plays-第5章
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Two hundred pounds reward。 Curious thing。 One burglary after
another； and these Scotch blockheads without a man to show for
it。 Jock runs east； and Sawney cuts west； everything's at a
deadlock； and they go on calling themselves thief…catchers！ ＇By
jingo； I'll show them how we do it down South！ Well； I've worn
out a good deal of saddle leather over Jemmy Rivers； but here's
for new breeches if you like。＇ Let's have another queer at the
list。 （READS。） 'Humphrey Moore； otherwise Badger； aged forty；
thick…set； dark； close…cropped； has been a prize…fighter； no
apparent occupation。' Badger's an old friend of mine； 'George
Smith； otherwise the Dook； otherwise Jingling Geordie； red…haired
and curly； slight； flash； an old thimble…rig； has been a
stroller； suspected of smuggling； an associate of loose women。'
G。 S。； Esquire； is another of my flock。 'Andrew Ainslie；
otherwise Slink Ainslie； aged thirty…five； thin； white…faced；
lank…haired； no occupation； has been in trouble for reset of
theft and subornation of youth； might be useful as king's
evidence。' That's an acquaintance to make。 'Jock Hamilton；
otherwise Sweepie；' and so on。 ＇'Willie M'Glashan；' hum … yes；
and so on； and so on。＇ Ha！ here's the man I want。 'William
Brodie； Deacon of the Wrights； about thirty； tall； slim； dark；
wears his own hair； is often at Clarke's； but seemingly for
purposes of amusement only； ＇is nephew to the Procurator…Fiscal；
is commercially sound； but has of late （it is supposed） been
short of cash； has lost much at cock…fighting；＇ is proud； clever；
of good repute； but is fond of adventures and secrecy； and keeps
low company。' Now； here's what I ask myself： here's this list
of the family party that drop into Mother Clarke's； it's been in
the hands of these nincompoops for weeks； and I'm the first to
cry Queer Street！ Two well…known cracksmen； Badger and the Dook！
why； there's Jack in the Orchard at once。 This here topsawyer
work they talk about； of course that's a chalk above Badger and
the Dook。 But how about our Mohock…tradesman？ 'Purposes of
amusement！' What next？ Deacon of the Wrights？ and wright in
their damned lingo means a kind of carpenter； I fancy？ Why；
damme； it's the man's trade！ I'll look you up； Mr。 William
Brodie； Deacon of the Wrights。 As sure as my name's Jerry Hunt；
I wouldn't take one…ninety…nine in gold for my chance of that
'ere two hundred！
SCENE III
HUNT； to him JEAN
HUNT。 Well； my dear； and how about your gentleman friend now？
How about Deacon Brodie？
JEAN。 I dinna ken your name； sir； nor yet whae ye are； but this
is a very poor employ for ony gentleman … it sets ill wi' ony
gentleman to cast my shame in my teeth。
HUNT。 Lord love you； my dear； that ain't my line of country。
Suppose you're not married and churched a hundred thousand times；
what odds to Jerry Hunt？ Jerry； my Pamela Prue； is a cove as
might be your parent； a cove renowned for the ladies' friend ＇and
he's dead certain to be on your side＇。 What I can't get over is
this： here's this Mr。 Deacon Brodie doing the genteel at home；
and leaving a nice young 'oman like you … as a cove may say … to
take it out on cold potatoes。 That's what I can't get over； Mrs。
Watt。 I'm a family man myself； and I can't get over it。
JEAN。 And whae said that to ye？ They lee'd whatever。 I get
naething but guid by him； and I had nae richt to gang to his
house； and O； I just ken I've been the ruin of him！
HUNT。 Don't you take on； Mrs。 Watt。 Why； now I hear you piping
up for him； I begin to think a lot of him myself。 I like a cove
to be open…handed and free。
JEAN。 Weel； sir； and he's a' that。
HUNT。 Well； that shows what a wicked world this is。 Why； they
told me … 。 Well； well； 'here's the open 'and and the 'appy
'art。' And how much； my dear … speaking as a family man … now；
how much might your gentleman friend stand you in the course of a
year？
JEAN。 What's your wull？
HUNT。 That's a mighty fancy shawl； Mrs。 Watt。 ＇I should like to
