plays [23]
Leslie's house. A practicable
window, C., through which a band of strong moonlight falls into
the room. Near the window a strong-box. A practicable door in
wing, L. Candlelight.
SCENE I
LESLIE, LAWSON, MARY, seated. BRODIE at back, walking between
the windows and strong-box.
LAWSON. Weel, weel, weel, weel, nae doubt.
LESLIE. Mr. Lawson, I am perfectly satisfied with Brodie's word;
I will wait gladly.
LAWSON. I have nothing to say against that.
BRODIE (BEHIND LAWSON). Nor for it.
LAWSON. For it? for it, William? Ye're perfectly richt there.
(TO LESLIE.) Just you do what William tells you; ye canna do
better than that.
MARY. Dear uncle, I see you are vexed; but Will and I are
perfectly agreed on the best course. Walter and I are young.
Oh, we can wait; we can trust each other.
BRODIE (FROM BEHIND). Leslie, do you think it safe to keep this
strong-box in your room?
LESLIE. It does not trouble me.
BRODIE. I would not. 'Tis close to the window.
LESLIE. It's on the right side of it.
BRODIE. I give you my advice: I would not.
LAWSON. He may be right there too, Mr. Leslie.
BRODIE. I give him fair warning: it's not safe.
LESLIE. I have a different treasure to concern myself about; if
all goes right with that I shall be well contented.
MARY. Walter!
LAWSON. Ay, bairns, ye speak for your age.
LESLIE. Surely, sir, for every age; the ties of blood, of love,
of friendship, these are life's essence.
MARY. And for no one is it truer than my uncle. If he live to
be a thousand, he will still be young in heart, full of love,
full of trust.
LAWSON. All, lassie, it's a wicked world.
MARY. Yes, you are out of sorts to-day; we know that.
LESLIE. Admitted that you know more of life, sir; admitted (if
you please) that the world is wicked; yet you do not lose trust
in those you love.
LAWSON. Weel . . . ye get gliffs, ye ken.
LESLIE. I suppose so. We can all be shaken for a time; but not,
I think, in our friends. We are not deceived in them; in the few
that we admit into our hearts.
MARY. Never in these.
LESLIE. We know these (TO BRODIE), and we think the world of
them.
BRODIE (AT BACK). We are more acquainted with each other's
tailors, believe me. You, Leslie, are a very pleasant creature.
My uncle Lawson is the Procurator-Fiscal. I - What am I? - I am
the Deacon of the Wrights, my ruffles are generally clean. And
you think the world of me? Bravo!
LESLIE. Ay, and I think the world of you.
BRODIE (AT BACK, POINTING TO LAWSON). Ask him.
LAWSON. Hoot-toot. A wheen nonsense: an honest man's an honest
man, and a randy thief's a randy thief, and neither mair nor
less. Mary, my lamb, it's time you were hame, and had you beauty
sleep.
MARY. Do you not come with us?
LAWSON. I gang the ither gate, my lamb. (LESLIE HELPS MARY ON
WITH HER CLOAK, AND THEY SAY FAREWELL AT BACK. BRODIE FOR THE
FIRST TIME COMES FRONT WITH LAWSON.) Sae ye've consented?
BRODIE. As you see.
LAWSON. Ye'll can pay it back?
BRODIE. I will.
LAWSON. And how? That's what I'm wonderin' to mysel'.
BRODIE. Ay, God knows that.
MARY. Come, Will.
SCENE II
LESLIE, LAWSON (wrapping up)
LESLIE. I wonder what ails Brodie?
LAWSON. How should I ken? What should I ken that ails him?
LESLIE. He seemed angry even with you.
LAWSON (IMPATIENT). Hoot awa'.
LESLIE. Of course, I know. But you see, on the very day when
our engagement is announced, even the best of men may be
susceptible. You yourself seem not quite pleased.
LAWSON (WITH GREAT IRRITATION). I'm perfectly pleased. I'm
perfectly delighted. If I werena an auld man, I'd be just beside
mysel' wi' happiness.
LESLIE. Well, I only fancied.
LAWSON. Ye had nae possible excuse to fancy. Fancy? Perfect
trash and nonsense. Look at yersel'. Ye look like a ghaist,
ye're white-like, ye're black aboot the een; and do ye find me
deavin' ye wi' fancies? Or William Brodie either? I'll say
window, C., through which a band of strong moonlight falls into
the room. Near the window a strong-box. A practicable door in
wing, L. Candlelight.
