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deny it； mister。 But Badger kickit me； an' Geordie； he said a
bad sweir； an' made he'd cut the liver out o' me； an' catch fish
wi't。 It's been that way frae the first： an aith an' a bawbee
was aye guid eneuch for puir Andra。
HUNT。 Well； and why did they do it？ I saw Jemmy dance a
hornpipe on the table； and booze the company all round； when the
Deacon was gone。 What made you cross the fight； and play booty
with your own man？
AINSLIE。 Just to make him rob the Excise； mister。 They're
wicked； wicked men。
HUNT。 And is he right for it？
AINSLIE。 Ay is he。
HUNT。 By jingo！ When's it for？
AINSLIE。 Dear； kind gentleman； I dinna rightly ken： the
Deacon's that sair angered wi' me。 I'm to get my orders frae
Geordie the nicht。
HUNT。 O； you're to get your orders from Geordie； are you？ Now
look here； Ainslie。 You know me。 I'm Hunt the Runner； I put
Jemmy Rivers in the jug this morning； I've got you this evening。
I mean to wind up with the Deacon。 You understand？ All right。
Then just you listen。 I'm going to take these here bracelets
off； and send you home to that celebrated bed of yours。 Only； as
soon as you've seen the Dook you come straight round to me at Mr。
Procurator…Fiscal's； and let me know the Dook's views。 One word；
mind； and 。。。 cl'k！ It's a bargain？
AINSLIE。 Never you fear that。 I'll tak' my bannet an' come
straucht to ye。 Eh God； I'm glad it's nae mair nor that to start
wi'。 An' may the Lord bless ye； dear； kind gentleman； for your
kindness。 May the Lord bless ye。
HUNT。 You pad the hoof。
AINSLIE （GOING OUT）。 An' so I wull； wulln't I not？ An' bless；
bless ye while there's breath in my body； wulln't I not？
HUNT （SOLUS）。 You're a nice young man； Andrew Ainslie。 Jemmy
Rivers and the Deacon in two days！ By jingo！ （HE DANCES AN
INSTANT GRAVELY； WHISTLING TO HIMSELF。） Jerry； that 'ere little
two hundred of ours is as safe as the bank。
TABLEAU VI。 UNMASKED
The Stage represents a room in 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 that
for him。
LESLIE。 'Tis not sorrow that alters my complexion； I've
something else on hand。 Come； I'll tell you； under seal。 I've
not been in bed till daylight for a week。
LAWSON。 Weel； there's nae sense in the like o' that。
LESLIE。 Gad； but there is though。 Why； Procurator； this is
town's business； this is a municipal affair； I'm a public
character。 Why？ Ah； here's a nut for the Crown Prosecutor！ I'm
a bit of a party to a robbery。
LAWSON。 Guid guide us； man； what d'ye mean？
LESLIE。 You shall hear。 A week ago to…night； I was passing
through this very room without a candle on my way to bed； when 。
。 。 what should I see； but a masked man fumbling at that window！
How he did the Lord knows。 I suspect； Procurator； it was not the
first he'd tried 。 。 。 for he opened it as handily as his own
front door。
LAWSON。 Preserve me！ Another of thae robberies！
LESLIE。 That's it。 And； of course； I tried to seize him。 But
the rascal was too quick。 He was down and away in an instant。
You never saw a thing so daring and adroit。
LAWSON。 Is that a'？ Ye're a bauld lad； I'll say that for ye。
I'm glad it wasna waur。
LESLIE。 Yes； that's all plain sailing。 But here's the hitch。
Why didn't I tell the Procurator…Fiscal？ You never thought of
that。
LAWSON。 No； man。 Why？
LESLIE。 Aha！ There's the riddle。 Will you guess？ No？ 。 。 。 I
thought I knew the man。
LAWSON。 What d'ye say？
LESLIE。 I thought I knew him。
LAWSON。 Wha was't？
LESLIE。 Ah； there you go beyond me。 That I cannot tell。
LAWSON。 As God sees ye； laddie； are ye speaking truth？
LESLIE。 Well 。 。 。 of course！
LAWSON。 The haill truth？
LESLIE。 All of it。 Why not？
LAWSON。 Man； I'd a kind o' gliff。
LESLIE。 Why； what were you afraid of？ Had you a suspicion？
LAWSON。 Me？ Me a suspicion？ Ye're daft； sir； and me the Crown
offeecial！ 。 。 。 Eh man； I'm a' shakin' 。。。 And sae ye thocht ye
kennt him？
LESLIE。 I did that。 And what's more； I've sat every night in
case of his return。 I promise you； Procurator； he shall not slip
me twice。 Meanwhile I'm worried and put out。 You understand how
such a fancy will upset a man。 I'm uneasy with my friends and on
bad terms with my own conscience。 I keep watching； spying；
comparing； putting two and two together； hunting for resemblances
until my head goes round。 It's like a puzzle in a dream。 Only
yesterday I thought I had him。 And who d'you think it was？
LAWSON。 Wha？ Wha was't？ Speak； Mr。 Leslie； speak。 I'm an auld
man； dinna forget that。
LESLIE。 I name no names。 It would be unjust to him； and； upon
my word； it was so silly it would be unfair to me。 However； here
I sit； night after night。 I mean him to come back； come back he
shall； and I'll tell you who he was next morning。
LAWSON。 Let sleeping dogs lie； Mr。 Leslie； ye dinna ken what ye
micht see。 And then； leave him alane； he'll come nae mair。 And
sitting up a' nicht 。 。 。 it's a FACTUM IMPRESTABILE； as we say：
a thing impossible to man。 Gang ye to your bed； like a guid
laddie； and sleep lang and soundly； and bonnie； bonnie dreams to
ye！ （WITHOUT。