八喜电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > plays >

第23部分

plays-第23部分

小说: plays 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



morning before breakfast?

ARETHUSA。  You leave this house。

PEW。  Hey? (HE CROSSES AND SEIZES HER AGAIN)  Don't you fight; my
lovely one:  now don't make old blind Pew forget his manners
before a female。  What! you will?  Stop that; or I'll have the
arm right out of your body。  (HE GIVES HER ARM A WRENCH。)

ARETHUSA。  O! help; help!

PEW。  Stash your patter; damn you。  (ARETHUSA GIVES IN。)  Ah; I 
thought it:  Pew's way; Pew's way。  Now; look you here; my lovely 
woman。  If you sling in another word that isn't in answer to my 
questions; I'll pull your j'ints out one by one。  Where's the 
Commander?

ARETHUSA。  I have said:  he is abroad。

PEW。  When's he coming aboard again?

ARETHUSA。  At any moment。

PEW。  Does he keep his strength?

ARETHUSA。  You'll see when he returns。  (HE WRENCHES HER ARM 
AGAIN。)  Ah!

PEW。  Is he still on piety?

ARETHUSA。  O; he is a Christian man!

PEW。  A Christian man; is he?  Where does he keep his rum?

ARETHUSA。  Nay; you shall steal nothing by my help。

PEW。  No more I shall (BECOMING AMOROUS)。  You're a lovely woman;
that's what you are; how would you like old Pew for a sweetheart;
hey?  He's blind; is Pew; but strong as a lion; and the sex is
his 'ole delight。  Ah; them beautiful; beautiful lips!  A kiss! 
Come!

ARETHUSA。  Leave go; leave go!

PEW。  Hey? you would?

ARETHUSA。  Ah!  (SHE THRUSTS HIM DOWN; AND ESCAPES TO DOOR; R。)


SCENE VII

PEW (PICKING HIMSELF UP)。  Ah; she's a bouncer; she is!  Where's
my stick?  That's the sort of female for David Pew。  Didn't she
fight? and didn't she struggle? and shouldn't I like to twist her
lovely neck for her?  Pew's way with 'em all:  the prettier they
was; the uglier he were to 'em。  Pew's way:  a way he had with
him; and a damned good way too。  (LISTENS AT L。 DOOR。)  That's
her bedroom; I reckon; and she's double…locked herself in。  Good
again:  it's a crying mercy the Admiral didn't come in。  But you
always loses your 'ed; Pew; with a female:  that's what charms
'em。  Now for business。  The front door。  No bar; only a big lock
(TRYING KEYS FROM HIS POCKET)。  Key one; no go。  Key two; no go。 
Key three; ah; that does it。  Ah! (FEELING KEY) him with the
three wards and the little 'un:  good again!  Now if I could only
find a mate in this rotten country 'amlick:  one to be eyes to
me; I can steer; but I can't conn myself; worse luck!  If I could
only find a mate!  And to…night; about three bells in the middle
watch; old Pew will take a little cruise; and lay aboard his
ancient friend the Admiral; or; barring that; the Admiral's old
sea…chest … the chest he kept the shiners in aboard the brig。 
Where is it; I wonder? in his berth; or in the cabin here?  It's
big enough; and the brass bands is plain to feel by。  (SEARCHING
ABOUT WITH STICK。)  Dresser … chair … (KNOCKING HIS HEAD ON THE
CUPBOARD。)  Ah! … O; corner cupboard。  Admiral's chair …
Admiral's table … Admiral's … hey! what's this? … a book …
sheepskin … smells like a 'oly Bible。  Chair (HIS STICK  JUST
AVOIDS THE CHEST)。  No sea…chest。  I must have a mate to see for
me; to see for old Pew:  him as had eyes like a eagle!  
Meanwhile; rum。  Corner cupboard; of course (TAP…TAPPING)。  Rum …
rum … rum。  Hey?  (HE LISTENS。)  Footsteps。  Is it the Admiral?  
(WITH THE WHINE。)  Kind Christian friends …


SCENE VIII

PEW; to him GAUNT

GAUNT。  What brings you here?

PEW。  Cap'n; do my ears deceive me? or is this my old commander?

GAUNT。  My name is John Gaunt。  Who are you; my man; and what's 
your business?

PEW。  Here's the facks; so help me。  A lovely female in this
house was Christian enough to pity the poor blind; and lo and
belold! who should she turn out to be but my old commander's
daughter!  'My dear;' says I to her; 'I was the Admiral's own
particular bo'sun。' … 'La; sailor;' she says to me; 'how glad
he'll be to see you!' … 'Ah;' says I; 'won't he just … that's
all。' … 'I'll go and fetch him;' she says; 'you make yourself at
'ome。'  And off she went; and; Commander; here I am。

GAUNT (SITTING DOWN)。  Well?

PEW。  Well; Cap'n?

GAUNT。  What do you want?

