I typed the following with my elbows....
FTER the 32nd chapter of TREASURE ISLAND, two of the puppets
strolled out to have a pipe before business should begin again, and
met in an open place not far from the story.
"Good-morning, Cap'n," said the first, with a man-o'-war salute,
and a beaming countenance.
"Ah, Silver!" grunted the other. "You're in a bad way, Silver."
"Now, Cap'n Smollett," remonstrated Silver, "dooty is dooty, as I
knows, and none better; but we're off dooty now; and I can't see no
call to keep up the morality business."
"You're a damned rogue, my man," said the Captain.
"Come, come, Cap'n, be just," returned the other. "There's no call
to be angry with me in earnest. I'm on'y a chara'ter in a sea
story. I don't really exist."
"Well, I don't really exist either," says the Captain, "which seems
to meet that."
"I wouldn't set no limits to what a virtuous chara'ter might
consider argument," responded Silver. "But I'm the villain of this
tale, I am; and speaking as one sea-faring man to another, what I
want to know is, what's the odds?"
"Were you never taught your catechism?" said the Captain. "Don't
you know there's such a thing as an Author?"
"Such a thing as a Author?" returned John, derisively. "And who
better'n me? And the p'int is, if the Author made you, he made
Long John, and he made Hands, and Pew, and George Merry - not that
George is up to much, for he's little more'n a name; and he made
Flint, what there is of him; and he made this here mutiny, you keep
such a work about; and he had Tom Redruth shot; and - well, if
that's a Author, give me Pew!"
"Don't you believe in a future state?" said Smollett. "Do you
think there's nothing but the present story-paper?"
"I don't rightly know for that," said Silver; "and I don't see what
it's got to do with it, anyway. What I know is this: if there is
sich a thing as a Author, I'm his favourite chara'ter. He does me
fathoms better'n he does you - fathoms, he does. And he likes
doing me. He keeps me on deck mostly all the time, crutch and all;
and he leaves you measling in the hold, where nobody can't see you,
nor wants to, and you may lay to that! If there is a Author, by
thunder, but he's on my side, and you may lay to it!"
"I see he's giving you a long rope," said the Captain. "But that
can't change a man's convictions. I know the Author respects me; I
feel it in my bones; when you and I had that talk at the blockhouse
door, who do you think he was for, my man?"
"And don't he respect me?" cried Silver. "Ah, you should 'a' heard
me putting down my mutiny, George Merry and Morgan and that lot, no
longer ago'n last chapter; you'd heard something then! You'd 'a'
seen what the Author thinks o' me! But come now, do you consider
yourself a virtuous chara'ter clean through?"
"God forbid!" said Captain Smollett, solemnly. "I am a man that
tries to do his duty, and makes a mess of it as often as not. I'm
not a very popular man at home, Silver, I'm afraid!" and the
Captain sighed.
"Ah," says Silver. "Then how about this sequel of yours? Are you
to be Cap'n Smollett just the same as ever, and not very popular at
home, says you? And if so, why, it's TREASURE ISLAND over again,
by thunder; and I'll be Long John, and Pew'll be Pew, and we'll
have another mutiny, as like as not. Or are you to be somebody
else? And if so, why, what the better are you? and what the worse
am I?"
"Why, look here, my man," returned the Captain, "I can't understand
how this story comes about at all, can I? I can't see how you and
I, who don't exist, should get to speaking here, and smoke our
pipes for all the world like reality? Very well, then, who am I to
pipe up with my opinions? I know the Author's on the side of good;
he tells me so, it runs out of his pen as he writes. Well, that's
all I need to know; I'll take my chance upon the rest."
"It's a fact he seemed to be against George Merry," Silver
admitted, musingly. "But George is little more'n a name at the
best of it," he added, brightening. "And to get into soundings for
once. What is this good? I made a mutiny, and I been a gentleman
o' fortune; well, but by all stories, you ain't no such saint. I'm
a man that keeps company very easy; even by your own account, you
ain't, and to my certain knowledge you're a devil to haze. Which
is which? Which is good, and which bad? Ah, you tell me that!
Here we are in stays, and you may lay to it!"
"We're none of us perfect," replied the Captain. "That's a fact of
religion, my man. All I can say is, I try to do my duty; and if
you try to do yours, I can't compliment you on your success."
"And so you was the judge, was you?" said Silver, derisively.
"I would be both judge and hangman for you, my man, and never turn
a hair," returned the Captain. "But I get beyond that: it mayn't
be sound theology, but it's common sense, that what is good is
useful too - or there and thereabout, for I don't set up to be a
thinker. Now, where would a story go to if there were no virtuous
characters?"
"If you go to that," replied Silver, "where would a story begin, if
there wasn't no villains?"
pretty good, huh? lol.....