按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
bush。
MARY。 O be kind； be kind to me。
BRODIE。 Kind？ I am kind。 I'm only ill and worried； can't you
see？ Whimpering？ I knew it！ Sit down； you goose！ Where do you
women get your tears？
MARY。 Why are you so cross with me？ Oh； Will； you have forgot
your sister！ Remember； dear； that I have nobody but you。 It's
your own fault； Will； if you've taught me to come to you for
kindness； for I always found it。 And I mean you shall be kind to
me again。 I know you will； for this is my great need； and the
day I've missed my mother sorest。 Just a nice look； dear； and a
soft tone in your voice； to give me courage； for I can tell you
nothing till I know that you're my own brother once again。
BRODIE。 If you'd take a hint； you'd put it off till to…morrow。
But I suppose you won't。 On； then； I'm listening。 I'm
listening！
MARY。 Mr。 Leslie has asked me to be his wife。
BRODIE。 He has； has he？
MARY。 And I have consented。
BRODIE。 And 。。。？
MARY。 You can say that to me？ And that is all you have to say？
BRODIE。 O no； not all。
MARY。 Speak out； sir。 I am not afraid。
BRODIE。 I suppose you want my consent？
MARY。 Can you ask？
BRODIE。 I didn't know。 You seem to have got on pretty well
without it so far。
MARY。 O shame on you！ shame on you！
BRODIE。 Perhaps you may be able to do without it altogether。 I
hope so。 For you'll never have it。 。。。 Mary！ 。。。 I hate to see
you look like that。 If I could say anything else； believe me； I
would say it。 But I have said all； every word is spoken； there's
the end。
MARY。 It shall not be the end。 You owe me explanation； and I'll
have it。
BRODIE。 Isn't my 'No' enough； Mary？
MARY。 It might be enough for me； but it is not； and it cannot
be； enough for him。 He has asked me to be his wife； he tells me
his happiness is in my hands … poor hands； but they shall not
fail him； if my poor heart should break！ If he has chosen and
set his hopes upon me； of all women in the world； I shall find
courage somewhere to be worthy of the choice。 And I dare you to
leave this room until you tell me all your thoughts … until you
prove that this is good and right。
BRODIE。 Good and right？ They are strange words； Mary。 I mind
the time when it was good and right to be your father's daughter
and your brother's sister 。 。 。 Now！ 。 。 。
MARY。 Have I changed？ Not even in thought。 My father； Walter
says； shall live and die with us。 He shall only have gained
another son。 And you … you know what he thinks of you； you know
what I would do for you。
BRODIE。 Give him up。
MARY。 I have told you： not without a reason。
BRODIE。 You must。
MARY。 I will not。
BRODIE。 What if I told you that you could only compass your
happiness and his at the price of my ruin？
MARY。 Your ruin？
BRODIE。 Even so。
MARY。 Ruin！
BRODIE。 It has an ugly sound； has it not？
MARY。 O Willie； what have you done？ What have you done？ What
have you done？
BRODIE。 I cannot tell you； Mary。 But you may trust me。 You
must give up this Leslie 。 。 。 and at once。 It is to save me。
MARY。 I would die for you； dear； you know that。 But I cannot be
false to him。 Even for you； I cannot be false to him。
BRODIE。 We shall see。 Let me take you to your room。 Come。
And； remember； it is for your brother's sake。 It is to save me。
MARY。 I am true Brodie。 Give me time； and you shall not find me
wanting。 But it is all so sudden 。。。 so strange and dreadful！
You will give me time； will you not？ I am only a woman； and 。。。
O my poor Walter！ It will break his heart！ It will break his
heart！ （A KNOCK。）
BRODIE。 You hear！
MARY。 Yes； yes。 Forgive me。 I am going。 I will go。 It is to
save you； is it not？ To save you。 Walter 。 。 。 Mr。 Leslie 。。。 O
Deacon； Deacon； God forgive you！ （SHE GOES OUT。）
BRODIE。 Amen。 But will He？
SCENE VII
BRODIE； HUNT
HUNT （HAT IN HAND）。 Mr。 Deacon Brodie； I believe？
BRODIE。 I am he； Mr。 …
HUNT。 Hunt； sir； an officer from Sir John Fielding of Bow
Street。
BRODIE。 There can be no better passport than the name。 In what
can I serve you？
HUNT。 You'll excuse me； Mr。 Deacon。
BRODIE。 Your duty excuses you； Mr。 Hunt。
HUNT。 Your obedient。 The fact is； Mr。 Deacon ＇we in the office
see a good deal of the lives of private parties； and I needn't
tell a gentleman of your experience it's part of our duty to hold
our tongues。 Now＇； it's come to my knowledge that you are a
trifle jokieous。 Of course I know there ain't any harm in that。