PEW。  Well; Admiral; in a general way; what I want in a manner of
speaking is money and rum。  (A PAUSE。)

GAUNT。  David Pew; I have known you a long time。

PEW。  And so you have; aboard the old ARETHUSA; and you don't
seem that cheered up as I'd looked for; with an old shipmate
dropping in; one as has been seeking you two years and more … and
blind at that。  Don't you remember the old chantie? …

'Time for us to go; 
Time for us to go; 
And when we'd clapped the hatches on; 
'Twas time for us to go。  

What a note you had to sing; what a swaller for a pannikin of
rum; and what a fist for the shiners!  Ah; Cap'n; they didn't
call you Admiral Guinea for nothing。  I can see that old
sea…chest of yours … her with the brass bands; where you kept
your gold dust and doubloons:  you know! … I can see her as well
this minute as though you and me was still at it playing put on
the lid of her 。 。 。  You don't say nothing; Cap'n?  。 。 。  Well;
here it is:  I want money and I want rum。  You don't know what it
is to want rum; you don't:  it gets to that p'int; that you would
kill a 'ole ship's company for just one guttle of it。  What? 
Admiral Guinea; my old Commander; go back on poor old Pew? and
him high and dry?  'Not you!  When we had words over the negro
lass at Lagos; what did you do? fair dealings was your word: 
fair as between man and man; and we had it out with p'int and
edge on Lagos sands。  And you're not going back on your word to
me; now I'm old and blind?  No; no! belay that; I say。  Give me
the old motto:  Fair dealings; as between man and man。'

GAUNT。  David Pew; it were better for you that you were sunk in 
fifty fathom。  I know your life; and first and last; it is one 
broadside of wickedness。  You were a porter in a school; and beat
a boy to death; you ran for it; turned slaver; and shipped with
me; a green hand。  Ay; that was the craft for you:  that was the
right craft; and I was the right captain; there was none worse
that sailed to Guinea。  Well; what came of that?  In five years'
time you made yourself the terror and abhorrence of your
messmates。  The worst hands detested you; your captain … that was
me; John Gaunt; the chief of sinners … cast you out for a Jonah。 
'Who was it stabbed the Portuguese and made off inland with his
miserable wife?  Who; raging drunk on rum; clapped fire to the
baracoons and burned the poor soulless creatures in their
chains?'  Ay; you were a scandal to the Guinea coast; from Lagos
down to Calabar? and when at last I sent you ashore; a marooned
man … your shipmates; devils as they were; cheering and rejoicing
to be quit of you … by heaven; it was a ton's weight off the
brig!

PEW。  Cap'n Gaunt; Cap'n Gaunt; these are ugly words。

GAUNT。  What next?  You shipped with Flint the Pirate。  What you 
did then I know not; the deep seas have kept the secret:  kept
it; ay; and will keep against the Great Day。  God smote you with 
blindness; but you heeded not the sign。  That was His last mercy;
look for no more。  To your knees; man; and repent!  Pray for a
new heart; flush out your sins with tears; flee while you may
from the terrors of the wrath to come。

PEW。  Now; I want this clear:  Do I understand that you're going 
back on me; and you'll see me damned first?

GAUNT。  Of me you shall have neither money nor strong drink:  not
a guinea to spend in riot; not a drop to fire your heart with 
devilry。

PEW。  Cap'n; do you think it wise to quarrel with me?  I put it
to you now; Cap'n; fairly; as between man and man … do you think
it wise?

GAUNT。  I fear nothing。  My feet are on the Rock。  Begone!  (HE 
OPENS THE BIBLE AND BEGINS TO READ。)

PEW (AFTER A PAUSE)。  Well; Cap'n; you know best; no doubt; and 
David Pew's about the last man; though I says it; to up and
thwart an old Commander。  You've been 'ard on David Pew; Cap'n: 
'ard on the poor blind; but you'll live to regret it … ah; my
Christian friend; you'll live to eat them words up。  But there's
no malice here:  that ain't Pew's way; here's a sailor's hand
upon it 。 。 。 。 You don't say nothing?  (GAUNT TURNS A PAGE。) 
Ah; reading; was you?  Reading; by thunder!  Well; here's my
respecks (SINGING) …

'Time for us to go; Time for us to go; When the money's out; and
the liquor's done; Why; it's time for us to go。

(HE GOES TAPPING UP TO DOOR; TURNS ON THE THRESHOLD; AND LISTENS。
GAUNT TURNS A PAGE。  PEW; WITH A GRIMACE; STRIKES HIS HAND UPON
THE POCKET WITH THE KEYS; AND GOES。)

DROP。


ACT II。

The Stage represents the parlour of the 'Admiral Benbow' inn。  
Fire…place; R。; with high…backed settles on each side; in front
of these; and facing the audience; R。; a small table laid with a 
cloth。  Tables; L。; with glasses; pipes; etc。  Broadside ballads
on the wall。  Outer door of inn; with the half…door in L。; corner
back; door; R。; beyond the fire…place; window with red half…
curtains; spittons; candles on both the front tables; night 
without。

SCENE I

PEW; afterwards MRS。 DRAKE; out and in。

PEW (ENTERING)。  Kind Christian friends … (LISTENING; THEN
DROPPING  THE WHINE。)  Hey? nobody!  Hey?  A grog…shop not two
cable…lengths from the Admiral's back…door; and the Admiral not
there?  I never knew a seaman brought so low:  he ain't but the
bones of the man he used to be。  Bear away for the New Jerusalem;
and this is what you run aground on; is it?  Good again; but it
ain't Pew's way; Pew's way is rum。 … Sanded floor。  Rum is his
word; and rum his motion。 … Settle … chimbley … settle again …
spittoon … table rigged for supper。  Table…glass。  (DRINKS
HEELTAP。) Brandy and water; and not enough of it to wet your eye;
damn all greediness; I say。  Pot (DRINKS); small beer … a drink
that I ab'or like bilge!  What I want is rum。  (CALLING; AND
RAPPING WITH STICK ON TABLE。)  Halloa; there!  House; ahoy!

MRS。 DRAKE (WITHOUT)。  Coming; sir; coming。  (SHE ENTERS; R。) 
What can I do … ? (SEEING PEW。)  Well I never did!  Now;
beggar…man; what's for you?

'PEW。  Rum; ma'am; rum; and a bit o' supper。

MRS。 DRAKE。  And a bed to follow; I shouldn't wond

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的