Wappin' Wharf Part 15

PATCH: He 's tauntin' yer, Captain. Hand him the hook! The Duke and me is back o' yer.

JOE: Do you fear to cheat the gibbet on Wapping wharf? A knife 's a sweeter end. Who comes first? I 'll help him across the Styx. Or sink or swim! Flint waits in h.e.l.l for three whelps to join his crew.

PATCH: Captain, I 'm 'sprized at yer good nater. Sc.r.a.pe him one!

JOE: Who comes to the barber first? Cowards! I 'll ram your pigtails down your throats. I 'll wash your dirt in blood.

(_The Duke proves to be the strategist. He has edged to the rear of the cabin. He circles behind Red Joe. And now in a flash he leaps on him. Joe is buried under the three pirates, for Patch's valor returns when Joe is down. Joe is tied with ropes and fastened to an upright at the chimneyside. This is the terrible, glorious moment, now that the fight is over, when the actor-manager, as I first read the play--as explained in the preface (you really must read the preface)--turned his excited somersault down the carpet._)

PATCH: Did yer notice, Captain, how I took him by the throat? He was squirmin' loose when I grabbed him. It was me tripped him.

DUKE: Captain, I asks yer a favor. Can I stick him now. Dead men tell no tales.

PATCH: Captain, yer jest makes a pet o' the Duke. Ain 't it my turn? I gets rusty.

DARLIN': Let the Duke do it. He has more reasons than Patch.

CAPTAIN: Lay off, me hearties! Does n't yer know we 're in a hurry?

Red Joe 's kickin' up has wasted a heap o' time. The Royal 'Arry will be showin' 'round the cliff any minute now. Red Joe 's safe. He 's tied up double. We 'll have a merry party arterward--with grog and angel cake. It 's business afore pleasure. Here, Duke, take the lantern. (_He shakes it._) It 's full o' ile. Jest stir yer timber stump, Duke. Yer can foller, Patch. Yer follers better 'n yer leads.

Some folks is p.u.s.s.ycats.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "It 's full o' ile"]

DUKE: He 's pokin' fun at yer, ol' lionheart.

PATCH: Yer hurts me feelin's.

DUKE: I 'll hurt yer in a fatter place--where yer sits--if yer does n't step along. Yer a yeller-livered, maggoty land fish. I curbs me tongue. I scorns yer worse 'n cow's milk. Go 'long, afore I loosens up and tells yer what yer are!

CAPTAIN: In about two minutes that blessed eye o' Petey will go out.

We must set up the lantern afore the Royal 'Arry sticks her nose in sight.

DUKE: By by, Joey. See yer later, ol' angel cake. Yer has jest time ter say "Now I lay me."

CAPTAIN: How 's the night, Duke?

DUKE: Blacker than the Earl o' h.e.l.l's top-boots.

DARLIN': I 'll jest stick me ap.r.o.n on me head and go 'long, too. It ain 't proper fer a lady as has me temptin' beauty ter be left alone with snoopers.

(_The cabin is empty except for Red Joe. He strains at his cords, but is tied fast. You hear the voices of the pirates singing in the distance._)

I agrees ter this and ter give 'em bliss-- From Pew I learned the trick-- I push 'em wide o' the wessel's side, And poke 'em down with a stick.

(_As soon as the pirates have left the cabin Betsy enters. She sees Joe but pa.s.ses him in fright. She runs to the window and s.h.i.+elds her eyes to see into the darkness._)

BETSY: G.o.d help the poor sailormen!

JOE: Betsy! Betsy! For the love of G.o.d!

(_Suddenly the lighthouse light vanishes. And almost at once the s.h.i.+p's lantern shows at the window to the left. All sounds are hushed._)

BETSY: The s.h.i.+p 's in sight. I see her lights. She has rounded the farther cliff. I see her turning. She heads in from the sea. Her three masts are in line. She steers for the lantern. G.o.d have mercy! She 'll strike in another minute. (_She stuffs her ears and runs from the window._) I can 't bear to listen. I can 't bear to look.

JOE: Betsy! Betsy! Do you hear? Margaret! Margaret!

(_At the sound of Margaret she lifts her head, buried in her arms. She runs toward Joe. Her wits seem dazed._)

JOE: Quick! Margaret! Margaret! That knife! That knife on the stones!

Margaret, cut me loose!

(_Still dazed, moving as if in a dream, Betsy picks up the knife. She cuts Joe's cords. Joe seizes the gun that leans against the clock. He takes deliberate aim through the window. He fires. The window gla.s.s is shattered. The s.h.i.+p's lantern is. .h.i.t. The light vanishes. He replaces the gun. Betsy stands beside him, looking in his face._)

BETSY: You 've hit it! Thank G.o.d! The light is shattered. (_Then, after a pause._) I seem to remember now. My name is Margaret. I remember--

JOE: What do you remember?

BETSY: A great staircase--a room, with shadows from a candle. And when I was afraid, a lady sang to me. And she set the candle so that the fearful giant upon the wall ran off, and I was safe.

JOE: What else do you remember?

BETSY: I remember--

JOE: Margaret, do you remember me?

(_Margaret looks at him and a new memory is stirred._)

BETSY: Yes, I remember you. Were you not a great tall lad whose crook'd elbow was level with my head? And once we climbed a tower--or do I recall a dream? You held me so that I might see the waves breaking on the rocks below. Then with level eyes we looked upon the sea, and cried out our discovery of each glistening sail. Are these things real? One morning you mounted horse, and I was held aloft so that you might stoop and kiss me. You rode off with a clatter on the stones. You turned and waved your hat. And now you have come back. You are Hal. We were playmates once.

JOE: And by luck and G.o.d's help we shall be playmates once again.

(_He puts his arms around her and kisses her._)

BETSY: Quick, Hal! You must escape. Quick! Before the pirates come.

Follow the path to the village! You can escape by the Royal Harry.

(_They are running to the door when there is a sound of voices on the path outside. Joe has just time to put himself in the posture in which the pirates left him. The pirates and Darlin' enter in dejection.

Betsy runs to the kitchen._)

CAPTAIN: Blast me, the lantern 's out!

PATCH: Rot me, but there were an explosion!

DARLIN': Poof! And there were n't no lantern!

DUKE: What done it? What done it? I asks yer.

(_They stand at the window and look toward the ocean._)