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The Plays of W。 E。 Henley and R。 L。 Stevenson
William Ernest Henley and Robert Louis Stevenson
Henley is best known for this quote from Invictus：
〃I am the master of my fate；
I am the captain of my soul。〃
INVICTUS
Out of the night that covers me；
Black as the pit from pole to pole；
I think whatever gods may be
for my unconquerable soul。
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud。
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody； but unbowed。
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade；
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid。
It matters not how strait the gate；
How charged with punishments the scroll；
I am the master of my fate：
I am the captain of my soul。
The Plays of W。 E。 Henley and R。 L。 Stevenson
Contents
Deacon Brodie
Beau Austin
Admiral Guinea
Robert Macaire
…
Play： DEACON BRODIE … OR THE DOUBLE LIFE。 A MELODRAMA IN FIVE
ACTS AND EIGHT TABLEAUX
PERSONS REPRESENTED
WILLIAM BRODIE； Deacon of the Wrights； Housebreaker and Master
Carpenter。
OLD BRODIE； the Deacon's Father。
WILLIAM LAWSON； Procurator…Fiscal； the Deacon's Uncle。
ANDREW AINSLIE； ｝
HUMPHREY MOORE ｝ Robbers in the Deacon's gang。
GEORGE SMITH； ｝ C
APTAIN RIVERS； an English Highwayman。
HUNT； a Bow Street Runner。
A DOCTOR。
WALTER LESLIE。
MARY BRODIE； the Deacon's Sister。
JEAN WATT； the Deacon's Mistress。
VAGABONDS； OFFICERS OF THE WATCH； MEN…SERVANTS。
The Scene is laid in Edinburgh。 The Time is towards the close of
the Eighteenth Century。 The Action； some fifty hours long；
begins at eight p。m。 on Saturday and ends before midnight on
Monday。
NOTE。 … PASSAGES SUGGESTED FOR OMISSION IN REPRESENTATION ARE
ENCLOSED IN SQUARE BRACKETS； THUS ＇ ＇。
SYNOPSIS OF ACTS AND TABLEAUX
ACT I。
TABLEAU I。 The Double Life。
TABLEAU II。 Hunt the Runner。
TABLEAU III。 Mother Clarke's。
ACT II。
TABLEAU IV。 Evil and Good。
ACT III。
TABLEAU V。 King's Evidence。 TABLEAU VI。 Unmasked。
ACT IV。
TABLEAU VII。 The Robbery。
ACT V。
TABLEAU VIII。 The Open Door。
LONDON： PRINCE'S THEATRE 2D JULY 1884
DEACON BRODIE； MR。 E。 J。 HENLEY。
WALTER LESLIE； MR。 CHARLES CARTWRIGHT。
WILLIAM LAWSON； MR。 JOHN MACLEAN。
ANDREW AINSLIE； MR。 FRED DESMOND。
HUMPHREY MOORE； MR。 EDMUND GRACE。
GEORGE SMITH； MR。 JULIAN CROSS。
HUNT； MR。 HUBERT AKHURST。
OLD BRODIE； MR。 A。 KNIGHT。
CAPTAIN RIVERS； MR。 BRANDON THOMAS。
MARY BRODIE； MISS LIZZIE WILLIAMS。
JEAN WATT； MISS MINNIE BELL。
MONTREAL 26TH SEPTEMBER 1887
DEACON BRODIE； MR。 E。 J。 HENLEY。
WALTER LESLIE； MR。 GRAHAM STEWART。
WILLIAM LAWSON； MR。 EDMUND LYONS。
ANDREW AINSLIE； MR。 FRED DESMOND。
HUMPHREY MOORE； MR。 EDMUND GRACE。
GEORGE SMITH； MR。 HORATIO SAKER。
HUNT； MR。 HENRY VERNON。
CAPTAIN RIVERS； MR。 BRUCE PHILIPS。
MARY BRODIE； MISS ANNIE ROBE。
JEAN WATT； MISS CARRIE COOTE。
ACT I。
TABLEAU I。 THE DOUBLE LIFE。
The Stage represents a room in the Deacon's house； furnished
partly as a sitting…； partly as a bed…room； in the style of an
easy burgess of about 1780。 C。； a door； L。 C。； a second and
smaller door； R。 C。； practicable window； L。； alcove； supposed to
contain bed； at the back； a clothes…press and a corner cupboard
containing bottles； etc。 MARY BRODIE at needlework； OLD BRODIE；
a paralytic； in wheeled chair； at the fireside； L。
SCENE I
To these LESLIE； C。
LESLIE。 May I come in； Mary？
MARY。 Why not？
LESLIE。 I scarce knew where to find you。
MARY。 The dad and I must have a corner； must we not？ So when my
brother's friends are in the parlour he allows us to sit in his
room。 'Tis a great favour； I can tell you； the place is sacred。
LESLIE。 Are you sure that 'sacred' is strong enough？
MARY。 You are satirical！
LESLIE。 I？ And with regard to the Deacon？ Believe me； I am not
so ill…advised。 You have trained me well； and I feel by him as
solemnly as a true…born Brodie。
MARY。 And now you are impertinent！ Do you mean to go any
further？ We are a fighting race； we Brodies。 Oh； you may laugh；
sir！ But 'tis no child's play to jest us on our Deacon； or； for
that matter； on our Deacon's chamber either。 It was his father's
before him： he works in it by day and sleeps in it by night； and
scarce anything it contains but is the labour of his hands。 Do
you see this table； Walter？ He made it while he was yet a
'prentice。 I remember how I used to sit and watch him at his
work。 It would be grand； I thought； to be able to do as he did；
and handle edge…tools without cutting my fingers； and getting my
