登陆注册
5419900000033

第33章

BUT, True, dear Captain--but the recollection of your sad pale face seemed to chain me to the ship.I would fain see you smile before Igo.

CAPT.Ah! Little Buttercup, I fear it will be long before Irecover my accustomed cheerfulness, for misfortunes crowd upon me, and all my old friends seem to have turned against me!

BUT, Oh no--do not say "all", dear Captain.That were unjust to one, at least.

CAPT.True, for you are staunch to me.(Aside.) If ever Igave 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, Ifear I can never be more to you than a friend.

BUT, I understand! You hold aloof from me because you are rich and lofty--and I poor and lowly.But take care! The poor bumboat woman has gipsy blood in her veins, and she can read destinies.

CAPT.Destinies?

BUT.There is a change in store for you!

CAPT.A change?

BUT.Aye--be prepared!

DUET--LITTLE BUTTERCUP and CAPTAIN

BUT, Things are seldom what they seem, Skim milk masquerades as cream;Highlows pass as patent leathers;Jackdaws strut in peacock's feathers.

CAPT.(puzzled).Very true, So they do.

BUT.Black sheep dwell in every fold;All that glitters is not gold;Storks turn out to be but logs;

Bulls are but inflated frogs.

CAPT.(puzzled).So they be, Frequentlee.

BUT.Drops the wind and stops the mill;Turbot is ambitious brill;Gild the farthing if you will, Yet it is a farthing still.

CAPT.(puzzled).Yes, I know.

That is so.

Though to catch your drift I'm striving, It is shady--it is shady;I don't see at what you're driving, Mystic lady--mystic lady.

(Aside.) Stern conviction's o'er me stealing, That the mystic lady's dealing In oracular revealing.

BUT.(aside).Stern conviction's o'er him stealing, That the mystic lady's dealing In oracular revealing.

Yes, I know--

That is so!

CAPT.Though I'm anything but clever, I could talk like that for ever:

Once a cat was killed by care;

Only brave deserve the fair.

Very true, So they do.

CAPT.Wink is often good as nod;

Spoils the child who spares the rod;

Thirsty lambs run foxy dangers;

Dogs are found in many mangers.

BUT.Frequentlee, I agree.

Paw of cat the chestnut snatches;

Worn-out garments show new patches;

Only count the chick that hatches;

Men are grown-up catchy-catchies.

BUT.Yes, I know, That is so.

(Aside.) Though to catch my drift he's striving, I'll dissemble--I'll dissemble;When he sees at what I'm driving, Let him tremble--let him tremble!

ENSEMBLE

Though a mystic tone { I } borrow, you You will } learn the truth with sorrow, I shall Here to-day and gone to-morrow;Yes, I know--That is so!

[At the end exit LITTLE BUTTERCUP

melodramatically.

CAPT.Incomprehensible as her utterances are, I nevertheless feel that they are dictated by a sincere regard for me.But to what new misery is she referring? Time alone can tell!

Enter SIR JOSEPH

SIR JOSEPH.Captain Corcoran, I am much disappointed with your daughter.In fact, I don't think she will do.

CAPT.She won't do, Sir Joseph!

SIR JOSEPH.I'm afraid not.The fact is, that although I have urged my suit with as much eloquence as is consistent with an official utterance, I have done so hitherto without success.How do you account for this?

CAPT.Really, Sir Joseph, I hardly know.Josephine is of course sensible of your condescension.

SIR JOSEPH.She naturally would be.

CAPT.But perhaps your exalted rank dazzles her.

SIR JOSEPH.You think it does?

CAPT.I can hardly say; but she is a modest girl, and her social position is far below your own.It may be that she feels she is not worthy of you.

SIR JOSEPH.That is really a very sensible suggestion, and displays more knowledge of human nature than I had given you credit for.

CAPT.See, she comes.If your lordship would kindly reason with her and assure her officially that it is a standing rule at the Admiralty that love levels all ranks, her respect for an official utterance might induce her to look upon your offer in its proper light.

SIR JOSEPH.It is not unlikely.I will adopt your suggestion.

But soft, she is here.Let us withdraw, and watch our opportunity.

Enter JOSEPHINE from cabin.FIRST LORD and CAPTAIN retireSCENE--JOSEPHINEThe hours creep on apace, My guilty heart is quaking!

Oh, that I might retrace The step that I am taking!

Its folly it were easy to be showing, What I am giving up and whither going.

On the one hand, papa's luxurious home, Hung with ancestral armour and old brasses, Carved oak and tapestry from distant Rome, Rare "blue and white" Venetian finger-glasses, Rich oriental rugs, luxurious sofa pillows, And everything that isn't old, from Gillow's.

And on the other, a dark and dingy room, In some back street with stuffy children crying, Where organs yell, and clacking housewives fume, And clothes are hanging out all day a-drying.

With one cracked looking-glass to see your face in, And dinner served up in a pudding basin!

A simple sailor, lowly born, Unlettered and unknown, Who toils for bread from early mom Till half the night has flown!

No golden rank can he impart--

No wealth of house or land--

No fortune save his trusty heart And honest brown right hand!

