the complete plays-第23章
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foolish
fancies； they torture you but needlessly。 Come； make one effort。
RALPH （aside）。 I willone。 （Aloud。） Josephine！
JOS。 （Indignantly）。 Sir！
RALPH。 Aye； even though Jove's armoury were launched at the
head of the
audacious mortal whose lips； unhallowed by relationship； dared to
breathe
that precious word； yet would I breathe it once； and then
perchance be
silent evermore。 Josephine； in one brief breath I will
concentrate the
hopes； the doubts； the anxious fears of six weary months。
Josephine； I am
a British sailor； and I love you！
JOS。 Sir； this audacity！ （Aside。） Oh； my heart； my beating
heart！
（Aloud。） This unwarrantable presumption on the part of a common
sailor！
（Aside。） Common！ oh； the irony of the word！ （Crossing； aloud。）
Oh； sir；
you forget the disparity in our ranks。
RALPH。 I forget nothing； haughty lady。 I love you desperately；
my life
is in your handI lay it at your feet！ Give me hope； and what I
lack in
education and polite accomplishments； that I will endeavour to
acquire。
Drive me to despair； and in death alone I shall look for
consolation。 I
am proud and cannot stoop to implore。 I have spoken and I wait
your word。
JOS。 You shall not wait long。 Your proffered love I haughtily
reject。
Go； sir； and learn to cast your eyes on some village maiden in
your own
poor rankthey should be lowered before your captain's daughter。
DUETJOSEPHINE and RALPH
JOS。 Refrain； audacious tar；
Your suit from pressing；
Remember what you are；
And whom addressing！
（Aside。） I'd laugh my rank to scorn
In union holy；
Were he more highly born
Or I more lowly！
RALPH。 Proud lady； have your way；
Unfeeling beauty！
You speak and I obey；
It is my duty！
I am the lowliest tar
That sails the water；
And you； proud maiden； are
My captain's daughter！
（Aside。） My heart with anguish torn
Bows down before her；
She laughs my love to scorn；
Yet I adore her！
＇Repeat refrain； ensemble； then exit JOSEPHINE into cabin。
RALPH。 （Recit。） Can I survive this overbearing
Or live a life of mad despairing；
My proffered love despised； rejected？
No； no； it's not to be expected！
（Calling off。）
Messmates； ahoy！
Come here！ Come here！
Enter SAILORS； HEBE； and RELATIVES
ALL。 Aye； aye； my boy；
What cheer； what cheer？
Now tell us； pray；
Without delay；
What does she say
What cheer； what cheer？
RALPH （to COUSIN HEBE）。 The maiden treats my suit with scorn；
Rejects my humble gift； my lady；
She says I am ignobly born；
And cuts my hopes adrift； my lady。
ALL。 Oh； cruel one。
DICK。 She spurns your suit？ Oho！ Oho！
I told you so； I told you so。
SAILORS and RELATIVES。
Shall ｛ we ｝ submit？ Are ｛ we ｝ but slaves？
they they
Love comes alike to high and low
Britannia's sailors rule the waves；
And shall they stoop to insult？ No！
DICK。 You must submit； you are but slaves；
A lady she！ Oho！ Oho！
You lowly toilers of the waves；
She spurns you allI told you so！
RALPH。 My friends； my leave of life I'm taking；
For oh； my heart； my heart is breaking。
When I am gone； oh； prithee tell
The maid that； as I died； I loved her well！
ALL （turning away； weeping）。 Of life； alas！ his leave he's
taking；
For ah！ his faithful heart is breaking；
When he is gone we'll surely tell
The maid that； as he died； he loved her well。
＇During Chorus BOATSWAIN has loaded pistol； which he hands to
RALPH。
RALPH。 Be warned； my messmates all
Who love in rank above you
For Josephine I fall！
＇Puts pistol to his head。 All the sailors stop their
ears。
Enter JOSEPHINE on deck
JOS。 Ah！ stay your handI love you！
ALL。 Ah！ stay your handshe loves you！
RALPH。 （incredulously）。 Loves me？
JOS。 Loves you！
ALL。 Yes； yesah； yes；she loves you！
