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father！ I understand … I understand you now。
GAUNT。 In my sleep？ Ay？ do I so？ My Hester！
ARETHUSA。 And why； why did you not tell me？ I thought … I was
like the rest！ … I feared you were a miser。 O； you should have
told me； I should have been so proud … so proud and happy。 I
knew you loved her； but not this； not this。
GAUNT。 Why should I have spoken？ It was all between my Hester
and me。
ARETHUSA。 Father； may I speak？ May I tell you what my heart
tells me？ You do not understand about my mother。 You loved her
… O； as few men can love。 And she loved you： think how she
loved you！ In this world； you know … you have told me … there is
nothing perfect。 All we men and women have our sins； and they
are a pain to those that love us； and the deeper the love； the
crueller the pain。 That is life； and it is life we ask； not
heaven； and what matter for the pain； if only the love holds on？
Her love held： then she was happy！ Her love was immortal； and
when she died； her one grief was to be parted from you； her one
hope to welcome you again。
GAUNT。 And you； Arethusa： I was to bring her little maid。
ARETHUSA。 God bless her； yes； and me！ But； father； can you not
see that she was blessed among women？
GAUNT。 Child； child； you speak in ignorance； you touch upon
griefs you cannot fathom。
ARETHUSA。 No； dearest； no。 She loved you； loved you and died of
it。 Why else do women live？ What would I ask but just to love
my Kit and die for him； and look down from heaven； and see him
keep my memory holy and live the nobler for my sake？
GAUNT。 Ay； do you so love him？
ARETHUSA。 Even as my mother loved my father。
GAUNT。 Ay？ Then we will see。 What right have I … You are your
mother's child： better； tenderer； wiser than I。 Let us seek
guidance in prayer。 Good…night； my little maid。
ARETHUSA。 O father； I know you at last。
SCENE II
GAUNT and ARETHUSA go out； L。； carrying the candles。 Stage dark。
A distant clock chimes the quarters； and strikes one。 Then； the
tap…tapping of Pew's stick is hear without； the key is put into
the lock； and enter PEW； C。； he pockets key； and is followed by
KIT； with dark lantern
PEW。 Quiet； you lubber！ Can't you foot it soft； you that has
daylights and a glim？
KIT。 All right； old boy。 How the devil did we get through the
door？ Shall I knock him up？
PEW。 Stow your gab （SEIZING HIS WRIST）。 Under your breath！
KIT。 Avast that！ You're a savage dog； aren't you？
PEW。 Turn on that glim。
KIT。 It's as right as a trivet； Pew。 What next？ By George；
Pew； I'll make your fortune。
PEW。 Here； now； look round this room； and sharp。 D'ye see a old
sea…chest？
KIT。 See it； Pew？ why； d'ye think I'm blind？
PEW。 Take me across； and let me feel of her。 Mum； catch my
hand。 Ah； that's her （FEELING THE CHEST）； that's the Golden
Mary。 Now； see here； my bo； if you've the pluck of a weevil in a
biscuit； this girl is yours； if you hain't； and think to sheer
off； I'm blind； but I'm deadly。
KIT。 You'll keep a civil tongue in your head all the same。 I'll
take threats from nobody； blind or not。 Let's knock up the
Admiral and be done with it。 What I want is to get rid of this
dark lantern。 It makes me feel like a housebreaker； by George。
PEW （SEATED ON CHEST）。 You follow this。 I'm sick of drinking
bilge； when I might be rolling in my coach； and I'm dog…sick of
Jack Gaunt。 Who's he to be wallowing in gold； when a better man
is groping crusts in the gutter and spunging for rum？ Now； here
in this blasted chest is the gold to make men of us for life：
gold； ay； gobs of it； and writin's too … things that if I had the
proof of 'em I'd hold Jack Gaunt to the grindstone till his face
was flat。 I'd have done it single…handed； but I'm blind； worse
luck： I'm all in the damned dark here； poking with a stick …
Lord； burn up with lime the eyes that saw it！ That's why I raked
up you。 Come； out with your iron； and prise the lid off。 You
shall touch your snack； and have the wench for nothing； ay； and
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 Bi