plays [51]
this 27TH day of SEPTEMBER 1884
PERSONS REPRESENTED
JOHN GAUNT, called 'ADMIRAL GUINEA,' once Captain of the Slaver
ARETHUSA.
ARETHUSA GAUNT, his Daughter.
DAVID PEW, a Blind Beggar, once Boatswain of the ARETHUSA
KIT FRENCH, a Privateersman.
MRS. DRAKE, Landlady of the ADMIRAL BENBOW Inn.
The Scene is laid in the neighbourhood of Barnstaple. The Time
is about the year 1760. The action occupies part of a day and
night.
NOTE. - PASSAGES SUGGESTED FOR OMISSION IN REPRESENTATION ARE
ENCLOSED IN SQUARE BRACKETS, THUS [ ].
ADMIRAL GUINEA
ACT I.
The Stage represents a room in the Admiral Guinea's house:
fireplace, arm-chair, and table with Bible, L., towards the
front; door C., with window on each side, the window on the R.,
practicable; doors, R. and L., back; corner cupboard, a brass-
strapped sea-chest fixed to the wall and floor, R.; cutlasses,
telescopes, sextant, quadrant, a calendar, and several maps upon
the wall; a ship clock; three wooden chairs; a dresser against
wall, R. C.; on the chimney-piece the model of a brig and several
shells. The centre bare of furniture. Through the widows and
the door, which is open, green trees and a small field of sea.
SCENE I
ARETHUSA IS DISCOVERED, DUSTING
ARETHUSA. Ten months and a week to-day! Now for a new mark.
Since the last, the sun has set and risen over the fields and the
pleasant trees at home, and on Kit's lone ship and the empty sea.
Perhaps it blew; perhaps rained; (AT THE CHART) perhaps he was
far up here to the nor'ard, where the icebergs sail; perhaps at
anchor among these wild islands of the snakes and buccaneers. O,
you big chart, if I could see him sailing on you! North and
South Atlantic; such a weary sight of water and no land; never an
island for the poor lad to land upon. But still, God's there.
(SHE TAKES DOWN THE TELESCOPE TO DUST IT.) Father's spy-glass
again; and my poor Kit perhaps with such another, sweeping the
great deep!
SCENE II
ARETHUSA; to her, KIT, C. [He enters on tiptoe, and she does not
see or hear him]
ARETHUSA (DUSTING TELESCOPE). At sea they have less dust at
least: that's so much comfort.
KIT. Sweetheart, ahoy!
ARETHUSA. Kit!
KIT. Arethusa.
ARETHUSA. My Kit! Home again - O my love! - home again to me!
KIT. As straight as wind and tide could carry me!
ARETHUSA. O Kit, my dearest. O Kit - O! O!
KIT. Hey? Steady, lass: steady, I say. For goodness' sake,
ease it off.
ARETHUSA. I will, Kit - I will. But you came so sudden.
KIT. I thought ten months of it about preparation enough.
ARETHUSA. Ten months and a week: you haven't counted the days
as I have. Another day gone, and one day nearer to Kit: that
has been my almanac. How brown you are! how handsome!
KIT. A pity you can't see yourself! Well, no, I'll never be
handsome: brown I may be, never handsome. But I'm better than
that, if the proverb's true; for I'm ten hundred thousand fathoms
deep in love. I bring you a faithful sailor. What! you don't
think much of that for a curiosity? Well, that's so: you're
right; the rarity is in the girl that's worth it ten times over.
Faithful? I couldn't help it if I tried! No, sweetheart, and I
fear nothing: I don't know what fear is, but just of losing you.
(STARTING.) Lord, that's not the Admiral?
ARETHUSA. Aha, Mr. Dreadnought! you see you fear my father.
KIT. That I do. But, thank goodness, it's nobody. Kiss me:
no, I won't kiss you: kiss ME. I'll give you a present for
that. See!
ARETHUSA. A wedding-ring!
KIT. My mother's. Will you take it?
ARETHUSA. Yes, will I - and give myself for it.
KIT. Ah, if we could only count upon your father! He's a man
every inch of him; but he can't endure Kit French.
ARETHUSA. He hasn't learned to know you, Kit, as I have, nor yet
do you know him. He seems hard and violent; at heart he is only
a man overwhelmed with sorrow. Why else, when he looks at me and
does not know that I observe
PERSONS REPRESENTED
JOHN GAUNT, called 'ADMIRAL GUINEA,' once Captain of the Slaver
ARETHUSA.
