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laddie； and sleep lang and soundly； and bonnie； bonnie dreams to
ye！ （WITHOUT。） Let sleeping dogs lie； and gang ye to your bed。
SCENE III
LESLIE
LESLIE （CALLING）。 In good time； never fear！ （HE CAREFULLY BOLTS
AND CHAINS THE DOOR。） The old gentleman seems upset。 What for；
I wonder？ Has he had a masked visitor？ Why not？ It's the
fashion。 Out with the lights。 （BLOWS OUT THE CANDLES。 THE
STAGE IS ONLY LIGHTED BY THE MOON THROUGH THE WINDOW。） He is
sure to come one night or other。 He must come。 Right or wrong；
I feel it in the air。 Man； but I know you； I know you somewhere。
That trick of the shoulders； the hang of the clothes … whose are
they？ Where have I seen them？ And then； that single look of the
eye； that one glance about the room as the window opened 。 。 。 it
is almost friendly； I have caught it over the glass's rim！ If it
should be 。 。 。 his？ No； his it is not。
WATCHMAN （WITHOUT）。 Past ten o'clock； and a fine moonlight
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。 I'm ower glad to find ye in guid
hands。 Ay； ye dinna ken how glad。
BRODIE （ASIDE TO LESLIE）。 Get me out of this。 There's a man
there will stick at nothing。
LESLIE。 Mr。 Lawson； Brodie has done his shift。 Why should we
keep him？ （JEAN APPEARS AT THE DOOR； AND SIGNS TO BRODIE。）
LAWSON。 Hoots！ this is my trade。 That's a bit o' 'Wanderin'
Willie。' I've had it before me in precognitions； that same stave
has been used for a signal by some o' the very warst o' them。
BRODIE （ASIDE TO LESLIE）。 Get me out of this。 I'll never forget
to…night。 （JEAN AT DOOR AGAIN。）
LESLIE。 Well； good…night； Brodie。 When shall we meet again？
LAWSON。 Not one foot o' him。 （JEAN AT DOOR。） I tell you； Mr。
Leslie …
SCENE VI
To these； JEAN
JEAN （FROM SHE DOOR）。 Wullie； Wullie！
LAWSON。 Guid guide us； Mrs。 Watt！ A dacent wumman like
yoursel'！ Whatten a time o' nicht is this to come to folks'
doors？
JEAN （TO BRODIE）。 Hawks； Wullie； hawks！
BRODIE。 I suppose you know what you've done； Jean？
JEAN。 I HAD to come； Wullie； he wadna wait another minit。 He
wad have come himsel'。
BRODIE。 This is my mistress。
LAWSON。 William； dinna tell me nae mair。
BRODIE。 I have told you so much。 You may as well know all。
That good man knows it already。 Have you issued a warrant for me
。 。 。 。 yet？
LAWSON。 No； no； man： not another word。
BRODIE； （POINTING TO THE WINDOW）。 That is my work。 I am the
man。 Have you drawn the warrant？
LAWSON （BREAKING DOWN）。 Your father's son！
LESLIE （TO LAWSON）。 My good friend！ Brodie； you might have
spared the old man this。
BRODIE。 I might have spared him years ago； and you and my
sister； and myself。 I might 。 。 。 would God I had！ （WEEPING
HIMSELF。） Don't weep； my good old friend； I was lost long since；
don't think of me； don't pity me； don't shame me with your pity！
I began this when I was a boy。 I bound the millstone round my
neck； ＇it is irrevocable now；＇ and you must all suffer 。 。 。 all
suffer for me！ 。 。 。 ＇for this suffering remnant of what was once
a man＇。 O God； that I can have fallen to stand here as I do now。
My friend lying to save me from the gallows； my second father
weeping tears of blood for my disgrace！ And all for what？ By
what？ Because I had an open hand； because I was a selfish dog；
because I loved this woman。
JEAN。 O Wullie； and she lo'ed ye weel！ But come near me nae
mair； come near me nae mair； my man； keep wi' your ain folks 。 。
。 your ain dacent folks。
LAWSON。 Mistress Watt； ye shall sit rent free as lang's there's
breath in William Lawson's body。
LESLIE。 You can do one thing still 。 。 。 for Mary's sake。 You
can save yourself； you must fly。
BRODIE。 It is my purpose； the day after to…morrow。 It cannot be
before。 Then I will fly； and O； as God sees me； I will strive to
make a new and a better life； and to be worthy of your
friendship； and of your tears 。 。 。 your tears。 And to be worthy
of you too； Jean； for I see now that the bandage has fallen from
my eyes； I see myself； O how unworthy even of you。
LESLIE。 Why not to…night？
BRODIE。 It cannot be before。 There are many considerations。 I
must find money。
JEAN。 Leave me； and the wean。 Dinna fash yoursel' for us。
LESLIE （OPENING THE STRONG…BOX； AND POURING GOLD UPON THE TABLE）。
Take this and go at once。
BRODIE。 Not that 。 。 。 not the money that I came to steal！
LAWSON。 Tak' it； William； I'll pay him。
BRODIE。 It is in vain。 I cannot leave till I have said。 There
is a man； I must obey him。 If I slip my chain till he has done
with me； the hue and cry will blaze about the country； every
outport will be shut； I shall return to the gallows。 He is a man
that will stick at nothing。
SCENE VII
To these； MOORE
MOORE。 Are you coming？
BRODIE。 I am coming。
MOORE （APPEARING IN THE DOOR）。 Do you want us all to get
thundering well scragged？
BRODIE （GOING）。 There is my master。
ACT…DROP
ACT IV。
TABLEAU VII。 THE ROBBERY
The Stage represents the outside of the Excise Office in
Chessel's Court。 At the back； L。C。； an archway opening on the
High Street。 The door of the Excise in wing； R。； t