plays-第32章
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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'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 th
