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MARY。 He must hear of my good fortune from none but me。 And
besides； you do not understand。 We are not like families； we
Brodies。 We are so clannish； we hold so close together。
LESLIE。 You Brodies； and your Deacon！
OLD BRODIE。 Deacon of his craft； sir … Deacon of the Wrights …
my son！ If his mother … his mother … had but lived to see！
MARY。 You hear how he runs on。 A word about my brother and he
catches it。 'Tis as if he were awake in his poor blind way to
all the Deacon's care for him and all the Deacon's kindness to
me。 I believe he only lives in the thought of the Deacon。
There； it is not so long since I was one with him。 But indeed I
think we are all Deacon…mad； we Brodies。 Are we not； daddie
dear？
BRODIE （WITHOUT； AND ENTERING）。 You are a mighty magistrate；
Procurator； but you seem to have met your match。
SCENE II
To these； BRODIE and LAWSON。
MARY （CURTSEYING）。 So； uncle！ you have honoured us at last。
LAWSON。 QUAM PRIMUM； my dear； QUAM PRIMUM。
BRODIE。 Well； father； do you know me？ （HE SITS BESIDE HIS
FATHER AND TAKES HIS HAND。）
＇OLD BRODIE。 William … ay … Deacon。 Greater man … than … his
father。
BRODIE。 You see； Procurator； the news is as fresh to him as it
was five years ago。 He was struck down before he got the
Deaconship； and lives his lost life in mine。
LAWSON。 Ay； I mind。 He was aye ettling after a bit handle to
his name。 He was kind of hurt when first they made me
Procurator。＇
MARY。 And what have you been talking of？
LAWSON。 Just o' thae robberies； Mary。 Baith as a burgher and a
Crown offeecial； I tak' the maist absorbing interest in thae
robberies。
LESLIE。 Egad； Procurator； and so do I。
BRODIE （WITH A QUICK LOOK AT LESLIE）。 A dilettante interest；
doubtless！ See what it is to be idle。
LESLIE。 Faith； Brodie； I hardly know how to style it。
BRODIE。 At any rate； 'tis not the interest of a victim； or we
should certainly have known of it before； nor a practical tool…
mongering interest； like my own； nor an interest professional and
official； like the Procurator's。 You can answer for that； I
suppose？
LESLIE。 I think I can； if for no more。 It's an interest of my
own； you see； and is best described as indescribable； and of no
manner of moment to anybody。 ＇It will take no hurt if we put off
its discussion till a month of Sundays。＇
BRODIE。 You are more fortunate than you deserve。 What do you
say； Procurator？
LAWSON。 Ay is he！ There is no a house in Edinburgh safe。 The
law is clean helpless； clean helpless！ A week syne it was auld
Andra Simpson's in the Lawnmarket。 Then； naething would set the
catamarans but to forgather privily wi' the Provost's ain butler；
and tak' unto themselves the Provost's ain plate。 And the day；
information was laid before me offeecially that the limmers had
made infraction； VI ET CLAM； into Leddy Mar'get Dalziel's； and
left her leddyship wi' no sae muckle's a spune to sup her
parritch wi'。 It's unbelievable； it's awful； it's
anti…christian！
MARY。 If you only knew them； uncle； what an example you would
make！ But tell me； is it not strange that men should dare such
things； in the midst of a city； and nothing； nothing be known of
them … nothing at all？
LESLIE。 Little； indeed！ But we do know that there are several
in the gang； and that one at least is an unrivalled workman。
LAWSON。 Ye're right； sir； ye're vera right； Mr。 Leslie。 It had
been deponed to me offeecially that no a tradesman … no the
Deacon here himsel' … could have made a cleaner job wi' Andra
Simpson's shutters。 And as for the lock o' the bank … but that's
an auld sang。
BRODIE。 I think you believe too much； Procurator。 Rumour's an
ignorant jade； I tell you。 I've had occasion to see some little
of their handiwork … broken cabinets； broken shutters； broken
doors … and I find them bunglers。 Why； I could do it better
myself！
LESLIE。 Gad； Brodie； you and I might go into partnership。 I
back myself to watch outside； and I suppose you could do the work
of skill within？
BRODIE。 An opposition company？ Leslie； your mind is full of
good things。 Suppose we begin to…night； and give the
Procurator's house the honours of our innocence？
MARY。 You could do anything； you two！
LAWSON。 Onyway； Deacon； ye'd put your ill…gotten gains to a
right use； they might come by the wind but they wouldna gang wi'
the water； and that's aye A SOLATIUM； as we say。 If I am to be
robbit； I would like to be robbit wi' decent folk； and no think
