'Uprouse ye, then, my merry merry men!
It is our opening day!
It is our opening da-ay!'
Gaddy, the little dicky-birds have been billing and cooing for ever so
long; and I'm here!
CAPT. G. (_Sitting up and yawning_.) 'Mornin'. This is awf'ly good of
you, old fellow. Most awf'ly good of you. 'Don't know what I should do
without you. On my soul, I don't. 'Haven't slept a wink all night.
CAPT. M. I didn't get in till half-past eleven. 'Had a look at you then,
and you seemed to be sleeping as soundly as a condemned criminal.
CAPT. G. Jack, if you want to make those disgustingly worn-out jokes,
you'd better go away. (With _portentous gravity_.) It's the happiest day
in my life.
CAPT. M. (Chuckling grimly.) Not by a very long chalk, my son. You're
going through some of the most refined torture you've ever known. But be
calm. I am with you. 'Shun! _Dress_!
CAPT. G. Eh! Wha-at?
CAPT. M. DO you suppose that you are your own master for the next twelve
hours? If you _do_, of course---(_Makes for the door_.)
CAPT. G. No! For Goodness' sake, old man, don't do that! You'll see me
through, won't you? I've been mugging up that beastly drill, and can't
remember a line of it.
CAPT. M. (_Overhauling_ G's _uniform_.) Go and tub. Don't bother me.
I'll give you ten minutes to dress in.
_Interval, filled by the noise as of one splashing in the bath-room_.
CAPT. G. (_Emerging from dressing-room_.) What time is it?
CAPT. M. Nearly eleven.
CAPT. G. Five hours more. O Lord!
CAPT. M. (_Aside_.) 'First sign of funk, that. 'Wonder if it's going to
spread. (Aloud.) Come along to breakfast.
CAPT. G. I can't eat anything. I don't want any breakfast.
CAPT. M. (_Aside_.) So early! (_Aloud_.) Captain Gadsby, I _order_ you
to eat breakfast, and a dashed good breakfast, too. None of your bridal
airs and graces with me!
Leads G. _downstairs, and stands over him while he eats two chops_.
CAPT. G. (_Who has looked at his watch thrice in the last five
minutes_.) What time is it?
CAPT. M. Time to come for a walk. Light up.
CAPT. G. I haven't smoked for ten days, and I won't _now_. (_Takes
cheroot which M. has cut for him, and blows smoke through his nose
luxuriously_.) We aren't going down the Mall, are we?
CAPT. M. (_Aside_.) They're all alike in these stages. (_Aloud_.) No, my
Vestal. We're going along the quietest road we can find.
CAPT. G. Any chance of seeing Her?
CAPT. M. Innocent! No! Come along, and, if you want me for the final
obsequies, don't cut my eye out with your stick.
CAPT. G. (_Spinning round_.) I say, isn't She the dearest creature that
ever walked? What's the time? What comes after 'wilt thou take this
woman'?
CAPT. M, You go for the ring. R'clect it'll be on the top of my
right-hand little ringer, and just be careful how you draw it off,
because I shall have the Verger's fees somewhere in my glove.
CAPT. G. (_Walking forward hastily_.) D---the Verger! Come along! It's
past twelve and I haven't seen Her since yesterday evening. (Spinning
round again.) She's an absolute angel, Jack, and She's a dashed deal too
good for me. Look here, does She come up the aisle on my arm, or how?
CAPT. M. If I thought that there was the least chance of your
remembering anything for two consecutive minutes, I'd tell you. Stop
passaging about like that!
CAPT. G. (_Halting in the middle of the road_.) I say, Jack.
CAPT. M. Keep quiet for another ten minutes if you can, you lunatic; and
_walk!_
_The two tramp at five miles an hour for fifteen minutes_.
CAPT. G. What's the time? How about that cursed wedding-cake and the
slippers? They don't throw 'em about in church, do they?
CAPT. M. In-variably. The Padre leads off with his boots.
CAPT. G. Confound your silly soul! Don't make fun of me. I can't stand
it, and I won't!
CAPT. M. (_Untroubled_.) So-ooo, old horse! You'll have to sleep for a
couple of hours this afternoon.
CAPT. G. (_Spinning round_) I'm _not_ going to be treated like a dashed
child. Understand that!
CAPT. M. (_Aside_) Nerves gone to fiddle-strings. What a day we're
having! (_Tenderly putting his hand on G's. shoulder_) My David, how
long have you known this Jonathan? Would I come up here to make a fool
of you-after all these years?
CAPT. G. (_Penitently_.) I know, I know, Jack--but I'm as upset as I can
be. Don't mind what I say. Just hear me run through the drill and see if
I've got it all right:---
'To have and to hold for better or worse, as it was in the beginning, is
now, and ever shall be, world without end, so help me God. Amen.'
CAPT. M. (_Suffocating with suppressed laughter_) Yes. That's about the
gist of it. I'll prompt if you get into a hat.
CAPT. G. (_Earnestly_) Yes, you'll stick by me, Jack, won't you? I'm
awf'ly happy, but I don't mind telling YOU that I'm in a blue funk!
CAPT. M. (_Gravely_) Are you? I should never have noticed it. You don't
LOOK like it.
CAPT. G. Don't I? That's all right. (_Spinning round_.) On my soul and
honour, Jack, She's the sweetest little angel that ever came down from
the sky. There isn't a woman on earth fit to speak to Her.
CAPT. M. (_Aside_.) And this is old Gaddy! (_Aloud_.) Go on if it
relieves you.
CAPT. G. You can laugh! That's all you wild asses of bachelors are fit
for.
CAPT. M. (_Drawling_.) You never WOULD wait for the troop to come up.
You aren't quite married yet, y' know.
CAPT. G. Ugh! That reminds me. I don't believe I shall be able to get
into my boots. Let's go home and try 'em on! (_Hurries forward_.)
CAPT. M. 'Wouldn't be in _your_ shoes for anything that Asia has to
offer.
CAPT. G. (_Spinning round_.) That just shows your hideous blackness of
soul-your dense stupidity-your brutal narrow-mindedness. There's only
one fault about you. You're the best of good fellows, and I don't know
what I should have done without you, but-you aren't married. (_Wags his
head gravely_.) Take a wife, Jack.
CAPT. M. (_With a face like a wall_.) Ya-as. Whose for choice?
CAPT. G. If you're going to be a blackguard, I'm going on--What's the
time?