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！
（Producing a
〃cat〃。）
BOTH。 The merry cat…o'…nine…tails and the tar！
CAPT。 Dick DeadeyeI thank you for your warningI will at
once take
means to arrest their flight。 This boat cloak will afford me
ample
disguiseSo！ （Envelops himself in a mysterious cloak； holding it
before
his face。）
DICK。 Ha； ha！ They are foiledfoiledfoiled！
Enter Crew on tiptoe； with RALPH and BOATSWAIN meeting
JOSEPHINE； who
enters from cabin on tiptoe； with bundle of necessaries； and
accompanied by LITTLE BUTTERCUP。
ENSEMBLE
Carefully on tiptoe stealing；
Breathing gently as we may；
Every step with caution feeling；
We will softly steal away。
（CAPTAIN stamps）Chord。
ALL （much alarmed）。 Goodness me
Why； what was that？
DICK。 Silent be；
It was the cat！
ALL。 （reassured）。 It wasit was the cat！
CAPT。 （producing cat…o'…nine…tails）。 They're right； it was the
cat！
ALL。 Pull ashore； in fashion steady；
Hymen will defray the fare；
For a clergyman is ready
To unite the happy pair！
（Stamp as before； and Chord。）
ALL。 Goodness me；
Why； what was that？
DICK。 Silent be；
Again the cat！
ALL。 It was again that cat！
CAPT。 （aside）。 They're right； it was the cat！
CAPT。 （throwing off cloak）。 Hold！ （All start。）
Pretty daughter of mine；
I insist upon knowing
Where you may be going
With these sons of the brine；
For my excellent crew；
Though foes they could thump any；
Are scarcely fit company；
My daughter； for you。
CREW。 Now； hark at that； do！
Though foes we could thump any；
We are scarcely fit company
For a lady like you！
RALPH。 Proud officer； that haughty lip uncurl！
Vain man； suppress that supercilious sneer；
For I have dared to love your matchless girl；
A fact well known to all my messmates here！
CAPT。 Oh； horror！
RALPH and Jos。 ｛ I ｝ humble； poor； and lowly born；
He
The meanest in the port division
The butt of epauletted scorn
The mark of quarter…deck derision
Have ｝ dare to raise ｛ my ｝ wormy eyes
Has his
Above the dust to which you'd mould ｛ me
him
In manhood's glorious pride to rise；
I am ｝ an Englishmanbehold ｛ me
He is him
ALL。 He is an Englishman！
BOAT。 He is an Englishman！
For he himself has said it；
And it's greatly to his credit；
That he is an Englishman！
ALL。 That he is an Englishman！
BOAT。 For he might have been a Roosian；
A French； or Turk； or Proosian；
Or perhaps Itali…an！
ALL。 Or perhaps Itali…an！
BOAT。 But in spite of all temptations
To belong to other nations；
He remains an Englishman！
ALL。 For in spite of all temptations； etc。
CAPT。 （trying to repress his anger）。
In uttering a reprobation
To any British tar；
I try to speak with moderation；
But you have gone too far。
I'm very sorry to disparage
A humble foremast lad；
But to seek your captain's child in marriage；
Why damme； it's too bad
＇During this； COUSIN HEBE and FEMALE RELATIVES have entered。
ALL （shocked）。 Oh！
CAPT。 Yes； damme； it's too bad！
ALL。 Oh！
CAPT。 and DICK DEADEYE。 Yes； damme； it s too bad。
＇During this； SIR JOSEPH has appeared on poop…deck。 He is
horrified
at the bad language。
HEBE。 Did you hear him？ Did you hear him？
Oh； the monster overbearing！
Don't go near himdon't go near him
He is swearinghe is swearing！
SIR JOSEPH。 My pain and my distress；
I find it is not easy to express；
My amazementmy surprise
You may learn from the expression of my eyes！
CAPT。 My lordone wordthe facts are not before
you
The word was injudicious； I allow
But hear my explanation； I implore you；
And you will be indignant too； I vow！
SIR JOSEPH。 I will hear of no defence；
Attempt none if you're sensible。
That word of evil sense
Is wholly indefensible。
Go； ribald； get you hence
To your cabin with celerity。
This is the consequence
Of ill…advised asperity
＇Exit CAPTAIN； disgraced； followed by
JOSEPHINE
ALL。 This is the consequence；
Of ill…advised asperity！
SIR JOSEPH。 For I'll teach you all； ere long；
To refrain from language strong
For I haven't any sympathy for ill…bred
taunts！
HEBE。 No more have his sisters； nor his cousins；
nor his
aunts。
ALL。 For he is an Englishman； etc。
SIR JOSEPH。 Now； tell me； my fine fellowfor you are a fine
fellow
RALPH。 Yes； your honour。
SIR JOSEPH。 How came your captain so far to forget himself？ I
am quite
sure you had given him no cause for annoyance。
RALPH； Please your honour； it was thus…wise。 You see I'm only a
topman…
…a mere foremast hand
SIR JOSEPH。 Don't be ashamed of that。 Your position as a topman
is a
very exalted one。
RALPH。 Well； your honour； love burns as brightly in the
fo'c'sle as it
does on the quarter…deck； and Josephine is the fairest bud that
ever
blossomed upon the tree of a poor fellow's wildest hopes。