And yet he is so wondrous fair That love for one so passing rare, So peerless in his manly beauty, Were little else than solemn duty!

Oh, god of love, and god of reason, say, Which of you twain shall my poor heart obey!

SIR JOSEPH and CAPTAIN enterSIR JOSEPH.Madam, it has been represented to me that you are appalled by my exalted rank.I desire to convey to you officially my assurance, that if your hesitation is attributable to that circumstance, it is uncalled for.

JOS.Oh! then your lordship is of opinion that married happiness is not inconsistent with discrepancy in rank?

SIR JOSEPH.I am officially of that opinion.

JOS.That the high and the lowly may be truly happy together, provided that they truly love one another?

同类推荐
  • 大品游意

    大品游意

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • A Burlesque Autobiography

    A Burlesque Autobiography

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Lesser Hippias

    Lesser Hippias

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Lost Road

    The Lost Road

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Little Lord Fauntleroy

    Little Lord Fauntleroy

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 天降神缘之独宠少奶奶

    天降神缘之独宠少奶奶

    一次意外,她从千金变为孤儿……当一次救赎成为命中注定……当她再度站上万人瞩目的舞台,仅仅这么简单?
  • 带着雷锋精神去工作

    带着雷锋精神去工作

    本书将雷锋精神、雷锋工作方法、爱岗敬业、团队合作、人生规划等职场概念完美巧妙地结合起来,以现代视角重新解读雷锋,为学习雷锋注入了新的时代内容。在全社会学习雷锋的大环境下,更具有现实指导意义,是所有职员全面提升自身能力,成为优秀员工的向导。
  • 向氏春秋

    向氏春秋

    曾几何时,她是世家千金。他是官家子弟。身处皆是达官显贵,年少单纯却抵不过岁月磨砺。终成回首:“忆得当年宅第深,京都街头任来去。回头来时巷依旧,只剩天涯人断肠。”当年事,不堪回首。不是不堪回首,只是,回首时却发现,自己再也回不去了。如今那些人和事都变更的让人感觉时光如梭,岁月却不静好。经历这许多,只得二不过:“最美不过红颜初,最忆不过少年时”
  • 沉浮

    沉浮

    你在这个世上的孤独,被人称作什么?只有生活在黑暗中的人,才会明白,什么叫做死亡,什么叫做意义。可惜,我也不是生活在黑暗中的人,不过,我是为了去找另一个生活在黑暗中的人而变成了黑暗的孩子,无论白天还是黑夜,总有一些人和事无法忘怀。我们一定要善待自己。因为在这个世界上,除了自己最疼爱自己外别无他人。夏天的风,是应该把我们吹醒了,我们终究不可能永远生活在梦中,因为有一种残忍,叫做现实。亦梦亦幻,亦真亦假。无所谓了,总之还活着。能写多久就写多久吧,放弃,还早着呢。
  • 一念萧何

    一念萧何

    大仇以报,可惜终是成也因你,败也因你,爱也因你,恨也因你,哎终是成也萧何败也萧何,念念思到萧何叹。
  • 鲁彦作品集(1)(中国现代文学名家作品集)

    鲁彦作品集(1)(中国现代文学名家作品集)

    她在丁老荐头行的门口,已经坐了十四天了。这十四天来,从早到晚,很少离开那里。起先五六天,她还走开几次,例如早上须到斜对面的小菜场买菜,中午和晚间到灶披间去煮饭。但五六天以后,她不再自己煮饭吃了。她起了恐慌。她借来的钱已经不多了,而工作还没有到手。她只得每餐买几个烧饼,就坐在那里咬着。因为除了省钱以外,她还不愿意离开那里。她要在那里等待她的工作。
  • 万道主神

    万道主神

    天域之地,以武当尊。少年叶羽尘偶得神秘小鼎,本就天赋不弱他开启了传奇人生。神灵后裔,世代血仇,且看他拨开层层迷雾。邪道肆虐,魔人猖狂,奇事接连发生。天骄争锋,且看谁执牛耳。
  • Poor and Proud

    Poor and Proud

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 拜托了校长大人

    拜托了校长大人

    他是个菜鸟校长,但也是个逐渐成熟的幕后操控者。(前排提醒:男主属性偏黑,不圣母,狠人一个)
  • 妃要逆天:天才预言师

    妃要逆天:天才预言师

    当以杀人为乐趣的佣兵穿越为废弃的庶女,当在异世获得无上的能力,当在这天下翻手为云覆手为雨之时,她不在是冷血的杀人工具!机缘巧合下,她开了天眼!各种占卜的技能通通学入囊中!从此天地间,没有她不能预言到的事情!你护我一分,我便保你一生!长笛在手,竖剑防身!一声令下,号令群兽!百兽为伍,且看我如何笑傲天下!“我要的东西,你给不起!”她站在他的面前,火红色的衣衫缭乱了他的视线。“若是我给不起,这天下间便再没有人能给得起!”对上她的话,他同样霸道!若是有朝一日倾权在手,定要杀尽天下负我之狗!这天下,不尽是男儿的天下!