Act III
Scene 1
Stage is still split. On one side is the piazza and those of the Golden Inn. On the other is Steelkilt and his 12 followers, huddled in the forecastle.
Duena Maria: So, what said the captain?
Jonah: It was only heard by Steelkilt and the men who went down into the forecastle. But I know what was said. It’s what the master of this world always says. “I am the master of this vessel. I am the master of this fallen world. I am the master of ye.
Who are ye, to challenge me, or anything I do?”
Steelkilt: (in the pit) Who’s over me? Truth hath no confines.
That which is best and oldest in me – has no master.
(turns to the twelve)
Remember Father Mapple at the Whaleman’s Chapel in New Bedford. Remember his words:
Woe to him who would not be true, even though to be false were salvation!
But oh! shipmates!
on the starboard hand of every woe, there is a sure delight;
and higher the top of that delight, than the bottom of the woe is deep.
Is not the main-truck higher than the kelson is low?
Delight is to him-a far, far upward and inward delight-
who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth,
ever stands forth his own inexorable self.
Delight is to him, who gives no quarter in the truth.
Delight,-top gallant delight is to him,
who acknowledges no law or lord,
but the Lord his God,
and is only a patriot to heaven.
(Steelkilt kneels among his comrades but he is isolate, alone, as if he kneels at the bottom of the sea. Stays there in tableau.)
Jonah: All night a wide-awake watch was kept by all the officers, forward and aft, especially about the forecastle scuttle and fore hatchway; at which last place it was feared the insurgents might emerge after breaking through the bulkhead below. But the hours of darkness passed in peace; the men who still remained at their duty toiling hard at the pumps, whose clinking and clankings at intervals through the dismal night dismally resounded through the ship.
At sunrise the Captain went forward.
Captain: (knocks on the deck) Turn to!
(Steelkilt and his followers give a wild, rebel yell. The hatch to the forecastle is unlocked. Water is then lowered down, a couple of biscuits are tossed. Then the hatch is chained and padlocked.)
Jonah: Twice every day, for three days, this was repeated. The Captain ordered the insurgents to turn to. The insurgent replied with a gradually waning rebel yell. On the fourth morning a confused wrangling and then a scuffling was heard, as the customary summons was delivered; and suddenly six men burst up from the forecastle, saying they were ready to turn to. (men break from the huddled twelve.)
Captain: The rest of you scum – Turn to!
Steelkilt: (softly, reasonably) Stop your babbling and betake yourself where you belong!
Jonah: The fetid closeness of the air, and a famishing diet, united perhaps to some fears of ultimate retribution, had constrained them to surrender. On the fifth morning four others of the mutineers bolted up into the air from the desperate arms below that sought to restrain them. (four break from the huddled men)
Captain: (jeeringly) Better turn to now.
Steelkilt: (softly, reasonably) Shut us up again, will ye!
Captain: Oh! certainly (locks the padlock)
Jonah: It was at this point that enraged by the defection of 10 of his former associates, and stung by the mocking voice that had last hailed him, and maddened by his long entombment in a place as black as the bowels of despair; it was then that Steelkilt proposed…
Steelkilt: Let us burst out of this hole the next time the hatch is unlocked. And with these mincing knives (raises a long, crescentic, heavy implement, with a handle at each end) run amuck from the bowsprit to the taffrail; and if by any devilishness of desperation possible, seize the ship. For mySelf I will do this, whether you join me or not. This is the last night I stay in this hole.
First Canaller - We rise with you!
Second Canaller – We’re your men!
First Canaller – We’re ready for that.
Second Canaller – Or anything you propose.
First Canaller – We are ready for anything except to surrender! I will be the first man up the ladder.
Second Canaller – I will be the first up the ladder!
First Canaller – What are you talking about. I’m the man!
Second Canaller – This is not a job for an old man. I’m the one for it!
Steelkilt: (conclusively, authoritatively) This is for me to do! I will be the first up the ladder.
Jonah: And here the foul play of these miscreants must come out.
Upon hearing the frantic project of their leader, each in his own separate soul had suddenly lighted, it would seem, upon the same piece of treachery, namely: to be foremost in breaking out, in order to be the first of the three, though the last of the twelve, to surrender; and thereby secure whatever small chance of pardon such conduct might merit. But when Steelkilt made known his determination still to lead them to the last, they in some way, by some subtle chemistry of villainy, mixed their before secret treacheries together; and when their leader fell into a doze, verbally opened their soul to each other in three sentences.
First Canaller: The hell with this!
Second Canaller: Let’s do it!
First Canaller: Let’s get it done!
Jonah: …and bound the sleeper with cords (the canallers do to Steelkilt as Jonah speaks), and gagged him with cords.
Canallers: (Cravenly yelling) Captain! Captain!
Jonah: Thinking murder at hand, and smelling in the dark for the blood, the captain and all his armed mates and harpooners rushed for the forecastle (captain and his men do as Jonah says, scuttle is opened. The bound, still struggling Steelkilt is thrown before the captain).
First Canaller: I did it!
Second Canaller: I did it! I bound him and stopped one who was fully ripe for murder.
Captain: Bound ‘em, all! Collar ‘em. That’s right drag ‘em like dead cattle. Seize ‘em up in the mizzen rigging, like three quarters of meat (four junior mates, four harpooners do as he says).
