plays [70]
me.
KIT. Have I reason to be pleased?
ARETHUSA. Kit, I was wrong. Forgive me.
KIT. O yes. I forgive you. I suppose you meant it kindly; but
there are some kindnesses a man would rather die than take a gift
of. When a man is accused, Arethusa, it is not that he fears the
gallows - it's the shame that cuts him. At such a time as that,
the way to help was to stand to your belief. You should have
nailed my colours to the mast, not spoke of striking them. If I
were to be hanged to-morrow, and your love there, and a free
pardon and a dukedom on the other side - which would I choose?
ARETHUSA. Kit, you must judge me fairly. It was not my life
that was at stake, it was yours. Had it been mine - mine, Kit -
what had you done, then?
KIT. I am a downright fool; I saw it inside out. Why, give you
up, by George!
ARETHUSA. Ah, you see! Now you understand. It was all pure
love. When he said that word - O! - death and that disgrace! .
. . But I know my father. He fears nothing so much as the
goodness of his heart; and yet it conquers. He would pray, he
said: and to-night, and by the kindness of his voice, I knew he
was convinced already. All that is wanted, is that you should
forgive me.
KIT. Arethusa, if you looked at me like that I'd forgive you
piracy on the high seas. I was only sulky; I was boxed up there
in the black dark, and couldn't see my hand. It made me pity
that blind man, by George!
ARETHUSA. O, that blind man! The fiend! He came back, Kit:
did you hear him? he thought we had killed you - you!
KIT. Well, well, it serves me right for keeping company with
such a swab.
ARETHUSA. One thing puzzles me: how did you get in? I saw my
father lock the door.
KIT. Ah, how? That's just it. I was a sheet in the wind, you
see. How did we? He did it somehow. . . . By George, he had a
key! He can get in again.
ARETHUSA. Again? that man!
KIT. Ay, can he! Again! When he likes!
ARETHUSA. Kit, I am afraid. O Kit, he will kill my father.
KIT. Afraid. I'm glad of that. Now, you'll see I'm worth my
salt at something. Ten to one he's back to Mrs. Drake's. I'll
after, and lay him aboard.
ARETHUSA. O Kit, he is too strong for you.
KIT. Arethusa, that's below the belt! Never you fear; I'll give
a good account of him.
ARETHUSA (TAKING CUTLASS FROM THE WALL). You'll be none the
worse for this, dear.
KIT. That's so (MAKING CUTS). All the same, I'm half ashamed to
draw on a blind man; it's too much odds. (HE LEAPS SUDDENLY
AGAINST THE TABLE.) Ah!
ARETHUSA. Kit! Are you ill?
KIT. My head's like a humming top; it serves me right for
drinking.
ARETHUSA. O, and the blind man! (SHE RUNS, L., TO THE CORNER
CUPBOARD, BRINGS A BOTTLE AND GLASS, AND FILLS AND OFFERS GLASS.)
Here, lad, drink that.
KIT. To you! That's better. (BOTTLE AND GLASS REMAIN ON
GAUNT'S TABLE.)
ARETHUSA. Suppose you miss him?
KIT. Miss him! The road is straight; and I can hear the tap-
tapping of that stick a mile away.
ARETHUSA (LISTENING). St! my father stirring in his room!
KIT. Let me get clear; tell him why when I'm gone. The door - ?
ARETHUSA. Locked!
KIT. The window!
ARETHUSA. Quick, quick! (SHE UNFASTENS R. WINDOW, BY WHICH KIT
GOES OUT.)
SCENE II
ARETHUSA, GAUNT ENTERING L.
ARETHUSA. Father, Kit is gone . . . . He is asleep.
AUNT. Waiting, waiting and wearying. The years, they go so
heavily, my Hester still waiting! (HE GOES R. TO CHEST, WHICH HE
OPENS.) That is your chain; it's of Guinea gold; I brought it
you from Guinea. (TAKING OUT CHAIN.) You liked it once; it
pleased you long ago; O, why not now - why will you not be happy
now? . . . I swear this is my last voyage; see, I lay my hand
upon the Holy Book and swear it. One more venture - for the
child's sake, Hester; you don't think upon your little maid.
ARETHUSA. Ah, for my sake, it was for my sake!
GAUNT. Ten days out from Lagos. That's a strange sunset, Mr.
