PEER

  Right! Mine it is, and no one else’s.

  We’ll reckon as soon as your anchor is down!

  Take my fare, in the cabin, from Panama here.

  Then brandy all round to the crew. Nothing more.

  If I give a doit more, slap my jaw for me, Captain.

  THE CAPTAIN

  I owe you a quittance, and not a thrashing;—

  But excuse me, the wind’s blowing up to a gale.

  [He goes forward. It has fallen dark; lights are lit in the cabin.The sea in

  creases. Fog and thick clouds.]

  PEER

  To have a whole bevy of youngsters at home;—

  Still to dwell in their minds as a coming delight;—

  To have others’ thoughts follow you still on your path!—

  There’s never a soul gives a thought to me.—

  Lights in the sconces! I’ll put out those lights.

  I will hit upon something! I’ll make them all drunk;—

  Not one of the devils shall go sober ashore.

  They shall all come home drunk to their children and wives!

  They shall curse; bang the table till it rings again,—

  They shall scare those that wait for them out of their wits!

  The goodwife shall scream and rush forth from the house,—

  Clutch her children along! All their joy gone to ruin!

  [The ship gives a heavy lurch; he staggers and keeps his balance with dif

  ficulty.]

  Why, that was a buffet and no mistake.

  The sea’s hard at labour, as though it were paid for it;—

  It’s still itself here on the coasts of the north;—

  A cross-sea, as wry and wrong-headed as ever——

  [Listens.]

  Why, what can those screams be?

  THE LOOK-OUT [Forward.]

  A wreck a-lee!

  THE CAPTAIN [On the main deck, shouts.]

  Starboard your helm! Bring her up to the wind!

  THE MATE

  Are there men on the wreck?

  THE LOOK-OUT

  I can just see three!

  PEER

  Quick! lower the stern boat——

  THE CAPTAIN

  She’d fill ere she floated.

  [Goes forward.]

  PEER

  Who can think of that now?

  [To some of the crew.]

  If you’re men, to the rescue!

  What the devil, if you should get a bit of a ducking!

  THE BOATSWAIN

  It’s out of the question in such a sea.

  PEER

  They are screaming again! There’s a lull in the wind.—

  Cook, will you risk it? Quick! I will pay——

  THE COOK

  No, not if you offered me twenty pounds-sterling——

  PEER

  You hounds! You chicken-hearts! Can you forget

  These are men that have goodwives and children at home?

  There they’re sitting and waiting——

  THE BOATSWAIN

  Well, patience is wholesome.

  THE CAPTAIN

  Bear away from that sea!

  THE MATE

  There the wreck capsized!

  PEER

  All is silent of a sudden——!

  THE BOATSWAIN

  Were they married, as you think,

  There are three new-baked widows even now in the world.

  [The storm increases. PEER GYNT moves away aft.]

  PEER

  There is no faith left among men any more,—

  No Christianity,—well may they say it and write it;—

  Their good deeds are few and their prayers are still fewer,

  And they pay no respect to the Powers above them.—

  In a storm like to-night’s, he’s a terror, the Lord is.

  These beasts should be careful, and think, what’s the truth,

  That it’s dangerous playing with elephants;—

  And yet they must openly brave his displeasure!

  I am no whit to blame; for the sacrifice

  I can prove I stood ready, my money in hand.

  But how does it profit me?—What says the proverb?

  A conscience at ease is a pillow of down.

  Oh ay, that is all very well on dry land,

  But I’m blest if it matters a snuff on board ship,

  When a decent man’s out on the seas with such riff-raff.

  At sea one can never be one’s self;

  One must go with the others from deck to keel;

  If for boatswain and cook the hour of vengeance should strike,

  I shall no doubt be swept to the deuce with the rest;—

  One’s personal welfare is clean set aside;—

  One counts but as a sausage in slaughtering-time.—

  My mistake is this: I have been too meek;

  And I’ve had no thanks for it after all.

  Were I younger, I think I would shift the saddle,

  And try how it answered to lord it awhile.

  There is time enough yet! They shall know in the parish

  That Peer has come sailing aloft o’er the seas!

  I’ll get back the farmstead by fair means or foul;—

  I will build it anew; it shall shine like a palace.

  But none shall be suffered to enter the hall!

  They shall stand at the gateway, all twirling their caps;—

  They shall beg and beseech—that they freely may do;

  But none gets so much as a farthing of mine.

