第35章

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 Englishman--behold { me He is himALL.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 him--don't go near him--

He is swearing--he is swearing!

SIR JOSEPH.My pain and my distress, I find it is not easy to express;My amazement--my surprise--You may learn from the expression of my eyes!

CAPT.My lord--one word--the 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 JOSEPHINEALL.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 fellow--for you are a fine fellow--RALPH.Yes, your honour.

SIR JOSEPH.How came your captain so far to forget himself? Iam 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.

Enter JOSEPHINE; she rushes to RALPH'S armsJOS.Darling! (SIR JOSEPH horrified.)RALPH.She is the figurehead of my ship of life--the bright beacon that guides me into my port of happiness--that the rarest, the purest gem that ever sparkled on a poor but worthy fellow's trusting brow!

ALL.Very pretty, very pretty!

SIR JOSEPH.Insolent sailor, you shall repent this outrage.

Seize him!

(Two Marines seize him and handcuff him.)JOS.Oh, Sir Joseph, spare him, for I love him tenderly.

SIR JOSEPH.Pray, don't.I will teach this presumptuous mariner to discipline his affections.Have you such a thing as a dungeon on board?

ALL.We have!

DICK.They have!

SIR JOSEPH.Then load him with chains and take him there at once!

OCTETTE

RALPH.Farewell, my own, Light of my life, farewell!

For crime unknown I go to a dungeon cell.

JOS.I will atone.

In the meantime farewell!

And all alone Rejoice in your dungeon cell!

SIR JOSEPH.A bone, a bone I'll pick with this sailor fell;Let him be shown at once At once to his dungeon cell.

BOATSWAIN, DICK DEADEYE, and COUSIN HEBE

He'll hear no tone Of the maiden he loves so well!

No telephone Communicates with his cell!

BUT.(mysteriously).But when is known The secret I have to tell, Wide will be thrown The door of his dungeon cell.

ALL.For crime unknown He goes to a dungeon cell!

[RALPH is led off in custody.

SIR JOSEPH.My pain and my distress Again it is not easy to express.

My amazement, my surprise, Again you may discover from my eyes.

ALL.How terrible the aspect of his eyes!

BUT.Hold! Ere upon your loss You lay much stress, A long-concealed crime I would confess.

SONG--BUTTERCUP

A many years ago, When I was young and charming, As some of you may know, I practised baby-farming.

ALL.Now this is most alarming!

When she was young and charming, She practised baby-farming, A many years ago.

BUT.Two tender babes I nursed:

One was of low condition, The other, upper crust, A regular patrician.

ALL (explaining to each other).

Now, this is the position:

One was of low condition, The other a patrician, A many years ago.

BUT.Oh, bitter is my cup!

However could I do it?

I mixed those children up, And not a creature knew it!

ALL.However could you do it?

Some day, no doubt, you'll rue it, Although no creature knew it, So many years ago.

BUT.In time each little waif Forsook his foster-mother, The well born babe was Ralph--Your captain was the other!!!

ALL.They left their foster-mother, The one was Ralph, our brother, Our captain was the other, A many years ago.

SIR JOSEPH.Then I am to understand that Captain Corcoran and Ralph were exchanged in childhood's happy hour--that Ralph is really the Captain, and the Captain is Ralph?

BUT.That is the idea I intended to convey, officially!

SIR JOSEPH.And very well you have conveyed it.

BUT.Aye! aye! yer 'onour.

SIR JOSEPH.Dear me! Let them appear before me, at once!

[RALPH.enters as CAPTAIN; CAPTAIN as a common sailor.JOSEPHINErushes to his armsJOS.My father--a common sailor!

CAPT.It is hard, is it not, my dear?

SIR JOSEPH.This is a very singular occurrence; I congratulate you both.(To RALPH.) Desire that remarkably fine seaman to step forward.

RALPH.Corcoran.Three paces to the front--march!

CAPT.If what?

RALPH.If what? I don't think I understand you.

CAPT.If you please.

SIR JOSEPH.The gentleman is quite right.If you please.