Yeo. All hands
KIT. Have I reason to be pleased?
ARETHUSA. Kit, I was wrong. Forgive me.
KIT. O yes. I forgive you. I suppose you meant it kindly; but
there are some kindnesses a man would rather die than take a gift
of. When a man is accused, Arethusa, it is not that he fears the
gallows - it's the shame that cuts him. At such a time as that,
the way to help was to stand to your belief. You should have
nailed my colours to the mast, not spoke of striking them. If I
were to be hanged to-morrow, and your love there, and a free
pardon and a dukedom on the other side - which would I choose?
ARETHUSA. Kit, you must judge me fairly. It was not my life
that was at stake, it was yours. Had it been mine - mine, Kit -
what had you done, then?
KIT. I am a downright fool; I saw it inside out. Why, give you
up, by George!
ARETHUSA. Ah, you see! Now you understand. It was all pure
love. When he said that word - O! - death and that disgrace! .
. . But I know my father. He fears nothing so much as the
goodness of his heart; and yet it conquers. He would pray, he
said: and to-night, and by the kindness of his voice, I knew he
was convinced already. All that is wanted, is that you should
forgive me.
KIT. Arethusa, if you looked at me like that I'd forgive you
piracy on the high seas. I was only sulky; I was boxed up there
in the black dark, and couldn't see my hand. It made me pity
that blind man, by George!
ARETHUSA. O, that blind man! The fiend! He came back, Kit:
did you hear him? he thought we had killed you - you!
KIT. Well, well, it serves me right for keeping company with
such a swab.
ARETHUSA. One thing puzzles me: how did you get in? I saw my
father lock the door.
KIT. Ah, how? That's just it. I was a sheet in the wind, you
see. How did we? He did it somehow. . . . By George, he had a
key! He can get in again.
ARETHUSA. Again? that man!
KIT. Ay, can he! Again! When he likes!
ARETHUSA. Kit, I am afraid. O Kit, he will kill my father.
KIT. Afraid. I'm glad of that. Now, you'll see I'm worth my
salt at something. Ten to one he's back to Mrs. Drake's. I'll
after, and lay him aboard.
ARETHUSA. O Kit, he is too strong for you.
KIT. Arethusa, that's below the belt! Never you fear; I'll give
a good account of him.
ARETHUSA (TAKING CUTLASS FROM THE WALL). You'll be none the
worse for this, dear.
KIT. That's so (MAKING CUTS). All the same, I'm half ashamed to
draw on a blind man; it's too much odds. (HE LEAPS SUDDENLY
AGAINST THE TABLE.) Ah!
ARETHUSA. Kit! Are you ill?
KIT. My head's like a humming top; it serves me right for
drinking.
ARETHUSA. O, and the blind man! (SHE RUNS, L., TO THE CORNER
CUPBOARD, BRINGS A BOTTLE AND GLASS, AND FILLS AND OFFERS GLASS.)
Here, lad, drink that.
KIT. To you! That's better. (BOTTLE AND GLASS REMAIN ON
GAUNT'S TABLE.)
ARETHUSA. Suppose you miss him?
KIT. Miss him! The road is straight; and I can hear the tap-
tapping of that stick a mile away.
ARETHUSA (LISTENING). St! my father stirring in his room!
KIT. Let me get clear; tell him why when I'm gone. The door - ?
ARETHUSA. Locked!
KIT. The window!
ARETHUSA. Quick, quick! (SHE UNFASTENS R. WINDOW, BY WHICH KIT
GOES OUT.)
SCENE II
ARETHUSA, GAUNT ENTERING L.
ARETHUSA. Father, Kit is gone . . . . He is asleep.
AUNT. Waiting, waiting and wearying. The years, they go so
heavily, my Hester still waiting! (HE GOES R. TO CHEST, WHICH HE
OPENS.) That is your chain; it's of Guinea gold; I brought it
you from Guinea. (TAKING OUT CHAIN.) You liked it once; it
pleased you long ago; O, why not now - why will you not be happy
now? . . . I swear this is my last voyage; see, I lay my hand
upon the Holy Book and swear it. One more venture - for the
child's sake, Hester; you don't think upon your little maid.
ARETHUSA. Ah, for my sake, it was for my sake!
GAUNT. Ten days out from Lagos. That's a strange sunset, Mr.
Yeo. All hands