plays-第12章
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introduce our wrists into these here darbies? Now we shall get
along cosier and freer than ever。 Want to lie down; do you? All
right! anything to oblige。
AINSLIE (GROVELLING)。 It wasna me; it wasna me。 It's bad
companions; I've been lost wi' bad companions an' the drink。 An'
O mister; ye'll be a kind gentleman to a puir lad; an' me sae
weak; an' fair rotten wi' the drink an' that。 Ye've a bonnie
kind heart; my dear; dear gentleman; ye wadna hang sitchan a
thing as me。 I'm no fit to hang。 They ca' me the Cannleworm!
An' I'll dae somethin' for ye; wulln't I? An' ye'll can hang the
ithers?
HUNT。 I thought I hadn't mistook my man。 Now; you look here;
Andrew Ainslie; you're a bad lot。 I've evidence to hang you
fifty times over。 But the Deacon is my mark。 Will you peach; or
wont you? You blow the gaff; and I'll pull you through。 You
don't; and I'll scragg you as sure as my name's Jerry Hunt。
AINSLIE。 I'll dae onything。 It's the hanging fleys me。 I'll
dae onything; onything no to hang。
HUNT。 Don't lie crawling there; but get up and answer me like a
man。 Ain't this Deacon Brodie the fine workman that's been doing
all these tip…topping burglaries?
AINSLIE。 It's him; mister; it's him。 That's the man。 Ye're in
the very bit。 Deacon Brodie。 I'll can tak' ye to his vera door。
HUNT。 How do you know?
AINSLIE。 I gi'ed him a han' wi' them a'。 It was him an' Badger
Moore; and Geordie Smith; an' they gart me gang wi' them whether
or no; I'm that weak; an' whiles I'm donner'd wi' the drink。
But I ken a'; an' I'll tell a'。 And O kind gentleman; you'll
speak to their lordships for me; an' I'll no be hangit。 。 。 I'll
no be hangit; wull I?
HUNT。 But you shared; didn't you? I wonder what share they
thought you worth。 How much did you get for last night's
performance down at Mother Clarke's?
AINSLIE。 Just five pund; mister。 Five pund。 As sure's deith it
wadna be a penny mair。 No but I askit mair: I did that; I'll do
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