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！
how laughable a manner fate repaid me！ The waiting…girl derided；
the mistress denied； and now comes in this very ardent champion
who publicly insults me。 My vanity is cured； you will judge it
right； I am persuaded； all of you； that I should accept my proper
punishment in silence； you； my Lord Duke； to pardon this young
gentleman； and you； Mr。 Musgrave； to spare me further
provocation； which I am determined to ignore。
DOROTHY （RUSHING FORWARD； FALLING AT AUSTIN'S KNEES； AND SEIZING
HIS HAND）。 George； George； it was for me。 My hero！ take me！
What you will！
AUSTIN （IN AN AGONY）。 My dear creature； remember that we are in
public。 （RAISING HER。） Your Royal Highness； may I present you
Mrs。 George Frederick Austin？ （THE CURTAIN FALLS ON A FEW BARS
OF THE 'LASS OF RICHMOND HILL。'）
THE END
Play： ADMIRAL GUINEA
DEDICATED WITH AFFECTION AND ESTEEM TO ANDREW LANG BY THE
SURVIVORS OF THE WALRUS
SAVANNAH； this 27TH day of SEPTEMBER 1884
PERSONS REPRESENTED
JOHN GAUNT； called 'ADMIRAL GUINEA；' once Captain of the Slaver
ARETHUSA。
ARETHUSA GAUNT； his Daughter。
DAVID PEW； a Blind Beggar； once Boatswain of the ARETHUSA
KIT FRENCH； a Privateersman。
MRS。 DRAKE； Landlady of the ADMIRAL BENBOW Inn。
The Scene is laid in the neighbourhood of Barnstaple。 The Time
is about the year 1760。 The action occupies part of a day and
night。
NOTE。 … PASSAGES SUGGESTED FOR OMISSION IN REPRESENTATION ARE
ENCLOSED IN SQUARE BRACKETS； THUS ＇ ＇。
ADMIRAL GUINEA
ACT I。
The Stage represents a room in the Admiral Guinea's house：
fireplace； arm…chair； and table with Bible； L。； towards the
front； door C。； with window on each side； the window on the R。；
practicable； doors； R。 and L。； back； corner cupboard； a brass…
strapped sea…chest fixed to the wall and floor； R。； cutlasses；
telescopes； sextant； quadrant； a calendar； and several maps upon
the wall； a ship clock； three wooden chairs； a dresser against
wall； R。 C。； on the chimney…piece the model of a brig and several
shells。 The centre bare of furniture。 Through the widows and
the door； which is open； green trees and a small field of sea。
SCENE I
ARETHUSA IS DISCOVERED； DUSTING
ARETHUSA。 Ten months and a week to…day！ Now for a new mark。
Since the last； the sun has set and risen over the fields and the
pleasant trees at home； and on Kit's lone ship and the empty sea。
Perhaps it blew； perhaps rained； （AT THE CHART） perhaps he was
far up here to the nor'ard； where the icebergs sail； perhaps at
anchor among these wild islands of the snakes and buccaneers。 O；
you big chart； if I could see him sailing on you！ North and
South Atlantic； such a weary sight of water and no land； never an
island for the poor lad to land upon。 But still； God's there。
（SHE TAKES DOWN THE TELESCOPE TO DUST IT。） Father's spy…glass
again； and my poor Kit perhaps with such another； sweeping the
great deep！
SCENE II
ARETHUSA； to her； KIT； C。 ＇He enters on tiptoe； and she does not
see or hear him＇
ARETHUSA （DUSTING TELESCOPE）。 At sea they have less dust at
least： that's so much comfort。
KIT。 Sweetheart； ahoy！
ARETHUSA。 Kit！
KIT。 Arethusa。
ARETHUSA。 My Kit！ Home again … O my love！ … home again to me！
KIT。 As straight as wind and tide could carry me！
ARETHUSA。 O Kit； my dearest。 O Kit … O！ O！
KIT。 Hey？ Steady； lass： steady； I say。 For goodness' sake；
ease it off。
ARETHUSA。 I will； Kit … I will。 But you came so sudden。
KIT。 I thought ten months of it about preparation enough。
ARETHUSA。 Ten months and a week： you haven't counted the days
as I have。 Another day gone； and one day nearer to Kit： that
has been my almanac。 How brown you are！ how handsome！
KIT。 A pity you can't see yourself！ Well； no； I'll never be
handsome： brown I may be； never handsome。 But I'm better than
that； if the proverb's true； for I'm ten hundred thousand fathoms
deep in love。 I bring you a faithful sailor。 What！ you don't
think much of that for a curiosity？ Well； that's so： you're
right； the rarity is in the girl that's worth it ten times over。
Faithful？ I couldn't help it if I tried！ No； sweetheart； and I
fear nothing： I don't know what fear is； but just of losing you。
（STARTING。） Lord； that's not the Admiral？
ARETHUSA。 Aha； Mr。 Dreadnought！ you see you fear my father。
KIT。 That I do。 But； thank goodness； it's nobody。 Kiss me：
no； I won't kiss you： kiss ME。 I'll give you a present for
that。 See！
ARETHUSA。 A wedding…ring！
KIT。 My mother's。 Will you take it？
ARETHUSA。 Yes； will I … and give myself for it。
KIT。 Ah； if we could only count upon your father！ He's a man
every inch of him； but he can't endure Kit French。
ARETHUSA。 He hasn't learned to know you； Kit； as I have； nor yet
do you know him。 He seems hard and violent； at heart he is only
a man overwhelmed with sorrow。 Why else； when he looks at me and
does not know that I observe him； should his face change； and
fill with such tenderness； that I could weep to see him？ Why；
when he walks in his sleep； as he does almost every night； his
eyes open and beholding nothing； why should he cry so pitifully
on my mother's name？ Ah； if you could hear him then； you would
say yourself： here is a man that has loved； here is a man that
will be kind to lovers。
KIT。 Is that so？ Ay； it's a hard thing to lose your wife； ay；
that must cut the heart indeed。 But for all that； my lass； your
father is keen for the doubloons。
ARETHUSA。 Right； Kit： and small blame to him。 There is only
one way to be honest； and the name of that is thrift。
KIT。 Well； and that's my motto。 I've left the ship； no more
letter of marque for me。 Good…bye to Kit French； privateersman's
mate； and how…d'ye…do to Christopher； the coasting skipper。 I've
seen the very boat for me： I've enough to buy her； too； and to
furnish a good house； and keep a shot in the locker for bad luck。
So far； there's nothing to gainsay。 So far it's hopeful enough；
but still there's Admiral Guinea； you know … and the plain truth
is that I'm afraid of him。
ARETHUSA。 Admiral Guinea？ Now Kit； if you are to be true lover
of mine； you shall not use that name。 His name is Captain Gaunt。
As for fearing him； Kit French； you're not the man for me； if you
fear anything but sin。 He's a stern man because he's in the
right。
KIT。 He is a man of God； I am what he calls a child of
perdition。 I was a privateersman … serving my country； I say；
but he calls it pirate。 He is thrifty and sober； he has a
treasure； they say； and it lies so near his heart that he tumbles
up in his sleep to stand watch over it。 What has a harum…scarum
dog like me to expect from a man like him？ He won't see I'm
starving for a chance to mend； 'Mend；' he'll say； 'I'll be shot
if you mend at the expense of my daughter；' and the worst of it
is； you see； he'll be right。
ARETHUSA。 Kit； if you dare to say that faint…hearted word again；
I'll take my ring off。 What are we here for but to grow better
or grow worse？ Do you think Arethusa French will be the same as
Arethusa Gaunt？
KIT。 I don't want her