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No. 18: SOLI & CHORUS
"Carefully on tiptoe stealing"
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Enter Crew on tiptoe, with Ralph and Boatswain meeting Josephine, who enters from cabin on tiptoe, with bundle of necessaries, and accompanied by Little Buttercup.
| Crew. |
| Carefully on tiptoe stealing, Breathing gently as we may, Every step with caution feeling, We will softly steal away. |
Captain stamps — Chord.
| All. (much alarmed) |
| Goodness me — Why, what was that? |
| Dick. |
| Silent be, It was the cat! |
| All. (reassured) |
| It was — it was the cat! |
| Captain. (producing cat-o'-nine-tails) |
| They're right, it was the cat! |
| Crew. |
| Pull ashore in fashion steady, Hymen will defray the fare, For a clergyman is ready To unite the happy pair! |
Stamp as before, and Chord.
All. |
| Goodness me — Why, what was that? |
| Dick. |
| Silent be, Again the cat! |
| All. |
| It was again that cat! |
| Captain. (aside) |
| They're right, it was the cat! |
| Josephine & Ralph. | Captain & Dick. | Sailors. |
| Ev'ry step with caution feeling, | Ev'ry step with caution feeling, | |
| We will steal | ||
| We will softly steal away, | They will softly steal away, | away, |
| Ev'ry step, | ||
| Ev'ry step with caution feeling, | Ev'ry step with caution feeling, | Ev'ry step with caution feeling, |
| We will softly steal away. | They will softly steal away. | We will softly steal away. |
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| Josephine. | Ralph. |
| He, humble, poor, and lowly born, | I, humble, poor, and lowly born, |
| The meanest in the port division | The meanest in the port division |
| The butt of epauletted scorn | The butt of epauletted scorn |
| The mark of quarter-deck derision | The mark of quarter-deck derision |
| Has dared to raise his wormy eyes | Have dared to raise my wormy eyes |
| Above the dust to which you'd mould him, | Above the dust to which you'd mould me, |
| In manhood's glorious pride to rise, | In manhood's glorious pride to rise, |
| He is an Englishman, behold him! | I am an Englishman, behold me! |
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| Captain. (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! |
| Captain. | Yes, damme, it's too bad! |
| All. | Oh! |
| Captain & Dick. | Yes, damme, it's too bad! |
| Hebe. | Ladies. | Sailors. |
| Did you hear him — | He said | |
| Did you hear him? | damme, He said | He said damme, |
| Oh, the monster overbearing, | damme, Yes, He said | He said damme, Yes, |
| Don't go near him — | damme, He said | He said damme, |
| Don't go near him — | damme, He said | damme, damme, |
| He is swearing — | damme, | damme, damme, |
| He is swearing! | Yes, damme. | Yes, damme. |
During this, Sir Joseph has appeared on poop-deck. He is horrified at the bad language.
| 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! |
| Captain. |
| 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 Josephine.
| All. |
| 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. |
| No more have his sisters, nor his cousins, nor his aunts, No more have his sisters, nor his cousins, nor his aunts, His cousins, nor his sisters, Whom he reckons up by dozens, or his aunts! For he is an Englishman! For he himself has said it, And it's greatly to his credit, That he is an Englishman! That he is an Englishman! |
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Page Created 4 July, 2005