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a…getting on。
BRODIE。 Will you tell me your errand？
MOORE。 You're dry； ain't you？
BRODIE。 Am I？
MOORE。 We ain't none of us got a stiver； that's wot's the matter
with us。
BRODIE。 Is it？
MOORE。 Ay； strike me； it is！ And wot we've got to is to put up
the Excise。
SMITH。 It's the last plant in the shrubbery Deakin； and it's
breaking George the gardener's heart； it is。 We really must！
BRODIE。 Must we？
MOORE。 Must's the thundering word。 I mean business； I do。
BRODIE。 That's lucky。 I don't。
MOORE。 O； you don't； don't you？
BRODIE。 I do not。
MOORE。 Then p'raps you'll tell us wot you thundering well do？
BRODIE。 What do I mean？ I mean that you and that merry…andrew
shall walk out of this room and this house。 Do you suppose； you
blockheads； that I am blind？ I'm the Deacon； am I not？ I've
been your king and your commander。 I've led you； and fed you；
and thought for you with this head。 And you think to steal a
march upon a man like me？ I see you through and through ＇I know
you like the clock＇； I read your thoughts like print。 Brodie；
you thought； has money； and won't do the job。 Therefore； you
thought； we must rook him to the heart。 And therefore； you put
up your idiot cockney。 And now you come round； and dictate； and
think sure of your Excise？ Sure？ Are you sure I'll let you pack
with a whole skin？ By my soul； but I've a mind to pistol you
like dogs。 Out of this！ Out； I say； and soil my home no more。
MOORE （SITTING）。 Now look 'ere。 Mr。 bloody Deacon Brodie； you
see this 'ere chair of yours； don't you？ Wot I ses to you is；
here I am； I ses； and here I mean to stick。 That's my motto。
Who the devil are you to do the high and mighty？ You make all
you can out of us； don't you？ and when one of your plants get
cross； you order us out of the ken？ Muck！ That's wot I think of
you。 Muck！ Don't you get coming the nob over me； Mr。 Deacon
Brodie； or I'll smash you。
BRODIE。 You will？
MOORE。 Ay will I。 If I thundering well swing for it。 And as
for clearing out？ Muck！ Here I am； and here I stick。 Clear
out？ You try it on。 I'm a man； I am。
BRODIE。 This is plain speaking。
MOORE。 Plain？ Wot about your father as can't walk？ Wot about
your fine…madam sister？ Wot about the stone…jug； and the dock；
and the rope in the open street？ Is that plain？ If it ain't；
you let me know； and I'll spit it out so as it'll raise the roof
off this 'ere ken。 Plain！ I'm that cove's master； and I'll make
it plain enough for him。
BRODIE。 What do you want of me？
MOORE。 Wot do I want of you？ Now you speak sense。 Leslie's is
wot I want of you。 The Excise is wot I want of you。 Leslie's
to…night and the Excise to…morrow。 That's wot I want of you； and
wot I thundering well mean to get。
BRODIE。 Damn you！
MOORE。 Amen。 But you've got your orders。
BRODIE （WITH PISTOL）。 Orders？ hey？ orders？
SMITH （BETWEEN THEM）。 Deacon； Deacon！ … Badger； are you mad？
MOORE。 Muck！ That's my motto。 Wot I ses is； has he got his
orders or has he not？ That's wot's the matter with him。
SMITH。 Deacon； half a tick。 Humphrey； I'm only a light weight；
and you fight at twelve stone ten； but I'm damned if I'm going to
stand still and see you hitting a pal when he's down。
MOORE。 Muck！ That's wot I think of you。
SMITH。 He's a cut above us； ain't he？ He never sold his
backers； did he？ We couldn't have done without him； could we？
You dry up about his old man； and his sister； and don't go on
hitting a pal when he's knocked out of time and cannot hit back；
for； damme； I will not stand it。
MOORE。 Amen to you。 But I'm cock of this here thundering walk；
and that cove's got his orders。
BRODIE （PUTTING PISTOL ON BENCH）。 I give in。 I will do your
work for you once more。 Leslie's to…night and the Excise
to…morrow。 If that is enough； if you have no more 。 。 。 orders；
you may count it as done。
MOORE。 Fen larks。 No rotten shirking； mind。
BRODIE。 I have passed you my word。 And now you have said what
you came to say； you must go。 I have business here； but two
hours hence I am at your 。。。 orders。 Where shall I await you？
MOORE。 What about that woman's place of yours？
BRODIE。 Your will is my law。
MOORE。 That's good enough。 Now； Dock。
SMITH。 Bye…bye； my William。 Don't forget。
SCENE IX
BRODIE。 Trust me。 No man forgets his vice； you dogs； or
forgives it either。 It must be done： Leslie's to…night and the
Excise to…morrow。 It shall be done。 This settles it。 They used
to fetch and carry for me； and now 。 。 。 I've licked their boots；
