第34章
SIR JOSEPH.Madam, I desire to convey to you officially my opinion that love is a platform upon which all ranks meet.
JOS.I thank you, Sir Joseph.I did hesitate, but I will hesitate no longer.(Aside.) He little thinks how eloquently he has pleaded his rival's cause!
TRIO
FIRST LORD, CAPTAIN, and JOSEPHINE
CAPT.Never mind the why and wherefore, Love can level ranks, and therefore, Though his lordship's station's mighty, Though stupendous be his brain, Though your tastes are mean and flighty And your fortune poor and plain, CAPT.and Ring the merry bells on board-ship, SIR JOSEPH.Rend the air with warbling wild, For the union of { his } lordship my With a humble captain's child!
CAPT.For a humble captain's daughter--JOS.For a gallant captain's daughter--SIR JOSEPH.And a lord who rules the water--JOS.(aside).And a tar who ploughs the water!
ALL.Let the air with joy be laden, Rend with songs the air above, For the union of a maiden With the man who owns her love!
SIR JOSEPH.Never mind the why and wherefore, Love can level ranks, and therefore, Though your nautical relation (alluding to CAPT.)In my set could scarcely pass--Though you occupy a station In the lower middle class--CAPT.and Ring the merry bells on board-ship, SIR JOSEPH Rend the air with warbling wild, For the union of { my } lordship your With a humble captain's child!
CAPT.For a humble captain's daughter--JOS.For a gallant captain's daughter--SIR JOSEPH.And a lord who rules the water--JOS.(aside).And a tar who ploughs the water!
ALL.Let the air with joy be laden, Rend with songs the air above, For the union of a maiden With the man who owns her love!
JOS.Never mind the why and wherefore, Love can level ranks, and therefore I admit the jurisdiction;Ably have you played your part;You have carried firm conviction To my hesitating heart.
CAPT.and Ring the merry bells on board-ship, SIR JOSEPH.Rend the air with warbling wild, For the union of { my } lordship his With a humble captain's child!
CAPT.For a humble captain's daughter--JOS.For a gallant captain's daughter--SIR JOSEPH.And a lord who rules the water--JOS.(aside).And a tar who ploughs the water!
(Aloud.) Let the air with joy be laden.
CAPT.and SIR JOSEPH.Ring the merry bells on board-ship--JOS.For the union of a maiden--CAPT.and SIR JOSEPH.For her union with his lordship.
ALL.Rend with songs the air above For the man who owns her love!
[Exit JOS.
CAPT.Sir Joseph, I cannot express to you my delight at the happy result of your eloquence.Your argument was unanswerable.
SIR JOSEPH.Captain Corcoran, it is one of the happiest characteristics of this glorious country that official utterances are invariably regarded as unanswerable.[Exit SIRJOSEPH.
CAPT.At last my fond hopes are to be crowned.My only daughter is to be the bride of a Cabinet Minister.The prospect is Elysian.
(During this speech DICK DEADEYE has entered.)DICK.Captain.
CAPT.Deadeye! You here? Don't! (Recoiling from him.)DICK.Ah, don't shrink from me, Captain.I'm unpleasant to look at, and my name's agin me, but I ain't as bad as I seem.
CAPT.What would you with me?
DICK (mysteriously).I'm come to give you warning.
CAPT.Indeed! do you propose to leave the Navy then?
DICK.No, no, you misunderstand me; listen!
DUET
CAPTAIN and DICK DEADEYE
DICK.Kind Captain, I've important information, Sing hey, the kind commander that you are, About a certain intimate relation, Sing hey, the merry maiden and the tar.
BOTH.The merry maiden and the tar.
CAPT.Good fellow, in conundrums you are speaking, Sing hey, the mystic sailor that you are;The answer to them vainly I am seeking;Sing hey, the merry maiden and the tar.
BOTH The merry maiden and the tar.
DICK.Kind Captain, your young lady is a-sighing, Sing hey, the simple captain that you are, This very might with Rackstraw to be flying;Sing hey, the merry maiden and the tar.
BOTH.The merry maiden and the tar.
CAPT.Good fellow, you have given timely warning, Sing hey, the thoughtful sailor that you are, I'll talk to Master Rackstraw in the morning:
Sing hey, the cat-o'-nine-tails and the tar.
(Producing a "cat".)
BOTH.The merry cat-o'-nine-tails and the tar!
CAPT.Dick Deadeye--I thank you for your warning--I will at once take means to arrest their flight.This boat cloak will afford me ample disguise--So! (Envelops himself in a mysterious cloak, holding it before his face.)DICK.Ha, ha! They are foiled--foiled--foiled!
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 was--it 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--