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No. 18: SOLI & CHORUS

"Carefully on tiptoe stealing"

Midi Symbol MIDI File [45KB, 6' 46"]

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.

click on picture to enlarge
Captain. (throwing off cloak)
Hold! (All start.)
Pretty daughter of mine,
I insist upon knowing
Where you may be going
With these sons of the brine.
For my excellent crew,
Though foes they could thump any,
Are scarcely fit company,
My daughter, for you.

Crew.
Now, hark at that, do!
Though foes we could thump any,
We are scarcely fit company
For a lady like you!

Ralph.
Proud officer, that haughty lip uncurl!
Vain man, suppress that supercilious sneer,
For I have dared to love your matchless girl,
A fact well known to all my messmates here!

Captain.
Oh, horror!

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!

All.
He is an Englishman!
Boatswain.
He is an Englishman!
For he himself has said it,
And it's greatly to his credit,
That he is an Englishman!
All.
That he is an Englishman!
Boatswain.
For he might have been a Roosian,
A French, or Turk, or Proosian,
Or perhaps Itali-an!
All.
Or perhaps Itali-an!
Boatswain.
But in spite of all temptations
To belong to other nations,
He remains an Englishman!
He remains an Englishman!
All.
For in spite of all temptations
To belong to other nations,
He remains an Englishman!
He remains an Englishman!
Click on picture to enlarge

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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