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His cheeks should flame and his brow should furl；
His bosom should heave and his heart should glow；
And his fist be ever ready for a knock…down blow。
CHORUS。His nose should pant； etc。
His eyes should flash with an inborn fire；
His brow with scorn be wrung；
He never should bow down to a domineering frown；
Or the tang of a tyrant tongue。
His foot should stamp and his throat should growl；
His hair should twirl and his face should scowl；
His eyes should flash and his breast protrude；
And this should be his customary attitude（pose）。
CHORUS。His foot should stamp； etc。
＇All dance off excepting RALPH； who remains； leaning pensively
against
bulwark。
Enter JOSEPHINE from cabin
JOS。 It is uselessSir Joseph's attentions nauseate me。 I know
that he
is a truly great and good man； for he told me so himself； but to
me he
seems tedious； fretful； and dictatorial。 Yet his must be a mind
of no
common order； or he would not dare to teach my dear father to
dance a
hornpipe on the cabin table。 （Sees RALPH。） Ralph Rackstraw！
（Overcome by
emotion。）
RALPH。 Aye； ladyno other than poor Ralph Rackstraw！
JOS。 （aside）。 How my heart beats！ （Aloud） And why poor； Ralph？
RALPH。 I am poor in the essence of happiness； ladyrich only
in never…
ending unrest。 In me there meet a combination of antithetical
elements
which are at eternal war with one another。 Driven hither by
objective
influencesthither by subjective emotionswafted one moment
into
blazing day； by mocking hopeplunged the next into the Cimmerian
darkness of tangible despair； I am but a living ganglion of
irreconcilable antagonisms。 I hope I make myself clear； lady？
JOS。 Perfectly。 （Aside。） His simple eloquence goes to my heart。
Oh； if
I daredbut no； the thought is madness！ （Aloud。） Dismiss these
foolish
fancies； they torture you but needlessly。 Come； make one effort。
RALPH （aside）。 I willone。 （Aloud。） Josephine！
JOS。 （Indignantly）。 Sir！
RALPH。 Aye； even though Jove's armoury were launched at the
head of the
audacious mortal whose lips； unhallowed by relationship； dared to
breathe
that precious word； yet would I breathe it once； and then
perchance be
silent evermore。 Josephine； in one brief breath I will
concentrate the
hopes； the doubts； the anxious fears of six weary months。
Josephine； I am
a British sailor； and I love you！
JOS。 Sir； this audacity！ （Aside。） Oh； my heart； my beating
heart！
（Aloud。） This unwarrantable presumption on the part of a common
sailor！
（Aside。） Common！ oh； the irony of the word！ （Crossing； aloud。）
Oh； sir；
you forget the disparity in our ranks。
RALPH。 I forget nothing； haughty lady。 I love you desperately；
my life
is in your handI lay it at your feet！ Give me hope； and what I
lack in
education and polite accomplishments； that I will endeavour to
acquire。
Drive me to despair； and in death alone I shall look for
consolation。 I
am proud and cannot stoop to implore。 I have spoken and I wait
your word。
JOS。 You shall not wait long。 Your proffered love I haughtily
reject。
Go； sir； and learn to cast your eyes on some village maiden in
your own
poor rankthey should be lowered before your captain's daughter。
DUETJOSEPHINE and RALPH
JOS。 Refrain； audacious tar；
Your suit from pressing；
Remember what you are；
And whom addressing！
（Aside。） I'd laugh my rank to scorn
In union holy；
Were he more highly born
Or I more lowly！
RALPH。 Proud lady； have your way；
Unfeeling beauty！
You speak and I obey；
It is my duty！
I am the lowliest tar
That sails the water；
And you； proud maiden； are
My captain's daughter！
（Aside。） My heart with anguish torn
Bows down before her；
She laughs my love to scorn；
Yet I adore her！
＇Repeat refrain； ensemble； then exit JOSEPHINE into cabin。
RALPH。 （Recit。） Can I survive this overbearing
Or live a life of mad despairing；
My proffered love despised； rejected？
No； no； it's not to be expected！
（Calling off。）
Messmates； ahoy！
Come here！ Come here！
Enter SAILORS； HEBE； and RELATIVES
ALL。 Aye； aye； my boy；
What cheer； what cheer？
Now tell us； pray；
Without delay；
What does she say
What cheer； what cheer？
RALPH （to COUSIN HEBE）。 The maiden treats my suit with scorn；
Rejects my humble gift； my lady；
She says I am ignobly born；
And cuts my hopes adrift； my lady。
ALL。 Oh； cruel one。
DICK。 She spurns your suit？ Oho！ Oho！
I told you so； I told you so。
SAILORS and RELATIVES。
Shall ｛ we ｝ submit？ Are ｛ we ｝ but slaves？
they they
Love comes alike to high and low
Britannia's sailors rule the waves；
And shall they stoop to insult？ No！
DICK。 You must submit； you are but slaves；
A lady she！ Oho！ Oho！
You lowly toilers of the waves；
She spurns you allI told you so！
RALPH。 My friends； my leave of life I'm taking；
For oh； my heart； my heart is breaking。
When I am gone； oh； prithee tell
The maid that； as I died； I loved her well！
ALL （turning away； weeping）。 Of life； alas！ his leave he's
taking；
For ah！ his faithful heart is breaking；
When he is gone we'll surely tell
The maid that； as he died； he loved her well。
＇During Chorus BOATSWAIN has loaded pistol； which he hands to
RALPH。
RALPH。 Be warned； my messmates all
Who love in rank above you
For Josephine I fall！
＇Puts pistol to his head。 All the sailors stop their
ears。
Enter JOSEPHINE on deck
JOS。 Ah！ stay your handI love you！
ALL。 Ah！ stay your handshe loves you！
RALPH。 （incredulously）。 Loves me？
JOS。 Loves you！
ALL。 Yes； yesah； yes；she loves you！
ENSEMBLE
SAILORS and RELATIVES and JOSEPHINE
Oh joy； oh rapture unforeseen；
For now the sky is all serene；
The god of daythe orb of love
Has hung his ensign high above；
The sky is all ablaze。
With wooing words and loving song；
We'll chase the lagging hours along；
And if ｛I find ｝ the maiden coy；
we find
I'll ｝ murmur forth decorous joy