o' my bonnie clean siller dirling among jads and dicers。 ＇Faith；
William； the mair I think on't； the mair I'm o' Mr。 Leslie's
mind。 Come the night； or come the morn； and I'se gie ye my free
permission； and lend ye a hand in at the window forbye！
BRODIE。 Come； come； Procurator； lead not our poor clay into
temptation。 （LESLIE AND MARY TALK APART。）
LAWSON。 I'm no muckle afraid for your puir clay； as ye ca't。＇
But hark i' your ear： ye're likely； joking apart； to be gey and
sune in partnership wi' Mr。 Leslie。 He and Mary are gey and
pack； a body can see that。
＇BRODIE。 'Daffin' and want o' wit' … you know the rest。
LAWSON。 VIDI； SCIVI； ET AUDIVI； as we say in a Sasine； William。＇
Man； because my wig's pouthered do ye think I havena a green
heart？ I was aince a lad mysel'； and I ken fine by the glint o'
the e'e when a lad's fain and a lassie's willing。 And； man； it's
the town's talk； COMMUNIS ERROR FIT JUS； ye ken。
＇OLD BRODIE。 Oh！
LAWSON。 See； ye're hurting your faither's hand。
BRODIE。 Dear dad； it is not good to have an ill…tempered son。
LAWSON。 What the deevil ails ye at the match？ 'Od； man； he has
a nice bit divot o' Fife corn…land； I can tell ye； and some
Bordeaux wine in his cellar！ But I needna speak o' the Bordeaux；
ye'll ken the smack o't as weel's I do mysel'； onyway it's grand
wine。 TANTUM ET TALE。 I tell ye the PRO'S； find you the CON。'S；
if ye're able。＇
BRODIE。 ＇I am sorry； Procurator； but I must be short with you。＇
You are talking in the air； as lawyers will。 I prefer to drop
the subject ＇and it will displease me if you return to it in my
hearing＇。
LESLIE。 At four o'clock to…morrow？ At my house？ （TO MARY）。
MARY。 As soon as church is done。 （EXIT MARY。）
LAWSON。 Ye needna be sae high and mighty； onyway。
BRODIE。 I ask your pardon； Procurator。 But we Brodies … you
know our failings！ ＇A bad temper and a humour of privacy。＇
LAWSON。 Weel； I maun be about my business。 But I could tak' a
doch…an…dorach； William； SUPERFLUA NON NOCENT； as we say； an
extra dram hurts naebody； Mr。 Leslie。
BRODIE （WITH BOTTLE AND GLASSES）。 Here's your old friend；
Procurator。 Help yourself； Leslie。 Oh no； thank you； not any
for me。 You strong people have the advantage of me there。 With
my attacks； you know； I must always live a bit of a hermit's
life。
LAWSON。 'Od； man； that's fine； that's health o' mind and body。
Mr。 Leslie； here's to you； sir。 'Od； it's harder to end than to
begin wi' stuff like that。
SCENE III
To these； SMITH and JEAN； C。
SMITH。 Is the king of the castle in； please？
LAWSON （ASIDE）。 Lord's sake； it's Smith！
BRODIE （TO SMITH）。 I beg your pardon？
SMITH。 I beg yours； sir。 If you please； sir； is Mr。 Brodie at
home； sir？
BRODIE。 What do you want with him； my man？
SMITH。 I've a message for him； sir； a job of work； sir！
BRODIE （TO SMITH； REFERRING TO JEAN）。 And who is this？
JEAN。 I am here for the Procurator； about my rent。 There's nae
offence； I hope； sir。
LAWSON。 It's just an honest wife I let a flat to in Libberton's
Wynd。 It'll be for the rent？
JEAN。 Just that； sir。
LAWSON。 Weel； ye can just bide here a wee； and I'll step down
the road to my office wi' ye。 （EXEUNT BRODIE； LAWSON； LESLIE；
C。）
SCENE IV
SMITH； JEAN WATT； OLD BRODIE。
SMITH （BOWING THEM OUT）。 Your humble and most devoted servant；
George Smith； Esquire。 And so this is the garding； is it？ And
this is the style of horticulture？ Ha； it is！ （AT THE MIRROR。）
In that case George's mother bids him bind his hair。 （KISSES HIS
HAND。） My dearest Duchess； … （TO JEAN。） I say； Jean； there's a
good deal of difference between this sort of thing and the way we
does it in Libberton's Wynd。
JEAN。 I daursay。 And what wad ye expeck？
SMITH。 Ah； Jean； if you'd cast affection's glance on this poor
but honest soger！ George Lord S。 is not the nobleman to cut the
object of his flame before the giddy throng； nor to keep her
boxed up in an old mouse…trap； while he himself is revelling in
purple splendours like these。 He didn't know you； Jean： he was
afraid to。 Do you call that a man？ Try a man that is。
JEAN。 Geordie Smith； ye ken vera weel I'll tak' nane o' that
sort of talk frae you。 And what kind o' a man are you to even
yoursel' to the likes o' him？ He's a gentleman。
SMITH。 Ah； ain't he just！ And don't he live up to it？ I say；
Jean； feel of this chair。
JEAN。 My！ look at yon bed！
SMITH。 The carpet too！ Axminster； by the bones of Oliver
Cromwell！
JEAN。 What a expense！
SMITH。 Hey； brandy！ The deuce of the grape！ Have a toothful；
Mrs。 Wat