take its next…door neighbour to Mrs。 Hunt in King Street； Common
Garden。＇ What's about the figure？
JEAN。 It's paid for。 Ye can sweir to that。
HUNT。 Yes； my dear； and so is King George's crown； but I don't
know what it cost； and I don't know where the blunt came from to
pay for it。
JEAN。 I'm thinking ye'll be a vera clever gentleman。
HUNT。 So I am； my dear； and I like you none the worse for being
artful yourself。 But between friends now； and speaking as a
family man …
JEAN。 I'll be wishin' ye a fine nicht。 （CURTSIES AND GOES OUT。）
SCENE IV
HUNT （SOLUS）
HUNT。 Ah！ that's it； is it？ 'My fancy man's my 'ole delight；'
as we say in Bow Street。 But which IS the fancy man？ George the
Dock； or William the Deacon？ One or both？ （HE WINKS SOLEMNLY。）
Well； Jerry； my boy； here's your work cut out for you； but if you
took one…nine…five for that 'ere little two hundred you'd be a
disgrace to the profession。
TABLEAU III。 MOTHER CLARKE'S
SCENE I
The Stage represents a room of coarse and sordid appearance：
settles； spittoons； etc。； sanded floor。 A large table at back；
where AINSLIE； HAMILTON； and others are playing cards and
quarrelling。 In front； L。 and R。 smaller tables； at one of which
are BRODIE and MOORE； drinking。 MRS。 CLARKE and women serving。
MOORE。 You've got the devil's own luck； Deacon； that's what
you've got。
BRODIE。 Luck！ Don't talk of luck to a man like me！ Why not say
I've the devil's own judgment？ Men of my stamp don't risk … they
plan； Badger； they plan； and leave chance to such cattle as you
＇and Jingling Geordie。 They make opportunities before they take
them＇。
MOORE。 You're artful； ain't you？
BRODIE。 Should I be here else？ When I leave my house I leave an
ALIBI behind me。 I'm ill … ill with a jumping headache； and the
fiend's own temper。 I'm sick in bed this minute； and they're all
going about with the fear of death on them lest they should
disturb the poor sick Deacon。 ＇My bedroom door is barred and
bolted like the bank … you remember！ … and all the while the
window's open； and the Deacon's over the hills and far away。
What do you think of me？＇
MOORE。 I've seen your sort before； I have。
BRODIE。 Not you。 As for Leslie's …
MOORE。 That was a nick above you。
BRODIE。 Ay was it。 He wellnigh took me red…handed； and that was
better luck than I deserved。 If I'd not been drunk； and in my
tantrums； you'd never have got my hand within a thousand years of
such a job。
MOORE。 Why not？ You're the King of the Cracksmen； ain't you？
BRODIE。 Why not！ He asks me why not！ Gods； what a brain it is！
Hark ye； Badger； it's all very well to be King of the Cracksmen；
as you call it； but however respectable he may have the
misfortune to be； one's friend is one's friend； and as such must
be severely let alone。 What！ shall there be no more honour among
thieves than there is honesty among politicians？ Why； man； if
under heaven there were but one poor lock unpicked； and that the
lock of one whose claret you've drunk； and who has babbled of
woman across your own mahogany … that lock； sir； were entirely
sacred。 Sacred as the Kirk of Scotland； sacred as King George
upon his throne； sacred as the memory of Bruce and Bannockburn。
MOORE。 Oh； rot！ I ain't a parson； I ain't； I never had no
college education。 Business is business。 That's wot's the
matter with me。
BRODIE。 Ay； so we said when you lost that fight with Newcastle
Jemmy； and sent us all home poor men。 That was a nick above YOU。
MOORE。 Newcastle Jemmy！ Muck： that's my opinion of him： muck。
I'll mop the floor up with him any day； if so be as you or any on
'em 'll make it worth my while。 If not； muck！ That's my motto。
Wot I now ses is； about that 'ere crib at Leslie's； wos I right；
I ses？ or wos I wrong？ That's wot's the matter with you。
BRODIE。 You are both right and wrong。 You dared me to do it。 I
was drunk； I was upon my mettle； and I as good as did it。 More
than that； black…guardly as it was； I enjoyed the doing。 He is
my friend。 He had dined with me that day； and I felt like a man
in a story。 I climbed hi
