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be！ Who is
poor Little Buttercup that she should expect his glance to fall
on one so
lowly！ And yet if he knewif he only knew！
CAPT。 （coming down）。 Ah！ Little Buttercup； still on board？
That is
not quite right； little one。 It would have been more respectable
to have
gone on shore at dusk。
BUT； True； dear Captainbut the recollection of your sad
pale
face seemed to chain me to the ship。 I would fain see you smile
before I
go。
CAPT。 Ah！ Little Buttercup； I fear it will be long before I
recover my accustomed cheerfulness； for misfortunes crowd upon
me； and
all my old friends seem to have turned against me！
BUT； Oh nodo not say 〃all〃； dear Captain。 That were
unjust to
one； at least。
CAPT。 True； for you are staunch to me。 （Aside。） If ever I
gave my
heart again； methinks it would be to such a one as this！ （Aloud。）
I am
touched to the heart by your innocent regard for me； and were we
differently situated； I think I could have returned it。 But as it
is； I
fear I can never be more to you than a friend。
BUT； I understand！ You hold aloof from me because you are
rich and
loftyand I poor and lowly。 But take care！ The poor bumboat
woman has
gipsy blood in her veins； and she can read destinies。
CAPT。 Destinies？
BUT。 There is a change in store for you！
CAPT。 A change？
BUT。 Ayebe prepared！
DUETLITTLE BUTTERCUP and CAPTAIN
BUT； Things are seldom what they seem；
Skim milk masquerades as cream；
Highlows pass as patent leathers；
Jackdaws strut in peacock's feathers。
CAPT。 （puzzled）。 Very true；
So they do。
BUT。 Black sheep dwell in every fold；
All that glitters is not gold；
Storks turn out to be but logs；
Bulls are but inflated frogs。
CAPT。 （puzzled）。 So they be；
Frequentlee。
BUT。 Drops the wind and stops the mill；
Turbot is ambitious brill；
Gild the farthing if you will；
Yet it is a farthing still。
CAPT。 （puzzled）。 Yes； I know。
That is so。
Though to catch your drift I'm striving；
It is shadyit is shady；
I don't see at what you're driving；
Mystic ladymystic lady。
（Aside。） Stern conviction's o'er me stealing；
That the mystic lady's dealing
In oracular revealing。
BUT。 （aside）。Stern conviction's o'er him stealing；
That the mystic lady's dealing
In oracular revealing。
Yes； I know
That is so！
CAPT。 Though I'm anything but clever；
I could talk like that for ever：
Once a cat was killed by care；
Only brave deserve the fair。
Very true；
So they do。
CAPT。 Wink is often good as nod；
Spoils the child who spares the rod；
Thirsty lambs run foxy dangers；
Dogs are found in many mangers。
BUT。 Frequentlee；
I agree。
Paw of cat the chestnut snatches；
Worn…out garments show new patches；
Only count the chick that hatches；
Men are grown…up catchy…catchies。
BUT。 Yes； I know；
That is so。
（Aside。） Though to catch my drift he's striving；
I'll dissembleI'll dissemble；
When he sees at what I'm driving；
Let him tremblelet him tremble！
ENSEMBLE
Though a mystic tone ｛ I ｝ borrow；
you
You will ｝ learn the truth with sorrow；
I shall
Here to…day and gone to…morrow；
Yes； I know
That is so！
＇At the end exit LITTLE BUTTERCUP
melodramatically。
CAPT。 Incomprehensible as her utterances are； I nevertheless
feel that
they are dictated by a sincere regard for me。 But to what new
misery is
she referring？ Time alone can tell！
Enter SIR JOSEPH
SIR JOSEPH。 Captain Corcoran； I am much disappointed with your
daughter。 In fact； I don't think she will do。
CAPT。 She won't do； Sir Joseph！
SIR JOSEPH。 I'm afraid not。 The fact is； that although I have
urged my
suit with as much eloquence as is consistent with an official
utterance；
I have done so hitherto without success。 How do you account for
this？
CAPT。 Really； Sir Joseph； I hardly know。 Josephine is of course
sensible of your condescension。
SIR JOSEPH。 She naturally would be。
CAPT。 But perhaps your exalted rank dazzles her。
SIR JOSEPH。 You think it does？
CAPT。 I can hardly say； but she is a modest girl； and her
social
position is far below your own。 It may be that she feels she is
not
worthy of you。
SIR JOSEPH。 That is really a very sensible suggestion； and
displays
more knowledge of human nature than I had given you credit for。
CAPT。 See； she comes。 If your lordship would kindly reason with
her and
assure her officially that it is a standing rule at the Admiralty
that
love levels all ranks； her respect for an official utterance
might induce
her to look upon your offer in its proper light。
SIR JOSEPH。 It is not unlikely。 I will adopt your suggestion。
But soft；
she is here。 Let us withdraw； and watch our opportunity。
Enter JOSEPHINE from cabin。 FIRST LORD and CAPTAIN retire
SCENEJOSEPHINE
The hours creep on apace；
My guilty heart is quaking！
Oh； that I might retrace
The step that I am taking！
Its folly it were easy to be showing；
What I am giving up and whither going。
On the one hand； papa's luxurious home；
Hung with ancestral armour and old brasses；
Carved oak and tapestry from distant Rome；
Rare 〃blue and white〃 Venetian finger…glasses；
Rich oriental rugs； luxurious sofa pillows；
And everything that isn't old； from Gillow's。
And on the other； a dark and dingy room；
In some back street with stuffy children crying；
Where organs yell； and clacking housewives fume；
And clothes are hanging out all day a…drying。
With one cracked looking…glass to see your face
in；
And dinner served up in a pudding basin！
A simple sailor； lowly born；
Unlettered and unknown；
Who toils for bread from early mom
Till half the night has flown！
No golden rank can he impart
No wealth of house or land
No fortune save his trusty heart
And honest brown right hand！
And yet he is so wondrous fair
That love for one so passing rare；
So peerless in his manly beauty；
Were little else than solemn duty！
Oh； god of love； and god of reason； say；
Which of you twain shall my poor heart obey！
SIR JOSEPH and CAPTAIN enter
SIR JOSEPH。 Madam； it has been represented to me that you are
appalled
by my exalted rank。 I desire to convey to you officially my
assurance；
that if your hesitation is attributable to that circumstance； it
is
uncalled for。
JOS。 Oh！ then your lordship is of opinion that married
happiness is not
inconsistent with discrepancy in rank？
SIR JOSEPH。 I am officially of that opinion。
JOS。 That the high and the lowly may be truly happy together；
provided
that they truly love one another？
SIR JOSEPH。 Madam； I desire to convey to you officially my
opinion that
love is a platform upon which all ranks meet。
JOS。 I thank you； Sir Joseph。 I did hesitate； but I will
hesitate no
longer。 （Aside。） He little thinks how eloquently he has pleaded
his
rival's cause！
TRIO
FIRST LORD； CAPTAIN； and JOSEPHINE
CAPT。 Never mind the why and wherefore；
Love can level ranks； and therefore；
Though his lordship's station's mighty；
Though stupendous be his brain；
Though your tastes are mean and flighty
And y