I've been young myself； Mr。 Deacon； and speaking …
BRODIE。 O； but pardon me。 Mr。 Hunt； I am not going to discuss
my private character with you。
HUNT。 To be sure you ain't。 ＇And do I blame you？ Not me。＇
But； speaking as one man of the world to another； you naturally
see a great deal of bad company。
BRODIE。 Not half so much as you do。 But I see what you're
driving at； and if I can illuminate the course of justice； you
may command me。 （HE SITS； AND MOTIONS HUNT TO DO LIKEWISE。）
HUNT。 I was dead sure of it； and 'and upon 'art； Mr。 Deacon； I
thank you。 Now （CONSULTING POCKET…BOOK）； did you ever meet a
certain George Smith？
BRODIE。 The fellow they call Jingling Geordie？ （HUNT NODS。）
Yes。
HUNT。 Bad character。
BRODIE。 Let us say 。 。 。 disreputable。
HUNT。 Any means of livelihood？
BRODIE。 I really cannot pretend to guess； I have met the
creature at cock…fights ＇which； as you know； are my weakness＇。
Perhaps he bets。
HUNT。 ＇Mr。 Deacon； from what I know of the gentleman； I should
say that if he don't … if he ain't open to any mortal thing … he
ain't the man I mean。＇ He used to be about with a man called
Badger Moore。
BRODIE。 The boxer？
HUNT。 That's him。 Know anything of him？
BRODIE。 Not much。 I lost five pieces on him in a fight； and I
fear he sold his backers。
HUNT。 Speaking as one admirer of the noble art to another； Mr。
Deacon； the losers always do。 I suppose the Badger cockfights
like the rest of us？
BRODIE。 I have met him in the pit。
HUNT。 Well； it's a pretty sport。 I'm as partial to a main as
anybody。
BRODIE。 It's not an elegant taste； Mr。 Hunt。
HUNT。 It costs as much as though it was。 And that reminds me；
speaking as one sportsman to another； Mr。 Deacon； I was sorry to
hear that you've been dropping a hatful of money lately。
BRODIE。 You are very good。
HUNT。 Four hundred in three months； they tell me。
BRODIE。 Ah！
HUNT。 So they say； sir。
BRODIE。 They have a perfect right to say so； Mr。 Hunt。
HUNT。 And you to do the other thing？ Well； I'm a good hand at
keeping close myself。
BRODIE。 I am not consulting you； Mr。 Hunt； 'tis you who are
consulting me。 And if there is nothing else （RISING） in which I
can pretend to serve you 。 。 。 ？
HUNT （RISING）。 That's about all； sir； unless you can put me on
to anything good in the way of heckle and spur？ I'd try to look
in。
BRODIE。 O； come； Mr。 Hunt； if you have nothing to do； frankly
and flatly I have。 This is not the day for such a conversation；
and so good…bye to you。 （A KNOCKING； C。）
HUNT。 Servant； Mr。 Deacon。 （SMITH AND MOORE； WITHOUT WAITING TO
BE ANSWERED； OPEN AND ENTER； C。 THEY ARE WELL INTO THE ROOM
BEFORE THEY OBSERVE HUNT。） ＇Talk of the Devil； sir！＇
BRODIE。 What brings you here？ （SMITH AND MOORE； CONFOUNDED BY
THE OFFICER'S PRESENCE； SLOUCH TOGETHER TO RIGHT OF DOOR。 HUNT；
STOPPING AS HE GOES OUT； CONTEMPLATES THE PAIR； SARCASTICALLY。
THIS IS SUPPORTED BY MOORE WITH SULLEN BRAVADO； BY SMITH； WITH
CRINGING AIRINESS。）
HUNT （DIGGING SMITH IN THE RIBS）。 Why； you are the very parties
I was looking for！ （HE GOES OUT； C。）
SCENE VIII
BRODIE； MOORE； SMITH
MOORE。 Wot was that cove here about？
BRODIE （WITH FOLDED ARMS； HALF…SITTING ON BENCH）。 He was here
about you。
SMITH （STILL QUITE DISCOUNTENANCED）。 About us？ Scissors！ And
what did you tell him？
BRODIE （SAME ATTITUDE）。 I spoke of you as I have found you。 ＇I
told him you were a disreputable hound； and that Moore had
crossed a fight。＇ I told him you were a drunken ass； and Moore
an incompetent and dishonest boxer。
MOORE。 Look here； Deacon！ Wot's up？ Wot I ses is； if a cove's
got any thundering grudge agin a cove； why can't he spit it out；
I ses。
BRODIE。 Here are my answers （PRODUCING PURSE AND DICE）。 These
are both too light。 This purse is empty； these dice are not
loaded。 Is it indiscretion to inquire how you share？ Equal with
the Captain； I presume？
SMITH。 It's as easy as my eye； Deakin。 Slink Ainslie got
letting the merry glass go round； and didn't know the right bones
from the wrong。 That's Hall。
BRODIE。 ＇What clumsy liars you are！
SMITH。 In boyhood's hour； Deakin； he were called Old Truthful。
Little did he think …＇
BRODIE。 What is your errand？
MOORE。 Business。
SMITH。 After the melancholy games of last night； Deakin； which
no one deplores so much as George Smith； we thought we'd trot
round … didn't us； Hump？ and see how you and your bankers was
a…getting on。
BRODIE。 Will you tell me your errand？
MOORE。 You're dry； ain't you？
BRODIE。 Am I？