plays [25]
night.
ANOTHER (FURTHER AWAY). Past ten o'clock, and all's well.
LESLIE. Past ten? Ah, there's a long night before you and me,
watchmen. Heavens, what a trade! But it will be something to
laugh over with Mary and . . . with him? Damn it, the delusion
is too strong for me. It's a thing to be ashamed of. 'We
Brodies': how she says it! 'We Brodies and our Deacon': what a
pride she takes in it, and how good it sounds to me! 'Deacon of
his craft, sir, Deacon of the . . .! (BRODIE, MASKED, APPEARS
WITHOUT AT THE WINDOW, WHICH HE PROCEEDS TO FORCE.) Ha! I knew
he'd come. I was sure of it. (HE CROUCHES NEAR AND NEARER TO
THE WINDOW, KEEPING IN THE SHADE.) And I know you too. I swear
I know you.
SCENE IV
BRODIE, LESLIE
BRODIE enters by the window with assurance and ease, closes it
silently, and proceeds to traverse the room. As he moves, LESLIE
leaps upon and grapples him.
LESLIE. Take off that mask!
BRODIE. Hands off!
LESLIE. Take off the mask!
BRODIE. Leave go, by God, leave go!
LESLIE. Take it off!
BRODIE (OVERPOWERED). Leslie ....
LESLIE. Ah! you know me! (SUCCEEDS IN TEARING OFF THE MASK.)
Brodie!
BRODIE (IN THE MOONLIGHT). Brodie.
LESLIE. You . . . you, Brodie, you?
BRODIE. Brodie, sir, Brodie as you see.
LESLIE. What does it mean? What does it mean, my God? Were you
here before? Is this the second time? Are you a thief, man? are
you a thief? Speak, speak, or I'll kill you.
BRODIE. I am a thief.
LESLIE. And my friend, my own friend, and . . . Mary, Mary! . .
. Deacon, Deacon, for God's sake, no!
BRODIE. God help me!
LESLIE. 'We Brodies! We Brodies!'
BRODIE. Leslie -
LESLIE. Stand off! Don't touch me! You're a thief!
BRODIE. Leslie, Leslie
LESLIE. A thief's sister! Why are you here? why are you here?
Tell me! Why do you not speak? Man, I know you of old. Are you
Brodie, and have nothing to say?
BRODIE. To say? Not much - God help me - and commonplace,
commonplace like sin. I was honest once; I made a false step; I
couldn't retrace it; and . . . that is all.
LESLIE. You have forgot the bad companions!
BRODIE. I did forget them. They were there.
LESLIE. Commonplace! Commonplace! Do you speak to me, do you
reason with me, do you make excuses? You - a man found out,
shamed, a liar, a thief - a man that's killed me, killed this
heart in my body; and you speak! What am I to do? I hold your
life in my hand; have you thought of that? What am I to do?
BRODIE. Do what you please; you have me trapped.
(JEAN WATT IS HEARD SINGING WITHOUT TWO BARS OF 'WANDERIN'
WILLIE,' BY WAY OF SIGNAL.)
LESLIE. What is that?
BRODIE. A signal.
LESLIE. What does it mean?
BRODIE. Danger to me; there is someone coming.
LESLIE. Danger to you?
BRODIE. Some one is coming. What are you going to do with me?
(A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.)
LESLIE (AFTER A PAUSE). Sit down. (KNOCKING.)
BRODIE. What are you going to do with me?
LESLIE. Sit down. (BRODIE SITS IN DARKEST PART OF STAGE.
LESLIE OPENS DOOR, AND ADMITS LAWSON. DOOR OPEN TILL END OF
ACT.)
SCENE V
BRODIE, LAWSON, LESLIE
LAWSON. This is an unco' time to come to your door; but eh,
laddie, I couldna bear to think o' ye sittin' your lane in the
dark.
LESLIE. It was very good of you.
LAWSON. I'm no very fond of playing hidee in the dark mysel';
and noo that I'm here -
LESLIE. I will give you a light. (HE LIGHTS THE CANDLES.
LIGHTS UP.)
LAWSON. God A'michty! William Brodie!
LESLIE. Yes, Brodie was good enough to watch with me.
LAWSON. But he gaed awa' . . . I dinna see . . . an' Lord be
guid to us, the window's open!
LESLIE. A trap we laid for them: a device of Brodie's.
BRODIE (TO LAWSON). Set a thief to catch a thief. (PASSING TO
LESLIE, ASIDE.) Walter Leslie, God will reward. (JEAN SIGNALS
AGAIN.)
LAWSON. I dinna like that singin' at siccan a time o' the nicht.
BRODIE. I must go.
LAWSON. Not one foot o' ye.