The Dynasts: An Epic-Drama of the War with Napoleon Part 37

[The interior of the "Old Rooms" Inn. Boatmen and burghers are sitting on settles round the fire, smoking and drinking.

FIRST BURGHER

So they've brought him home at last, hey? And he's to be solemnized with a roaring funeral?

FIRST BOATMAN

Yes, thank G.o.d.... 'Tis better to lie dry than wet, if canst do it without stinking on the road gravewards. And they took care that he shouldn't.

SECOND BOATMAN

'Tis to be at Paul's; so they say that know. And the crew of the "Victory" have to walk in front, and Captain Hardy is to carry his stars and garters on a great velvet pincushion.

FIRST BURGHER

Where's the Captain now?

SECOND BOATMAN [nodding in the direction of Captain Hardy's house]

Down at home here biding with his own folk a bit. I zid en walking with them on the Esplanade yesterday. He looks ten years older than he did when he went. Ay--he brought the galliant hero home!

SECOND BURGHER

Now how did they bring him home so that he could lie in state afterwards to the naked eye!

FIRST BOATMAN

Well, as they always do,--in a cask of sperrits.

SECOND BURGHER

Really, now!

FIRST BOATMAN [lowering his voice]

But what happened was this. They were a long time coming, owing to contrary winds, and the "Victory" being little more than a wreck.

And grog ran short, because they'd used near all they had to peckle his body in. So--they broached the Adm'l!

SECOND BURGHER

How?

FIRST BOATMAN

Well; the plain calendar of it is, that when he came to be unhooped, it was found that the crew had drunk him dry. What was the men to do? Broke down by the battle, and hardly able to keep afloat, 'twas a most defendable thing, and it fairly saved their lives. So he was their salvation after death as he had been in the fight. If he could have knowed it, 'twould have pleased him down to the ground!

How 'a would have laughed through the spigot-hole: "Draw on, my hearties! Better I shrivel that you famish." Ha-ha!

SECOND BURGHER

It may be defendable afloat; but it seems queer ash.o.r.e.

FIRST BOATMAN

Well, that's as I had it from one that knows--Bob Loveday of Overcombe--one of the "Victory" men that's going to walk in the funeral. However, let's touch a livelier string. Peter Green, strike up that new ballet that they've lately had prented here, and were hawking about town last market-day.

SONG

THE NIGHT OF TRAFALGAR

I

In the wild October night-time, when the wind raved round the land, And the Back-sea[12] met the Front-sea, and our doors were blocked with sand, And we heard the drub of Dead-man's Bay, where bones of thousands are, We knew not what the day had done for us at Trafalgar.

[All] Had done, Had done, For us at Trafalgar!

II

"Pull hard, and make the Nothe, or down we go!" one says, says he.

We pulled; and bedtime brought the storm; but snug at home slept we.

Yet all the while our gallants after fighting through the day, Were beating up and down the dark, sou'-west of Cadiz Bay.

The dark, The dark, Sou'-west of Cadiz Bay!

III

The victors and the vanquished then the storm it tossed and tore, As hard they strove, those worn-out men, upon that surly sh.o.r.e; Dead Nelson and his half-dead crew, his foes from near and far, Were rolled together on the deep that night at Trafalgar!

The deep, The deep, That night at Trafalgar!

[The Cloud-curtain draws.]

CHORUS OF THE YEARS