ARETHUSA GAUNT, his Daughter.
DAVID PEW, a Blind Beggar, once Boatswain of the ARETHUSA
KIT FRENCH, a Privateersman.
MRS. DRAKE, Landlady of the ADMIRAL BENBOW Inn.
The Scene is laid in the neighbourhood of Barnstaple. The Time
is about the year 1760. The action occupies part of a day and
night.
NOTE. - PASSAGES SUGGESTED FOR OMISSION IN REPRESENTATION ARE
ENCLOSED IN SQUARE BRACKETS, THUS [ ].
ADMIRAL GUINEA
ACT I.
The Stage represents a room in the Admiral Guinea's house:
fireplace, arm-chair, and table with Bible, L., towards the
front; door C., with window on each side, the window on the R.,
practicable; doors, R. and L., back; corner cupboard, a brass-
strapped sea-chest fixed to the wall and floor, R.; cutlasses,
telescopes, sextant, quadrant, a calendar, and several maps upon
the wall; a ship clock; three wooden chairs; a dresser against
wall, R. C.; on the chimney-piece the model of a brig and several
shells. The centre bare of furniture. Through the widows and
the door, which is open, green trees and a small field of sea.
SCENE I
ARETHUSA IS DISCOVERED, DUSTING
ARETHUSA. Ten months and a week to-day! Now for a new mark.
Since the last, the sun has set and risen over the fields and the
pleasant trees at home, and on Kit's lone ship and the empty sea.
Perhaps it blew; perhaps rained; (AT THE CHART) perhaps he was
far up here to the nor'ard, where the icebergs sail; perhaps at
anchor among these wild islands of the snakes and buccaneers. O,
you big chart, if I could see him sailing on you! North and
South Atlantic; such a weary sight of water and no land; never an
island for the poor lad to land upon. But still, God's there.
(SHE TAKES DOWN THE TELESCOPE TO DUST IT.) Father's spy-glass
again; and my poor Kit perhaps with such another, sweeping the
great deep!
SCENE II
ARETHUSA; to her, KIT, C. [He enters on tiptoe, and she does not
see or hear him]
ARETHUSA (DUSTING TELESCOPE). At sea they have less dust at
least: that's so much comfort.
KIT. Sweetheart, ahoy!
ARETHUSA. Kit!
KIT. Arethusa.
ARETHUSA. My Kit! Home again - O my love! - home again to me!
KIT. As straight as wind and tide could carry me!
ARETHUSA. O Kit, my dearest. O Kit - O! O!
KIT. Hey? Steady, lass: steady, I say. For goodness' sake,
ease it off.
ARETHUSA. I will, Kit - I will. But you came so sudden.
KIT. I thought ten months of it about preparation enough.
ARETHUSA. Ten months and a week: you haven't counted the days
as I have. Another day gone, and one day nearer to Kit: that
has been my almanac. How brown you are! how handsome!
KIT. A pity you can't see yourself! Well, no, I'll never be
handsome: brown I may be, never handsome. But I'm better than
that, if the proverb's true; for I'm ten hundred thousand fathoms
deep in love. I bring you a faithful sailor. What! you don't
think much of that for a curiosity? Well, that's so: you're
right; the rarity is in the girl that's worth it ten times over.
Faithful? I couldn't help it if I tried! No, sweetheart, and I
fear nothing: I don't know what fear is, but just of losing you.
(STARTING.) Lord, that's not the Admiral?
ARETHUSA. Aha, Mr. Dreadnought! you see you fear my father.
KIT. That I do. But, thank goodness, it's nobody. Kiss me:
no, I won't kiss you: kiss ME. I'll give you a present for
that. See!
ARETHUSA. A wedding-ring!
KIT. My mother's. Will you take it?
ARETHUSA. Yes, will I - and give myself for it.
KIT. Ah, if we could only count upon your father! He's a man
every inch of him; but he can't endure Kit French.
ARETHUSA. He hasn't learned to know you, Kit, as I have, nor yet
do you know him. He seems hard and violent; at heart he is only
a man overwhelmed with sorrow. Why else, when he looks at me and
does not know that I observe