ENSEMBLE
SAILORS and RELATIVES and JOSEPHINE
Oh joy； oh rapture unforeseen；
For now the sky is all serene；
The god of daythe orb of love
Has hung his ensign high above；
The sky is all ablaze。
With wooing words and loving song；
We'll chase the lagging hours along；
And if ｛I find ｝ the maiden coy；
we find
I'll ｝ murmur forth decorous joy
We'll
In dreamy roundelays！
DICK DEADEYE
He thinks he's won his Josephine；
But though the sky is now serene；
A frowning thunderbolt above
May end their ill…assorted love
Which now is all ablaze。
Our captain； ere the day is gone；
Will be extremely down upon
The wicked men who art employ
To make his Josephine less coy
In many various ways。 ＇Exit
DICK。
JOS。 This very night；
HEBE。 With bated breath
RALPH。 And muffled oar
JOS。 Without a light；
HEBE。 As still as death；
RALPH。 We'll steal ashore
JOS。 A clergyman
RALPH。 Shall make us one
BOAT； At half…past ten；
JOS。 And then we can
RALPH Return； for none
BOAT。 Can part them then！
ALL。 This very night； etc。
（DICK appears at hatchway。）
DICK。 Forbear； nor carry out the scheme you've planned；
She is a ladyyou a foremast hand！
Remember； she's your gallant captain's daughter；
And you the meanest slave that crawls the water！
ALL。 Back； vermin； back；
Nor mock us！
Back； vermin； back；
You shock us！
＇Exit DICK
Let's give three cheers for the sailor's bride
Who casts all thought of rank aside
Who gives up home and fortune too
For the honest love of a sailor true！
For a British tar is a soaring soul
As free as a mountain bird！
His energetic fist should be ready to resist
A dictatorial word！
His foot should stamp and his throat should growl；
His hair should twirl and his face should scowl；
His eyes should flash and his breast protrude；
And this should be his customary attitude（pose）。
GENERAL DANCE
END OF ACT I
ACT II
Same Scene。 Night。 Awning removed。 Moonlight。 CAPTAIN
discovered
singing on poop deck； and accompanying himself on a
mandolin。 LITTLE
BUTTERCUP seated on quarterdeck； gazing sentimentally at
him。
SONGCAPTAIN
Fair moon； to thee I sing；
Bright regent of the heavens；
Say； why is everything
Either at sixes or at sevens？
I have lived hitherto
Free from breath of slander；
Beloved by all my crew
A really popular commander。
But now my kindly crew rebel；
My daughter to a tar is partial；
Sir Joseph storms； and； sad to tell；
He threatens a court martial！
Fair moon； to thee I sing；
Bright regent of the heavens；
Say； why is everything
Either at sixes or at sevens？
BUT。 How sweetly he carols forth his melody to the
unconscious
moon！ Of whom is he thinking？ Of some high…born beauty？ It may
be！ Who is
poor Little Buttercup that she should expect his glance to fall
on one so
lowly！ And yet if he knewif he only knew！
CAPT。 （coming down）。 Ah！ Little Buttercup； still on board？
That is
not quite right； little one。 It would have been more respectable
to have
gone on shore at dusk。
BUT； True； dear Captainbut the recollection of your sad
pale
face seemed to chain me to the ship。 I would fain see you smile
before I
go。
CAPT。 Ah！ Little Buttercup； I fear it will be long before I
recover my accustomed cheerfulness； for misfortunes crowd upon
me； and
all my old friends seem to have turned against me！
BUT； Oh nodo not say 〃all〃； dear Captain。 That were
unjust to
one； at least。
CAPT。 True； for you are staunch to me。 （Aside。） If ever I
gave my
heart again； methinks it would be to such a one as this！ （Aloud。）
I am
touched to the heart by your innocent regard for me； and were we
differently situated； I think I could have returned it。 But as it
is； I
fear I can never be more to you than a friend。
BUT； I understand！ You hold aloof from me beca
