 | The Daughter |  |
SCENE I.
—The Vicinity of the Shore.Enter Wolf and Norris, meeting.
Nor.
Wolf!
Wolf.
Norris!
Nor.
For the shore?
Wolf.
Yes.
Nor.
Whence I've come.
In my o'er-haste, what think you I forgot?
My wrecker's gear! I left them all behind?
My hatchet, boat-hook, grapple, e'en my knife!
[Going.
410
[Stopping him.]
Tarry a while! Take breath! Your knife and axe,
Boat-hook and grapple, are not needed yet.
'Tis but the first of flood. Until the tide
Shall lift her o'er the outer bank, she'll hold
Together. Tarry here and look at her!
I have heard of fine sights; ay, and seen them too!
Now what's the finest sight a man can see?
Nor.
The finest sight?—a ship that, caught in a bay
Like ours, ten miles and more from any town;
A black sky, a white water, and a shore
All iron-bound, and boiling round with breakers!
No sight like that for me! What tonnage is she?
Wolf.
Four hundred and above. I know a ship,
And not so large a one, you had rather were
Aground than she.
Nor.
I know the ship you mean:
She left the bay at noon. You're right! I hate
That ship! I hate her for the sake of one
She carries. Were my father in that ship,
I'd laugh to see her drown!—One whom they call
A good young man—only another name
For a limb of the devil! No young man can be good!
We are young, and know we not what we are?—Good!
What should make others better?—Better natures?
There's no such thing!—All mankind are the same;
Circumstance makes the difference. Circumstance
Is not the man! Had I that fair-skinn'd girl,
Old Robert's daughter!—her of the dainty limb,
Round swelling form, and dimpled lady-cheek—
Had I that girl for messmate, or could have,
You'd see how soon I'd grow a good young man,—
Though devil at the bottom, still—as he!
Wolf.
You fancy her.—Why not make up to her?
Nor.
I told you, now, the sight which most I love.
Wouldst learn the sight which most I hate? Thou shalt.
The show of good, in man or woman,—but,
In woman most.—That's strange!—I hate the sight
Of a modest woman! 'Tis an eyesore to me!
I never look on one, but straight I fall
To gazing on myself! and then I writhe,
At thought of what I am, and what she seems;
Until I seem, unto myself, a beast!—
Yea, a brute beast!—and stand like one before her,
Gazing, and stupid,—dumb!
Wolf.
'Tis strange!
Nor.
It is.
I have tried to court her—have accosted her,
But ever, as that lady-cheek of hers
She has turn'd to me, my speech has fail'd me, and
I've stood stock-still, confounded at myself;
And like a chid cur, slunk at last away!
411
So daunt a bold man, that he dares not do
The thing he dares to wish!
Wolf.
You mean her fair?
Nor.
I do! but e'en for fair ends cannot take
Fair means;—as smiling, speaking pretty things,
Pretty behaviour, creeping inch by inch!
I'd have her at a bound! That's not the way
She would be won. With opportunity
I'd woo her though.
Wolf.
What do you mean?
Nor.
No matter.
'Tis said they'll marry when this trip is done.
Now would old Robert take a sail, and leave
The girl alone, I'd promise him, that's gone
A merry wedding when his ship comes back.
How goes it on in the bay? She has moved methinks
Since last we look'd.
Wolf.
She will not clear the bank
Before high water, or about it.
Nor.
And
The storm you see holds on! A lovelier
Never yet broke a stranded vessel up!
And plenty on't! 'Twill last till midnight.—Black
As it can look, and right in the wind's eye!
Ay, steady that!—How slow the tide comes in,
And yet the wind to help it! O'er the bank
And on the rough ground, she'll not hold together
The quarter of an hour! I'll be prepared.
Tell them I'm coming! They'll be sure to give
A wide berth to the reef!
Wolf.
I will.
Nor.
Make haste!
[They go out severally.
| The Daughter | |