kenneth williams《In the Workhouse: Christmas Day》[MP3_LRC]

[00:00.00]90听音乐网 www.90T8.com  [00:00.66]It is Christmas Day in the Workhouse [00:02.85]And the cold bare walls are bright [00:04.86]With garlands of green and holly [00:07.02]And the place is a pleasant sight [00:09.08]For with clear-washed hands and faces [00:11.01]In a long and hungry line [00:12.82]The paupers sit at the tables [00:14.83]For this is the hour they dine [00:18.20]And the guardians and their ladies [00:20.10]Although the wind is east [00:21.40]Have come in their furs and wrappers [00:23.67]To watch their charges feast [00:25.72]To smile and be condescending [00:27.64]Put puddings on pauper plates [00:30.00]To be hosts at the workhouse banquet [00:32.90]They've paid for with the rates [00:35.99]Oh the paupers are meek and lowly [00:38.37]With their Thank'ee kindly mum's [00:40.77]So long as they fill their stomachs [00:42.48]What matters it whence it comes [00:44.87]But one of the old men mutters [00:47.25]And pushes his plate aside [00:49.93]Great God he cries but it chokes me [00:54.40]For this is the day she died [00:58.41]The guardians gazed in horror [01:00.76]The master's face went white [01:02.69]Did a pauper refuse his pudding [01:05.11]Could their ears believe aright [01:07.90]Then the ladies clutched their husbands [01:09.20]Thinking the man might die [01:11.42]Struck by a bolt or something [01:13.93]By the outraged one on high [01:17.56]But the pauper sat for a moment [01:19.48]Then rose mid a silence grim [01:21.46]For the others has ceased to chatter [01:24.06]And trembled every limb [01:26.23]He looked at the guardian's ladies [01:28.05]Then eyeing their lords he said [01:30.70]I eat not the food of villains [01:33.59]Whose hands are foul and red [01:36.18]Whose victims cry for vengeance [01:38.42]From their dank unhallowed graves [01:41.63]He's drunk said the workhouse master [01:44.71]Or else he's mad and raves [01:47.35]Not drunk or mad cried the pauper [01:51.15]But only a hunted beast [01:53.21]Who torn by the hounds and mangled [01:56.05]Declines the vulture's feast [01:58.76]I care not a curse for the guardians [02:00.82]And I won't be dragged away [02:02.56]Just let me have the fit out [02:04.27]It's only Christmas Day [02:06.57]That the black past comes to goad me [02:09.38]And prey my burning brain [02:12.07]I'll tell you the rest in a whisper [02:14.16]I swear I won't shout again [02:16.54]Keep your hands off me curse you [02:19.12]Hear me right out to the end [02:20.68]You come here to see how the paupers [02:23.02]The season of Christmas spend [02:25.19]You come here to watch us feeding [02:26.95]As they watch the captured beast [02:28.76]Hear why a penniless pauper [02:32.36]Spits on your paltry feast [02:35.43]Do you think I will take your bounty [02:37.18]And let you smile and think [02:38.49]You're doing a noble action [02:39.87]With the parish's meat and drink [02:41.40]Where is my wife you traitors [02:44.13]The poor old wife you slew [02:46.46]Yes by the God above us [02:48.45]My Nance was killed by you [02:51.81]Last winter my wife lay dying [02:53.84]Starved in a filthy den [02:55.43]I had never been to the parish [02:57.39]I came to the parish then [02:58.84]I swallowed my pride in coming [03:00.53]For ere the ruin came [03:02.40]I held up my head as a trader [03:04.62]And I bore a spotless name [03:07.01]I came to the parish craving [03:08.82]Bread for a starving wife [03:11.09]Bread for a woman who'd loved me [03:13.03]Through fifty years of my life [03:14.80]And what do you think they told me [03:16.42]Mocking my awful grief [03:18.09]That the House was open to us [03:20.96]But they wouldn't give out relief [03:23.35]I slunk to the filthy alley [03:25.27]Twas a cold raw Christmas eve [03:27.34]And the bakers shops were open [03:29.20]Tempting a man to thieve [03:31.21]But I clenched my fists together [03:33.24]Holding my head awry [03:34.76]So I came home empty-handed [03:37.79]And mournfully told her why [03:40.04]Then I told her the House was open [03:43.05]She had heard of the ways of that [03:45.09]For her bloodless cheeks went crimson [03:47.92]And up in her rags she sat [03:50.15]Crying [03:51.06]Bide the Christmas here John [03:53.59]We've never had one apart [03:55.30]I think I can bear the hunger [03:57.79]The other would break my heart [04:00.77]All through that ever I watched her [04:03.76]Holding her hand in mine [04:05.52]Praying the Lord and weeping [04:07.88]Till my lips were salt as brine [04:10.37]I asked her once if she hungered [04:12.35]And as she answered [04:13.66]No [04:14.49]The moon shone in at the wondow [04:17.52]Set in a wreath of snow [04:20.60]Then the room was bathed in glory [04:23.35]And I saw in my darling's eyes [04:25.61]The far-away look of wonder [04:28.28]That comes when the spirit flies [04:30.90]And her lips were parched and parted [04:33.67]And her reason came and went [04:35.71]For she raved of her home in Devon [04:39.42]Where her happiest days were spent [04:41.78]And the accents long forgotten [04:44.38]Came back to the tongue once more [04:46.68]For she talked like the country lassie [04:49.50]I woo'd by the Devon shore [04:52.00]Then she rose to her feet and trembled [04:54.42]And fell on the rags and moaned [04:56.35]And [04:56.90]Give me a crust I'm famished [04:59.28]For the love of God she groaned [05:02.57]I rushed from the room like a madman [05:04.87]And flew to the workhouse gate [05:06.40]Crying [05:06.96]Food for a dying woman [05:09.47]And came the answer [05:10.72]Too late [05:11.97]They drove me away with curses [05:14.11]Then I fought with a dog in the street [05:16.92]And tore from the mongrel's clutches [05:18.92]A crust he was trying to eat [05:21.35]Back through the filthy by-lanes [05:22.97]Back through the trampled slush [05:25.05]Up to the crazy garret [05:26.52]Wrapped in an awful hush [05:28.28]My heart sank down at the threshold [05:31.10]And I paused with a sudden thrill [05:32.77]For there in the silv'ry moonlight [05:34.95]My Nancy lay cold and still [05:39.73]Up to the blackened ceiling [05:41.84]The sunken eyes were cast [05:43.66]I knew on those lips all bloodless [05:45.73]My name had been the last [05:48.26]She'd called for her absent husband [05:50.96]Of God had I but known [05:53.77]Had called in vain and in anguish [05:56.73]Had died in that den alone [06:00.50]Yes there in a land of plenty [06:03.41]Lay a loving woman dead [06:05.75]Cruelly starved and murdered [06:07.47]For a loaf of parish bread [06:09.67]At yonder gate last Christmas [06:11.64]I craved for a human life [06:13.68]You who would feast us paupers [06:16.60]What of my murdered wife [06:20.31]There get ye gone to your dinners [06:23.10]Don't mind me in the least [06:24.78]Think of your happy paupers [06:26.38]Eating your Christmas feast [06:28.20]And when you recount their blessings [06:30.04]In your smug parochial way [06:32.22]Say what you did for me too [06:34.62]Only last Christmas Day