plays-第31章
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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 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 e
