Peter
Now the great Bear and Pleiades
where earth moves
Are drawing up the clouds
of human grief
Breathing solemnity in the deep night.
Who can decipher
In storm or starlight
The written character
of a friendly fate -
As the sky turns, the world for us to change?
But if the horoscope's
bewildering
Like a flashing turmoil
of a shoal of herring,
Who can turn skies back and begin again?
(Silence again. Then muttering in undertones.)
Chorus
He's mad or drunk.
Why's that man here?
Nieces
His song alone would sour the beer.
Chorus
His temper's up.
O chuck him out.
Nieces
I wouldn't mind if he didn't howl.
Chorus
He looks as though he's nearly drowned.
Boles (staggers up to Grimes)
You've sold your soul, Grimes.
Balstrode
Come away.
Boles
Satan's got no hold on me.
Balstrode
Leave him alone, you drunkard.
(Goes to get hold of Boles.)
Boles
I'll hold the gospel light before
The cataract that blinds his eyes.
Peter (as the drunk stumbles up to him)
Get out.
(Grimes thrusts Boles aside roughly and turns away.)
Boles
His exercise
Is not with men but killing boys.
(Boles picks up a bottle and is about to bring it down on Grimes's head when Balstrode
knocks it out of his hand and it crashes in fragments on the floor.)
Auntie
For God's sake, help me keep the peace.
D'you want me up at the next a**ize?
Balstrode
For peace sake, someone start a song.
(Keene starts a round.)
Auntie
That's right, Ned!
(The round is:)
Now the great Bear and Pleiades
where earth moves
Are drawing up the clouds
of human grief
Breathing solemnity in the deep night.
Who can decipher
In storm or starlight
The written character
of a friendly fate -
As the sky turns, the world for us to change?
But if the horoscope's
bewildering
Like a flashing turmoil
of a shoal of herring,
Who can turn skies back and begin again?
(Silence again. Then muttering in undertones.)
Chorus
He's mad or drunk.
Why's that man here?
Nieces
His song alone would sour the beer.
Chorus
His temper's up.
O chuck him out.
Nieces
I wouldn't mind if he didn't howl.
Chorus
He looks as though he's nearly drowned.
Boles (staggers up to Grimes)
You've sold your soul, Grimes.
Balstrode
Come away.
Boles
Satan's got no hold on me.
Balstrode
Leave him alone, you drunkard.
(Goes to get hold of Boles.)
Boles
I'll hold the gospel light before
The cataract that blinds his eyes.
Peter (as the drunk stumbles up to him)
Get out.
(Grimes thrusts Boles aside roughly and turns away.)
Boles
His exercise
Is not with men but killing boys.
(Boles picks up a bottle and is about to bring it down on Grimes's head when Balstrode
knocks it out of his hand and it crashes in fragments on the floor.)
Auntie
For God's sake, help me keep the peace.
D'you want me up at the next a**ize?
Balstrode
For peace sake, someone start a song.
(Keene starts a round.)
Auntie
That's right, Ned!
(The round is:)