared he could make you change your mind about our
marriage。 I was drunk； sir； and I believed him： heaven knows I
am sober now； and can see my folly； but I believed him then； and
followed him。 He brought me here； he told me your chest was full
of gold that would make men of us for life。 At that I saw my
fault； sir； and drew my cutlass； and he； in the wink of an eye；
roared out for help； leaped at my throat like a weasel and had me
rolling on the floor。 He was quick； and I； as I tell you； sir；
was off my balance。
GAUNT。 Is this man； Pew； your enemy？
KIT。 No sir； I never saw him till to…night。
GAUNT。 Then； if you must stand the justice of your country； come
to the proof with a better plea。 What？ lantern and cutlass
yours； you the one that knew the house； you the one that saw； you
the one overtaken and denounced； and you spin me a galley yarn
like that？ If that is all your defence； you'll hang； sir； hang。
ARETHUSA。 Ah！ Father； I give him up： I will never see him；
never speak to him； never think of him again； I take him from my
heart； I give myself wholly up to you and to my mother； I will
obey you in every point … O； not at a word merely … at a finger
raised！ I will do all this； I will do anything … anything you
bid me； I swear it in the face of heaven。 Only … Kit！ I love
him； father； I love him。 Let him go。
＇GAUNT。 Go？
ARETHUSA。 You let the other。 Open the door again … for my sake；
father … in my mother's name … O； open the door and let him go。＇
KIT。 Let me go？ My girl； if you had cast me out is morning；
good and well： I would have left you； though it broke my heart。
But it's a changed story now； now I'm down on my luck； and you
come and stab me from behind。 I ask no favour； and I'll take
none； I stand here on my innocence； and God helping me I'll clear
my good name； and get your love again； if it's love worth having。
＇Now； Captain Gaunt； I've said my say； and you may do your
pleasure。 I am my father's son； and I never feared to face the
truth。
GAUNT。 You have spoken like a man； French； and you may go。 I
leave you free。
KIT。 Nay； sir； not so： not with my will。 I'm accused and
counted guilty； the proofs are against me； the girl I love has
turned upon me。 I'll accept no mercy at your hands。＇ Captain
Gaunt； I am your prisoner。
ARETHUSA。 Kit； dear Kit …
GAUNT。 Silence！ Young man； I have offered you liberty without
bond or condition。 You refuse。 You shall be judged。 Meanwhile
（OPENING THE DOOR； R。）； you will go in here。 I keep your
cutlass。 The night brings counsel： to…morrow shall decide。 （HE
LOCKS KIT IN； LEAVING THE KEY IN THE DOOR。）
SCENE V
GAUNT； ARETHUSA； afterwards PEW
ARETHUSA。 Father； you believe in him； you do； I know you do。
GAUNT。 Child； I am not given to be hasty。 I will pray and sleep
u