Jonah: And there they hung till morning. (light fades)
Scene 1
Stage is still split. On one side is the piazza and those of the Golden Inn. On the other is Steelkilt and his 12 followers, huddled in the forecastle.
Duena Maria: So, what said the captain?
Jonah: It was only heard by Steelkilt and the men who went down into the forecastle. But I know what was said. It’s what the master of this world always says. “I am the master of this vessel. I am the master of this fallen world. I am the master of ye.
Who are ye, to challenge me, or anything I do?”
Steelkilt: (in the pit) Who’s over me? Truth hath no confines.
That which is best and oldest in me – has no master.
(turns to the twelve)
Remember Father Mapple at the Whaleman’s Chapel in New Bedford. Remember his words:
Woe to him who would not be true, even though to be false were salvation!
But oh! shipmates!
on the starboard hand of every woe, there is a sure delight;
and higher the top of that delight, than the bottom of the woe is deep.
Is not the main-truck higher than the kelson is low?
Delight is to him-a far, far upward and inward delight-
who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth,
ever stands forth his own inexorable self.
Delight is to him, who gives no quarter in the truth.
Delight,-top gallant delight is to him,
who acknowledges no law or lord,
but the Lord his God,
and is only a patriot to heaven.
(Steelkilt kneels among his comrades but he is isolate, alone, as if he kneels at the bottom of the sea. Stays there in tableau.)
Jonah: All night a wide-awake watch was kept by all the officers, forward and aft, especially about the forecastle scuttle and fore hatchway; at which last place it was feared the insurgents might emerge after breaking through the bulkhead below. But the hours of darkness passed in peace; the men who still remained at their duty toiling hard at the pumps, whose clinking and clankings at intervals through the dismal night dismally resounded through the ship.
At sunrise the Captain went forward.
Captain: (knocks on the deck) Turn to!
(Steelkilt and his followers give a wild, rebel yell. The hatch to the forecastle is unlocked. Water is then lowered down, a couple of biscuits are tossed. Then the hatch is chained and padlocked.)
Jonah: Twice every day, for three days, this was repeated. The Captain ordered the insurgents to turn to. The insurgent replied with a gradually waning rebel yell. On the fourth morning a confused wrangling and then a scuffling was heard, as the customary summons was delivered; and suddenly six men burst up from the forecastle, saying they were ready to turn to. (men break from the huddled twelve.)
Captain: The rest of you scum – Turn to!
Steelkilt: (softly, reasonably) Stop your babbling and betake yourself where you belong!
Jonah: The fetid closeness of the air, and a famishing diet, united perhaps to some fears of ultimate retribution, had constrained them to surrender. On the fifth morning four others of the mutineers bolted up into the air from the desperate arms below that sought to restrain them. (four break from the huddled men)
Captain: (jeeringly) Better turn to now.
Steelkilt: (softly, reasonably) Shut us up again, will ye!
Captain: Oh! certainly (locks the padlock)
Jonah: It was at this point that enraged by the defection of 10 of his former associates, and stung by the mocking voice that had last hailed him, and maddened by his long entombment in a place as black as the bowels of despair; it was then that Steelkilt proposed…
Steelkilt: Let us burst out of this hole the next time the hatch is unlocked. And with these mincing knives (raises a long, crescentic, heavy implement, with a handle at each end) run amuck from the bowsprit to the taffrail; and if by any devilishness of desperation possible, seize the ship. For mySelf I will do this, whether you join me or not. This is the last night I stay in this hole.
First Canaller - We rise with you!
Second Canaller – We’re your men!
First Canaller – We’re ready for that.
Second Canaller – Or anything you propose.
First Canaller – We are ready for anything except to surrender! I will be the first man up the ladder.
Second Canaller – I will be the first up the ladder!
First Canaller – What are you talking about. I’m the man!
Second Canaller – This is not a job for an old man. I’m the one for it!
Steelkilt: (conclusively, authoritatively) This is for me to do! I will be the first up the ladder.
Jonah: And here the foul play of these miscreants must come out.
Upon hearing the frantic project of their leader, each in his own separate soul had suddenly lighted, it would seem, upon the same piece of treachery, namely: to be foremost in breaking out, in order to be the first of the three, though the last of the twelve, to surrender; and thereby secure whatever small chance of pardon such conduct might merit. But when Steelkilt made known his determination still to lead them to the last, they in some way, by some subtle chemistry of villainy, mixed their before secret treacheries together; and when their leader fell into a doze, verbally opened their soul to each other in three sentences.
First Canaller: The hell with this!
Second Canaller: Let’s do it!
First Canaller: Let’s get it done!
Jonah: …and bound the sleeper with cords (the canallers do to Steelkilt as Jonah speaks), and gagged him with cords.
Canallers: (Cravenly yelling) Captain! Captain!
Jonah: Thinking murder at hand, and smelling in the dark for the blood, the captain and all his armed mates and harpooners rushed for the forecastle (captain and his men do as Jonah says, scuttle is opened. The bound, still struggling Steelkilt is thrown before the captain).
First Canaller: I did it!
Second Canaller: I did it! I bound him and stopped one who was fully ripe for murder.
Captain: Bound ‘em, all! Collar ‘em. That’s right drag ‘em like dead cattle. Seize ‘em up in the mizzen rigging, like three quarters of meat (four junior mates, four harpooners do as he says).
Jonah: And there they hung till morning. (light fades)