  If I’ve had to howl ’neath the lashes of fate,

  Trust me to find folks I can lash in my turn——

  THE STRANGE PASSENGER [Stands in the darkness at PEER

  GYNT’s side, and salutes him in friendly fashion.]

  Good evening!

  PEER

  Good evening! What——? Who are you?

  THE PASSENGER

  Your fellow-passenger, at your service.

  PEER

  Indeed? I thought I was the only one.

  THE PASSENGER

  A mistaken impression, which now is set right.

  PEER

  But it’s singular that, for the first time to-night,

  I should see you——

  THE PASSENGER

  I never come out in the day-time.

  PEER

  Perhaps you are ill? You’re as white as a sheet——

  THE PASSENGER

  No, thank you—my health is uncommonly good.

  PEER

  What a raging storm!

  THE PASSENGER

  Ay, a blessëd one, man!

  PEER

  A blessëd one?

  THE PASSENGER

  Sea’s running high as houses

  Ah, one can feel one’s mouth watering!

  Just think of the wrecks that to-night will be shattered;—

  And think, too, what corpses will drive ashore!

  PEER

  Lord save us!

  THE PASSENGER

  Have ever you seen a man strangled,

  Or hanged,—or drowned?

  PEER

  This is going too far——!

  THE PASSENGER

  The corpses all laugh. But their laughter is forced;

  And the most part are found to have bitten their tongues.

  PEER

  Hold off from me——!

  THE PASSENGER

  Only one question, pray!

  If we, for example, should strike on a rock,

  And sink in the darkness——

  PEER

  You think there is danger?

  THE PASSENGER

  I really don’t know what I ought to say.

  But suppose, now, I float and you go to the bottom——

  PEER

  Oh, rubbish——

  THE PASSENGER

  It’s just a hypothesis.

  But when one is placed with one foot in the grave,

  One grows soft-hearted and open-handed——

  PEER [Puts his hand in his pocket.]

  Ho, money?

  THE PASSENGER

  No, no; but perhaps you would kindly

  Make me a gift of your much-esteemed carcase——?

  PEER

  This is too much!

  THE PASSENGER

  No more than your body, you know!

  To help my researches in science——

  PEER

  Begone!

  THE PASSENGER

  But think, my dear sir—the advantage is yours!

  I’ll have you laid open and brought to the light.

  What I specially seek is the centre of dreams,—

  And with critical care I’ll look into your seams——

  PEER

  Away with you!

  THE PASSENGER

  Why, my dear sir—a drowned corpse——!

  PEER

  Blasphemer! You’re goading the rage of the storm!

  I call it too bad! Here it’s raining and blowing,

  A terrible sea on, and all sorts of signs

  Of something that’s likely to shorten our days;—

  And you carry on so as to make it come quicker!

  THE PASSENGER

  You’re in no mood, I see, to negotiate further;

  But time, you know, brings with it many a change——

  [Nods in a friendly fashion.]

  We’ll meet when you’re sinking, if not before;

  Perhaps I may then find you more in the humour.

  [Goes into the cabin.]

  PEER

  Unpleasant companions these scientists are!

  With their freethinking ways——

  [To the BOATSWAIN, who is passing.]

  Hark, a word with you, friend!

  That passenger? What crazy creature is he?

  THE BOATSWAIN

  I know of no passenger here but yourself.

  PEER

  No others? This thing’s getting worse and worse.

  [To the SHIP’S BOY, who comes out of the cabin.]

  Who went down the companion just now?

  THE BOY

  The ship’s dog, sir!

  [Passes on.]

  THE LOOK-OUT [Shouts.]

  Land close ahead!

  PEER

  Where’s my box? Where’s my trunk?

  All the baggage on deck!

  THE BOATSWAIN

  We have more to attend to!

  PEER

  It was nonsense, captain! ’Twas only my joke;—

  As sure as I’m here I will help the cook——

  THE CAPTAIN

  The jib’s blown away!

  THE MATE

  And there went the foresail!

  THE BOATSWAIN [Shrieks from forward.]

  Breakers under the bow!

  THE CAPTAIN

  She will go to shivers!

  [The ship strikes. Noise and confusion.]

  SCENE SECOND

  Close under the land, among sunken rocks and surf.The ship sinks.The jolly-boat, with two men in her, is seen for a moment through the scud. A sea strikes her; she fills and upsets. A shriek is heard; then all is silent for a while. Shortly afterwards the boat appears floating bottom upwards.

  PEER GYNT comes to the surface near the boat.

