MIDI

Введение

ACT I

1 The Overture

2 Prologue:
Jellicle
Songs for
Jellicle Cats

3 The
Naming
of Cats

4 The
Invitation
to the
Jellicle Ball

5 The Old
Gumbie Cat

6 The Rum
Tum Tugger

7 Grizabella,
the Glamour
Cat

8 Bustopher
Jones

9 Mungojerrie
and
Rumpleteazer

10 Old
Deuteronomy

-- The Battle
of the Pekes
and the
Policles

11 The
Jellicle Ball

12 Grizabella

ACT II

1 The
Moments of
Happiness

2 Gus, the
Theatre Cat

3 Growltiger's
Last Stand

4 Skimble-
shanks, the
Railway Cat

5 Macavity

6 Mr.
Mistoffolees

7 Memory

8 The Journey
to the
Heavisyde
Layer

9 The
Ad-dressing
of Cats

Занавес

ALL:
There's a whisper down the line at eleven thirty-nine
When the night mail's ready to depart
Saying, "Skimble, where is Skimble has he gone to hunt the thimble
We must find him or the train can't start!"
 
SKIMBLESHANKS:
All the guards and all the porters and the stationmaster's daughters
Would be searching high and low
Saying "Skimble, where is Skimble for unless he's very nimble
Then the night mail just can't go"
 
At eleven forty-two with the signal overdue
And the passengers all frantic to a man
That's when I would appear and I'd saunter to the rear
I'd been busy in the luggage van!
 
ALL:
Then he gave one flash of his glass-green eyes
And the signal went "All clear!"
They'd be off at last for the northern part of the northern hemisphere!
Skimbleshanks, the railway cat, the cat of the railway train
 
SKIMBLESHANKS:
You might say that by and large it was me who was in charge
Of the sleeping car express
From the driver and the guards to the bagmen playing cards
I would supervise them all more or less
 
ALL:
Down the corridor he paces and examines all the faces
Of the travellers in the first and the third
He established control by a regular patrol
And he'd know at once if anything occurred
 
He would watch you without winking and he saw what you were thinking
And it's certain that he didn't approve
Of hilarity and riot so that folk were very quiet
When Skimble was about and on the move
 
You could play no pranks with Skimbleshanks
He's a cat that couldn't be ignored
So nothing went wrong on the northern mail
When Skimbleshanks was aboard
 
SKIMBLESHANKS:
It was very pleasant when they'd found their little den
With their name written up on the door
And the berth was very neat with a newly folded sheet on
And not a speck of dust on the floor
 
There was every sort of light you could make it dark or bright
And a button you could turn to make a breeze
And a funny little basin you're supposed to wash your face in
And a crank to shut the window should you sneeze
Then the guard looked in politely and would ask you very brightly
"Do you like your morning tea weak or strong?"
 
But I was just behind him and was ready to remind him
For Skimble won't let anything go wrong
When they crept into their cozy berth and pulled the counterpane
 
They ought to reflect that it was very nice
To know that they wouldn't be bothered by mice
They can leave all that to the railway cat
The cat of the railway train
 
ALL:
Skimbleshanks, the railway cat, the cat of the railway train
 
SKIMBLESHANKS:
In the watches of the night I was always fresh and bright
Every now and then I'd have a cup of tea
With perhaps a drop of scotch while I waskeeping on the watch
Only stopping here and there to catch a flea
 
They were fast asleep at Crewe
And so they never knew that I was walking up and down the station
They were sleeping all the while I was busy at Carlisle
Where I met the stationmaster with elation
 
They might see me at Dumfries if I summoned the police
If there was anything they ought to know about
When they got to Gallowgate there they did not have to wait
For Skimbleshanks will help them to get out
 
ALL:
And he gives you a wave of his long brown tail
Which says, "I'll see you again"
You'll meet without fail on the midnight mail
The cat of the railway train
 
You'll meet without fail on the midnight mail
The cat of the railway train

Интересно, кто положил начало жанру железнодорожной песенкй? Глинка? Вряд ли. Скорее кто-то из англичан. Как бы то ни было, вот еще одна, с очаровательными словами, мелодией и оркестровкой.

Под рассказ о трудовых буднях железнодорожного кота вся труппа, весело отплясывая, строит из подручного хлама паровоз: тендер (кажется, из кровельной жести), большие и маленькие колеса от велосипедов и колясок, пивная бутылка, настольная лампа с абажуром и чайник. Откуда-то находится даже стрелка с фонарем.

Колеса закрутились, чайник засвистел, испуская клубы пара и -- помчался ночной экспресс по просторам северного полушария. Пассажиры могут спать спокойно: Скимблшанкс за всем проследит. Это деловитый рыжий кот с белой грудью, в жилетке, и даже с золотой цепью. Он всю дорогу в хлопотах: останавливается только для того, чтобы поймать на себе блоху. 

Источники

Текст (тринадцатый номер в "Книге старого опоссума") в основном сохранен: как обычно, рассказ переделан в диалог, добавлен припев, изменено время и местами улучшена, так сказать, кантабильность.

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