have I？ I'm their man； their tool； their chattel。 It's the
bottom rung of the ladder of shame。 I sound with my foot； and
there's nothing underneath but the black emptiness of damnation。
Ah； Deacon； Deacon； and so this is where you've been travelling
all these years； and it's for this that you learned French！ The
gallows 。 。 。 God help me； it begins to dog me like my shadow。
THERE'S a step to take！ And the jerk upon your spine！ How's a
man to die with a night…cap on？ I've done with this。 Over
yonder； across the great ocean； is a new land； with new
characters； and perhaps new lives。 The sun shines； and the bells
ring； and it's a place where men live gladly； and the Deacon
himself can walk without terror； and begin again like a new…born
child。 It must be good to see day again and not to fear； it must
be good to be one's self with all men。 Happy like a child； wise
like a man； free like God's angels 。 。 。 should I work these
hands off and eat crusts； there were a life to make me young and
good again。 And it's only over the sea！ O man； you have been
blind； and now your eyes are opened。 It was half a life's
nightmare； and now you are awake。 Up； Deacon； up； it's hope
that's at the window！ Mary！ Mary！ Mary！
SCENE X
BRODIE； MARY； OLD BRODIE
（BRODIE has fallen into a chair； with his face upon the table。
Enter MARY； by the side door pushing her father's chair。 She is
supposed to have advanced far enough for stage purposes before
BRODIE is aware of her。 He starts up； and runs to her。）
BRODIE。 Look up； my lass； look up； and be a woman！ I 。 。 。 O
kiss me； Mary I give me a kiss for my good news。
MARY。 Good news； Will？ Is it changed？
BRODIE。 Changed？ Why； the world's a different colour！ It was
night； and now it's broad day and I trust myself again。 You must
wait； dear； wait； and I must work and work； and before the week
is out； as sure as God sees me； I'll have made you happy。 O you
may think me broken； hounds； but the Deacon's not the man to be
run down； trust him； he shall turn a corner yet； and leave you
snarling！ And you； Poll； you。 I've done nothing for you yet；
but； please God； I'll make your life a life of gold； and wherever
I am； I'll have a part in your happiness； and you'll know it； by
heaven！ and bless me。
MARY。 O Willie； look at him； I think he hears you； and is trying
to be glad with us。
BRODIE。 My son … Deacon … better man than I was。
BRODIE。 O for God's sake； hear him！
MARY。 He is quite happy； Will； and so am I 。。。 so am I。
BRODIE。 Hear me； Mary。 This is a big moment in our two lives。
I swear to you by the father here between us that it shall not be
fault of mine if this thing fails； if this ship founders you have
set your hopes in。 I swear it by our father； I swear it by God's
judgments。
MARY。 I want no oaths； Will。
BRODIE。 No； but I do。 And prayers； Mary； prayers。 Pray night
and day upon your knees。 I must move mountains。
OLD BRODIE。 A wise son maketh … maketh …
BRODIE。 A glad father？ And does your son； the Deacon； make you
glad？ O heaven of heavens； if I were a good man。
ACT…DROP
ACT III。
TABLEAU V。 KING'S EVIDENCE
The Stage represents a public place in Edinburgh。
SCENE I
JEAN； SMITH； AND MOORE
（They loiter in L。； and stand looking about as for somebody not
there。 SMITH is hat in hand to JEAN； MOORE as usual。）
MOORE。 Wot did I tell you？ Is he 'ere； or ain't he？ Now； then。
Slink by name and Slink by nature； that's wot's the matter with
him。
JEAN。 He'll no be lang； he's regular enough； if that was a'。
MOORE。 I'd regular him； I'd break his back。
SMITH。 Badger； you brute； you hang on to the lessons of your
dancing…master。 None but the genteel deserves the fair； does
they； Duchess？
MOORE。 O rot！ Did I insult the blowen？ Wot's the matter with
me is Slink Ainslie。
SMITH。 All right； old Crossed…in…love。 Give him forty winks；
and he'll turn up as fresh as clean sawdust and as respectable as
a new Bible。
MOORE。 That's right enough； but I ain't agoing to stand here all
day for him。 I'm for a drop of something short； I am。 You tell
him I showed you that （SHOWING HIS DOUBLED FIST）。 That's wot's
the matter with him。 （HE LURCHES OUT； R。）
SCENE II
SMITH and JEAN； to whom HUNT； and afterwards MOORE
SMITH （CRITICALLY）。 No； Duchess； he has not good manners。
JEAN。 Ay； he's an impident man。
SMITH。 So he is； Jean； and for the matter of that he ain't the
only one。
JEAN。 Geordie； I want nae mair o' your nonsense； mind。
SMITH。