  PEER

  Help! Help! A boat! Help! I’ll be drowned!

  Save me, oh Lord—as saith the text!

  [Clutches hold of the boat’s keel.]

  THE COOK [Comes up on the other side.]

  Oh, Lord God—for my children’s sake,

  Have mercy! Let me reach the land!

  [Seizes hold of the keel.]

  PEER

  Let go!

  THE COOK

  Let go!

  PEER

  I’ll strike!

  THE COOK

  So’ll I!

  PEER

  I’ll crush you down with kicks and blows!

  Let go your hold! She won’t float two!

  THE COOK

  I know it! Yield!

  PEER

  Yield you!

  THE COOK

  Oh yes!

  [They fight; one of the COOK’s hands is disabled; he clings on with the

  other.]

  PEER

  Off with that hand!

  THE COOK

  Oh, kind sir—spare!

  Think of my little ones at home!

  PEER

  I need my life far more than you,

  For I am lone and childless still.

  THE COOK

  Let go! You’ve lived, and I am young!

  PEER

  Quick; haste you; sink;—you drag us down.

  THE COOK

  Have mercy! Yield in heaven’s name!

  There’s none to miss and mourn for you—

  [His hands slips; he screams:]

  I’m drowning!

  PEER [Seizing him.]

  By this wisp of hair

  I’ll hold you; say your Lord’s Prayer, quick!

  THE COOK

  I can’t remember; all turns black——

  PEER

  Come, the essentials in a word——!

  THE COOK

  Give us this day——!

  PEER

  Skip that part, Cook;

  You’ll get all you need, safe enough.

  THE COOK

  Give us this day——

  PEER

  The same old song!

  ’Tis plain you were a cook in life——

  [The COOK slips from his grasp.]

  THE COOK [Sinking.]

  Give us this day our——

  [Disappears.]

  PEER

  Amen, lad!

  To the last gasp you were yourself.—

  [Draws himself up on to the bottom of the boat.]

  So long as there is life there’s hope——

  THE STRANGE PASSENGER [Catches hold of the boat.]

  Good morning!

  PEER

  Hoy!

  THE PASSENGER

  I heard you shout.—

  It’s pleasant finding you again.

  Well? So my prophecy came true!

  PEER

  Let go! Let go! ’Twill scarce float one!

  THE PASSENGER

  I’m striking out with my left leg.

  I’ll float, if only with their tips

  My fingers rest upon this ledge.

  But apropos: your body——

  PEER

  Hush!

  THE PASSENGER

  The rest, of course, is done for, clean——

  PEER

  No more!

  THE PASSENGER

  Exactly as you please.

  [Silence.]

  PEER

  Well?

  THE PASSENGER

  I am silent.

  PEER

  Satan’s tricks!—

  What now?

  THE PASSENGER

  I’m waiting.

  PEER [Tearing his hair.]

  I’ll go mad!—

  What are you?

  THE PASSENGER [Nods.]

  Friendly.

  PEER

  What else! Speak!

  THE PASSENGER

  What think you? Do you know none other

  That’s like me?

  PEER

  Do I know the devil——?

  THE PASSENGER [In a low voice.]

  Is it his way to light a lantern

  For life’s night-pilgrimage through fear?

  PEER

  Ah, come! When once the thing’s cleared up,

  You’d seem a messenger of light?

  THE PASSENGER

  Friend,—have you once in each half-year

  Felt all the earnestness of dread?88

  PEER

  Why, one’s afraid when danger threatens;—

  But all your words have double meanings.89

  THE PASSENGER

  Ay, have you gained but once in life

  The victory that is given in dread?

  PEER [Looks at him.]

  Came you to ope for me a door,

  ’Twas stupid not to come before.

  What sort of sense is there in choosing

  Your time when seas gape to devour one?

  THE PASSENGER

  Were, then, the victory more likely

  Beside your hearthstone, snug and quiet?

  PEER

  Perhaps not; but your talk was quizzical.

  How could you fancy it awakening?

  THE PASSENGER

  Where I come from, there smiles are prized

  As highly as pathetic style.

  PEER

  All has its time; what fits the taxman,90

  So says the text, would damn the bishop.

  THE PASSENGER

  The host whose dust inurned has slumbered

  Treads not on week-days the cothurnus.

  PEER

  Avaunt thee, bugbear! Man, begone!

  I will not die! I must ashore!

  THE PASSENGER

  Oh, as for that, be reassured;—

  One dies not midmost of Act Five.

  [Glides away.]