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5 Did Someone Say 'Rum'? |
From Mary Celeste |
[Fanfare for entry of Herald and Attorney. Herald ushers Deveau and Wright into court, then approaches Mary Celeste where she meets the Owners, Winchester, Goodwin and Sampson, who have taken their drinks from the café over to examine the ship; Attorney looks on from the court door as they gesture to indicate a damaged deck-rail]
[A march rhythm on the snare drum promotes commotion among the café staff; in come some severe-looking ladies bearing banners reading 'Join The Temperance League', at whose approach the Tourists and Owners half-heartedly attempt to hide their drinks]
[Herald bangs her staff, and returns to Court, after singing her few lines of mock recitative]
Herald
Exhibit A is an area of damage to the vessel's balustrade
which is a little bit rum in the light of the renovations that had just been made
[Severe-looking ladies form a vigilant phalanx]
Temperance League
'Rum'? 'Rum'? Did someone say 'Rum'?
Rally round, ladies: let's not look glum!
[They bear down threateningly on the Owners, whom they take for tipplers; one of the League investigates a bottle rather too enthusiastically]
We are the Temperance League of Gibraltar
sniff out the brandy! sniff out the hock! ({spoken} Leave it alone, dear)
Not one supporter
will fail us or falter
'til all of these addicts are finally banned from the Rock;
So on your way!
[Outraged, the Owners remove hats and press them to their chests; they retort to the League with indignant pathos]
Owners
But we are the partners of Benjamin Briggs
The captain who shattered our rail.
All that we care about
now is his whereabouts:
What caused his judgment to ail?
Temperance League
'Ale'? 'Ale'? Did someone say 'Ale'?
Come now, Lavinia, let's not turn pale!
[They bear down more threateningly on the Owners]
Because the League says Drink is a dæmon
poisons the body, scrambles the wits ({spoken} Try to stand up, dear)
one minute seamen
are letting off steam and
the next thing you notice they're smashing the vessel to bits
So there's your answer!
[Owners round even more indignantly on the League]
Owners
Never with Benjamin Spooner Briggs
that sober and moderate man
How do you think people vanish who drink?
Will you answer us that if you can, if you can?
Temperance League
'Can'? 'Can'? Did someone say 'Can'?
Courage now, ladies, let's show the man!
[With a gesture the League indicate Mary Celeste]