Monday, September 12, 2005

tovey, robert louis stevenson, and beethoven

Here (at least temporarily) is an excerpt from The Ebb Tide, a work that Tovey says
made the "destiny" theme of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony especially famous. According to the following website
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/rlsteven.htm
The Ebb Tide was a novel written in 1894 (the year Stevenson died), condemning European colonialism. Tovey's reference to this work appears in the Norton Critical Edition of Beethoven's Fifth, p. 143.

EXCERPT FOLLOWS (I almost ended it at "Providence"!):

http://www.sharebook.co.kr/stevenson/ebtid10.htm

Chapter 3. THE OLD CALABOOSE - DESTINY AT THE DOOR

'Have a weed,' said Davis. 'It's all in the bill.'

'What is up?' asked Herrick.

The captain fell suddenly grave. 'I'm coming to that,' said he.
'I want to speak with Herrick here. You, Hay--or Huish, or
whatever your name is--you take a weed and the other bottle,
and go and see how the wind is down by the purao. I'll call you
when you're wanted!'

'Hay? Secrets? That ain't the ticket,' said Huish.

'Look here, my son,' said the captain, 'this is business, and
don't you make any mistake about it. If you're going to make
trouble, you can have it your own way and stop right here. Only
get the thing right: if Herrick and I go, we take the beer.
Savvy?'

'Oh, I don't want to shove my oar in,' returned Huish. 'I'll
cut right enough. Give me the swipes. You can jaw till you're
blue in the face for what I care. I don't think it's the friendly
touch: that's all.' And he shambled grumbling out of the cell
into the staring sun.

The captain watched him clear of the courtyard; then turned
to Herrick.

'What is it?' asked Herrick thickly.

'I'll tell you,' said Davis. 'I want to consult you. It's a
chance we've got. What's that?' he cried, pointing to the music
on the wall.

'What?' said the other. 'Oh, that! It's music; it's a phrase of
Beethoven's I was writing up. It means Destiny knocking at the
door.'

'Does it?' said the captain, rather low; and he went near and
studied the inscription; 'and this French?' he asked, pointing to
the Latin.

'O, it just means I should have been luckier if I had died at
horne,' returned Herrick impatiently. 'What is this business?'

'Destiny knocking at the door,' repeated the captain; and
then, looking over his shoulder. 'Well, Mr Herrick, that's about
what it comes to,' he added.

'What do you mean? Explain yourself,' said Herrick.

But the captain was again staring at the music. 'About how
long ago since you wrote up this truck?' he asked.

'What does it matter?' exclaimed Herrick. 'I dare say half an
hour.'

'My God, it's strange!' cried Davis. 'There's some men would
call that accidental: not me. That--' and he drew his thick
finger under the music--'that's what I call Providence.'

'You said we had a chance,' said Herrick.

'Yes, SIR!' said the captain, wheeling suddenly face to face
with his companion. 'I did so. If you're the man I take you for,
we have a chance.'

'I don't know what you take me for,' was the reply. 'You can
scarce take me too low.'

'Shake hands, Mr Herrick,' said the captain. 'I know you.
You're a gentleman and a man of spirit. I didn't want to speak
before that bummer there; you'll see why. But to you I'll rip it
right out. I got a ship.'

'A ship?' cried Herrick. 'What ship?'

'That schooner we saw this morning off the passage.'

'The schooner with the hospital flag?'

'That's the hooker,' said Davis. 'She's the Farallone, hundred
and sixty tons register, out of 'Frisco for Sydney, in California
champagne.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

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8:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

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8:26 PM  
Blogger Rose Rosengard Subotnik said...

Eugene--Your comment reminded me that an excellent student called my attention to this passage in "Howard's End" several years ago and even xeroxed a part of it for me. I'll have a look for it in my office.

6:51 AM  

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