Scene 5 -- By the Serpentine a short time later. Tossed on a bench is Moby's red nightshirt. Nearby is a poster announcing a SAVE THE WHALES rally. Moby is in the pond bathing; and singing RUTTING IN THE TROPICS. Soap bubbles rise.
Two ELDERLY WOMEN enter. As soon as they begin to speak, there is silence from the pond and signs of action cease. They have come for the Save the Whales rally. Pushing Moby’s “horrid” shirt off the bench, they sit and discuss the delicious potted shrimp they just ate at lunch. Moby’s curious face emerges behind them. He is obviously intrigued by what he hears.
One woman tells the other of her visit to the oceanarium in Orlando. Florida where one could hold out a bit of fish and a whale would come right out of the water and take it from your hand.
WOMAN 1
And the dears had another little trick. So affectionate they were. Look. I'll show you.
(As she gets to her feet, Moby sinks out
of sight.)
You see? One simply went to the edge of the pool and
held out one's arms, so....
(Leaning out over the water, she holds
out her arms in a circular embrace)
...and a darling whale would come right up out of the
water into your arms and....
(As she says this, Moby rises right out
of the water into her arms. Looking
pleased with himself, he kisses her on
the cheek.)
Eeeek. A whale! A whale. Run, Agatha! Help! Help!
They EXIT. Hearing a police whistle, Moby ducks out of sight. The same Bobby as before runs in and looks around for the whale. From the other side, Marlow ENTERS, still wearing the moustache.)
BOBBY
I knew it'd be a mistake lettin' 'em 'old that whale
rally 'ere. This place'll be crawlin' wi' 'em blighters.
Moby gets out of the water. Marlow tells him that the Sally Forth hasn’t been sold yet, so he’s still her captain. Also, his wife’s dingy was found empty with her purse in it, and she was presumed dead. Moby denies knowing about this, but Marlow is suspicious because her hand was still holding her purse. Moby changes the subject to potted shrimp.
Marlow explains that to satisfy Moby in potted shrimp would require a queen’s ransom. Moby then proposes that they kidnap the queen and ransom her. That way they’d both get their hearts’ desire.
MARLOW
What nonsense. Oh, Moby, you and I must have something
in common, but it escapes me what this could
be.
YOU HAVE NO INHIBITIONS (no music written)
YOU HAVE NO INHIBITIONS
I'M SURE YOU SOMETIMES LIE
WE REALLY HAVE SUCH DIFF'RENT INTELLECTS
YOU'RE MACHO AND AGGRESSIVE
AND I OFTEN WONDER WHY
WE LOOK SO MUCH ALIKE IN ALL RESPECTS.
MOBY
PERHAPS BENEATH THE SURFACE
IN THE OCEAN OF OUR MINDS
THAT PLACE YOU CALL "SUBCONSCIOUS", I BELIEVE,
WE SHARE A CERTAIN LIKENESS, THOUGH
I CAN'T SAY WHAT IT IS...
MARLOW
PERHAPS WE ARE WHAT SOME WOULD CALL "NAIVE."
FOR YOU BELIEVE ALL PROBLEMS CAN EVENTUALLY BE SOLVED
MOBY
AND YOU, THAT LOVE CAN SOMEHOW BE DENIED
BOTH
HOW WONDERFUL A WORLD IS WHERE NAIVITE LIKE OURS
CAN PUSH ALL OF THE DIFF'RENCES ASIDE.
MARLOW
AS SKELETONS WE'RE SIM'LAR
FOR IN THE FINS OF WHALES
ARE VESTIGES OF ARM AND WRIST AND HAND
IT'S PROOF, THEY TELL US, THAT IN AGES
LONG AGO GONE BY,
THE WHALES WERE HABITATING ON THE LAND.
WHILE MEN, THEY SAY, IN UTERO,
SOME MONTHS BEFORE THEIR BIRTH
HAVE GILLS BECAUSE THEIR FOREBEARS SWAM IN SCHOOLS
MOBY
SO, EACH OF US AN ANCIENT BOND
WITH ONE ANOTHER SHARES?
MARLOW
YES, BOTH DESCEND FROM PROTEIN MOLECULES.
AND YOU BELIEVE ALL PROBLEMS CAN EVENTUALLY BE SOLVED
MOBY
AND YOU, THAT LOVE CAN SOMEHOW BE DENIED
BOTH
HOW WONDERFUL A WORLD IS WHERE NAIVITE LIKE OURS
RESULTS IN SUCH A SENSE OF FAM'LY PRIDE.
Marlow and Moby look up to see two of the QUEEN'S LADIES walking by. Moby vibrates one fin rapidly in front of his crotch as he watches them pass. The ladies EXIT
Marlow points out that the one thing they don’t have in common: Moby can have his way with the fair sex and he not. He decides to return to his ship without seeing the queen, but when they hear a crowd arriving he hands Moby his nightshirt to put back on. But before he can, the CROWD arrives with Save the Whale placards. The bobby is also there. A young woman SPEAKER leaps onto a bench.
The woman praises sperm whales and said it is the shame of their civilization that they are extinct. Moby jumps up to object, tells them that he’s the greatest grandson of Moby Dick, and demands to speak.
SPEAKER
Take the bench, you beautiful, beautiful whale.
Moby tells them that the problem for whales is the food supply. There’s only enough food in the sea for six cows and one male. However there are three males, of which only one is white, so two others must be slaughtered. The crowd is angered, calling Moby a racist and egoist. He then goes on to say that undesirable humans, such as constables, should be put off ships out at sea so that the white sperm whale and his cows…
At this the crowd is so angry they advance on Moby, flailing at him with their signs. Moby is amazed – he thought they loved whales. Should he kill them all? While Marlow looks around for help his pocket is picked. He spies the Bobby standing with arms folded and begs him to save the whale.
BOBBY
Save 'im? Why? So's 'e can 'ave all ua constables walkin'
planks at sea?
MARLOW
He didn't mean it. He's just a whale. It's his nature.
BOBBY
Well, I'll save 'im, 'cause it's my nature and my duty.
But I'll arrest 'im too. 'Ere. Get away from 'im. Let
the whale alone.
The Bobby arrests Moby for starting a riot and indecent exposure. Moby threatens to eat the constable, and the rioters, but Marlow warns him not to. The crowd screams for the fascist whale to be killed.
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