SCENE I
LESLIE, LAWSON, MARY, seated. BRODIE at back, walking between
the windows and strong-box.
LAWSON. Weel, weel, weel, weel, nae doubt.
LESLIE. Mr. Lawson, I am perfectly satisfied with Brodie's word;
I will wait gladly.
LAWSON. I have nothing to say against that.
BRODIE (BEHIND LAWSON). Nor for it.
LAWSON. For it? for it, William? Ye're perfectly richt there.
(TO LESLIE.) Just you do what William tells you; ye canna do
better than that.
MARY. Dear uncle, I see you are vexed; but Will and I are
perfectly agreed on the best course. Walter and I are young.
Oh, we can wait; we can trust each other.
BRODIE (FROM BEHIND). Leslie, do you think it safe to keep this
strong-box in your room?
LESLIE. It does not trouble me.
BRODIE. I would not. 'Tis close to the window.
LESLIE. It's on the right side of it.
BRODIE. I give you my advice: I would not.
LAWSON. He may be right there too, Mr. Leslie.
BRODIE. I give him fair warning: it's not safe.
LESLIE. I have a different treasure to concern myself about; if
all goes right with that I shall be well contented.
MARY. Walter!
LAWSON. Ay, bairns, ye speak for your age.
LESLIE. Surely, sir, for every age; the ties of blood, of love,
of friendship, these are life's essence.
MARY. And for no one is it truer than my uncle. If he live to
be a thousand, he will still be young in heart, full of love,
full of trust.
LAWSON. All, lassie, it's a wicked world.
MARY. Yes, you are out of sorts to-day; we know that.
LESLIE. Admitted that you know more of life, sir; admitted (if
you please) that the world is wicked; yet you do not lose trust
in those you love.
LAWSON. Weel . . . ye get gliffs, ye ken.
LESLIE. I suppose so. We can all be shaken for a time; but not,
I think, in our friends. We are not deceived in them; in the few
that we admit into our hearts.
MARY. Never in these.
LESLIE. We know these (TO BRODIE), and we think the world of
them.
BRODIE (AT BACK). We are more acquainted with each other's
tailors, believe me. You, Leslie, are a very pleasant creature.
My uncle Lawson is the Procurator-Fiscal. I - What am I? - I am
the Deacon of the Wrights, my ruffles are generally clean. And
you think the world of me? Bravo!
LESLIE. Ay, and I think the world of you.
BRODIE (AT BACK, POINTING TO LAWSON). Ask him.
LAWSON. Hoot-toot. A wheen nonsense: an honest man's an honest
man, and a randy thief's a randy thief, and neither mair nor
less. Mary, my lamb, it's time you were hame, and had you beauty
sleep.
MARY. Do you not come with us?
LAWSON. I gang the ither gate, my lamb. (LESLIE HELPS MARY ON
WITH HER CLOAK, AND THEY SAY FAREWELL AT BACK. BRODIE FOR THE
FIRST TIME COMES FRONT WITH LAWSON.) Sae ye've consented?
BRODIE. As you see.
LAWSON. Ye'll can pay it back?
BRODIE. I will.
LAWSON. And how? That's what I'm wonderin' to mysel'.
BRODIE. Ay, God knows that.
MARY. Come, Will.
SCENE II
LESLIE, LAWSON (wrapping up)
LESLIE. I wonder what ails Brodie?
LAWSON. How should I ken? What should I ken that ails him?
LESLIE. He seemed angry even with you.
LAWSON (IMPATIENT). Hoot awa'.
LESLIE. Of course, I know. But you see, on the very day when
our engagement is announced, even the best of men may be
susceptible. You yourself seem not quite pleased.
LAWSON (WITH GREAT IRRITATION). I'm perfectly pleased. I'm
perfectly delighted. If I werena an auld man, I'd be just beside
mysel' wi' happiness.
LESLIE. Well, I only fancied.
LAWSON. Ye had nae possible excuse to fancy. Fancy? Perfect
trash and nonsense. Look at yersel'. Ye look like a ghaist,
ye're white-like, ye're black aboot the een; and do ye find me
deavin' ye wi' fancies? Or William Brodie either? I'll say