The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition, Vol. 15Stevenson, Robert Louis
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The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition, Vol. 15
Stevenson, Robert Louis
English literature -- 19th century
PEW. Cap'n, the rights of it is this. Me and that young man there was
partaking in a friendly drop of rum at the "Admiral Benbow" inn; and I'd
just proposed his blessed Majesty, when the young man he ups and says to
me: "Pew," he says, "I like you, Pew: you're a true seaman," he says;
"and I'm one as sticks at nothing; and damme, Pew," he says, "I'll make
your fortune." (Can he deny as them was his words? Look at him, you as
has eyes: no, he cannot. "Come along of me," he says, "and, damme, I'll
make your fortune.") Well, Cap'n, he lights a dark lantern (which you'll
find it somewhere on the floor, I reckon), and out we goes, me follerin'
his lead, as I thought was 'art-of-oak and a true-blue mariner; and the
next I knows is, here we was in here, and him a-askin' me to 'old the
glim, while he prised the lid off of your old sea-chest with his
cutlass.
GAUNT. The chest? (_He leaps, R., and examines chest._) Ah!
PEW. Leastways, I was to 'elp him, by his account of it, while he nailed
the rhino, and then took and carried off that lovely maid of yours; for
a lovely maid she is, and one as touched old Pew's 'art. Cap'n, when I
'eard that, my blood biled. "Young man," I says, "you don't know David
Pew," I says; and with that I ups and does my dooty by him, cutlass and
all, like a lion-'arted seaman, though blind. (And then in comes you,
and I gives him up: as you know for a fack is true, and I'll subscribe
at the Assizes. And that, if you was to cut me into junks, is the truth,
the 'ole truth, and nothing but the truth, world without end, so help
me, amen; and if you'll 'and me over the 'oly Bible, me not having such
a thing about me at the moment, why, I'll put a oath upon it like a
man.)
ARETHUSA. Father, have you heard?
GAUNT. I know this man, Arethusa, and the truth is not in him.
ARETHUSA. Well, and why do we wait? We know Kit, do we not?
KIT. Ay, Captain, you know the pair of us, and you can see his face and
mine.
GAUNT. Christopher, the facts are all against you. I find you here in my
house at midnight: you who at least had eyes to see, and must have known
whither you were going. It was this man, not you, who called me up: and
when I came in, it was he who was uppermost and who gave you up to
justice. This unsheathed cutlass is yours; there hangs the scabbard,
empty; and as for the dark lantern, of what use is light to the blind?
and who could have trimmed and lighted it but you?
PEW. Ah, Cap'n, what a 'ed for argyment!
KIT. And now, sir, now that you have spoken, I claim the liberty to
speak on my side.
GAUNT. Not so. I will first have done with this man. David Pew, it were
too simple to believe your story as you tell it; but I can find no
testimony against you. From whatever reason, assuredly you have done me
service. Here are five guineas to set you on your way. Begone at once;
and while it is yet time, think upon your repentance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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