ears pulled for a meddlesome minx！ He used to give me his mallet
to keep and his nails to hold； and didn't I fly when he called
for them！ and wasn't I proud to be ordered about with them！ And
then； you know； there is the tall cabinet yonder； that it was
that proved him the first of Edinburgh joiners； and worthy to be
their Deacon and their head。 And the father's chair； and the
sister's workbox； and the dear dead mother's footstool … what are
they all but proofs of the Deacon's skill； and tokens of the
Deacon's care for those about him？
LESLIE。 I am all penitence。 Forgive me this last time； and I
promise you I never will again。
MARY。 Candidly； now； do you think you deserve forgiveness？
LESLIE。 Candidly； I do not。
MARY。 Then I suppose you must have it。 What have you done with
Willie and my uncle？
LESLIE。 I left them talking deeply。 The dear old Procurator has
not much thought just now for anything but those mysterious
burglaries …
MARY。 I know！ …
LESLIE。 Still； all of him that is not magistrate and official is
politician and citizen； and he has been striving his hardest to
undermine the Deacon's principles； and win the Deacon's vote and
interest。
MARY。 They are worth having； are they not？
LESLIE。 The Procurator seems to think that having them makes the
difference between winning and losing。
MARY。 Did he say so？ You may rely upon it that he knows。 There
are not many in Edinburgh who can match with our Will。
LESLIE。 There shall be as many as you please； and not one more。
MARY。 How I should like to have heard you！ What did uncle say？
Did he speak of the Town Council again？ Did he tell Will what a
wonderful Bailie he would make？ O why did you come away？
LESLIE。 I could not pretend to listen any longer。 The election
is months off yet； and if it were not … if it were tramping
upstairs this moment … drums； flags； cockades； guineas；
candidates； and all！ … how should I care for it？ What are Whig
and Tory to me？
MARY。 O fie on you！ It is for every man to concern himself in
the common weal。 Mr。 Leslie … Leslie of the Craig！ … should know
that much at least。
LESLIE。 And be a politician like the Deacon？ All in good time；
but not now。 I hearkened while I could； and when I could no more
I slipped out and followed my heart。 I hoped I should be
welcome。
MARY。 I suppose you mean to be unkind。
LESLIE。 Tit for tat。 Did you not ask me why I came away？ And
is it usual for a young lady to say 'Mr。' to the man she means to
marry？
MARY。 That is for the young lady to decide； sir。
LESLIE。 And against that judgment there shall be no appeal？
MARY。 O； if you mean to argue！ …
LESLIE。 I do not mean to argue。 I am content to love and be
loved。 I think I am the happiest man in the world。
MARY。 That is as it should be； for I am the happiest girl。
LESLIE。 Why not say the happiest wife？ I have your word； and
you have mine。 Is not that enough？
MARY。 Have you so soon forgotten？ Did I not tell you how it
must be as my brother wills？ I can do only as he bids me。
LESLIE。 Then you have not spoken as you promised？
MARY。 I have been too happy to speak。
LESLIE。 I am his friend。 Precious as you are； he will trust you
to me。 He has but to know how I love you； Mary； and how your
life is all in your love of me； to give us his blessing with a
full heart。
MARY。 I am sure of him。 It is that which makes my happiness
complete。 Even to our marriage I should find it hard to say
'Yes' when he said 'No。'
LESLIE。 Your father is trying to speak。 I'll wager he echoes
you。
MARY （TO OLD BRODIE）。 My poor dearie！ Do you want to say
anything to me？ No？ Is it to Mr。 Leslie； then？
LESLIE。 I am listening； Mr。 Brodie。
MARY。 What is it； daddie？
OLD BRODIE。 My son … the Deacon … Deacon Brodie … the first at
school。
LESLIE。 I know it； Mr。 Brodie。 Was I not the last in the same
class？ （TO MARY。） But he seems to have forgotten us。
MARY。 O yes！ his mind is wellnigh gone。 He will sit for hours
as you see him； and never speak nor stir but at the touch of
Will's hand or the sound of Will's name。
LESLIE。 It is so good to sit beside you。 By and by it will be
always like this。 You will not let me speak to the Deacon？ You
are fast set upon speaking yourself？ I could be so eloquent；
Mary … I would touch him。 I cannot tell you how I fear to trust
my happiness to any one else … even to you！
MARY。 He must hear of my good fortune from none but me。 And
b