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me twice。 Meanwhile I'm worried and put out。 You understand how
such a fancy will upset a man。 I'm uneasy with my friends and on
bad terms with my own conscience。 I keep watching； spying；
comparing； putting two and two together； hunting for resemblances
until my head goes round。 It's like a puzzle in a dream。 Only
yesterday I thought I had him。 And who d'you think it was？
LAWSON。 Wha？ Wha was't？ Speak； Mr。 Leslie； speak。 I'm an auld
man； dinna forget that。
LESLIE。 I name no names。 It would be unjust to him； and； upon
my word； it was so silly it would be unfair to me。 However； here
I sit； night after night。 I mean him to come back； come back he
shall； and I'll tell you who he was next morning。
LAWSON。 Let sleeping dogs lie； Mr。 Leslie； ye dinna ken what ye
micht see。 And then； leave him alane； he'll come nae mair。 And
sitting up a' nicht 。 。 。 it's a FACTUM IMPRESTABILE； as we say：
a thing impossible to man。 Gang ye to your bed； like a guid
laddie； and sleep lang and soundly； and bonnie； bonnie dreams to
ye！ （WITHOUT。） Let sleeping dogs lie； and gang ye to your bed。
SCENE III
LESLIE
LESLIE （CALLING）。 In good time； never fear！ （HE CAREFULLY BOLTS
AND CHAINS THE DOOR。） The old gentleman seems upset。 What for；
I wonder？ Has he had a masked visitor？ Why not？ It's the
fashion。 Out with the lights。 （BLOWS OUT THE CANDLES。 THE
STAGE IS ONLY LIGHTED BY THE MOON THROUGH THE WINDOW。） He is
sure to come one night or other。 He must come。 Right or wrong；
I feel it in the air。 Man； but I know you； I know you somewhere。
That trick of the shoulders； the hang of the clothes … whose are
they？ Where have I seen them？ And then； that single look of the
eye； that one glance about the room as the window opened 。 。 。 it
is almost friendly； I have caught it over the glass's rim！ If it
should be 。 。 。 his？ No； his it is not。
WATCHMAN （WITHOUT）。 Past ten o'clock； and a fine moonlight
night。
ANOTHER （FURTHER AWAY）。 Past ten o'clock； and all's well。
LESLIE。 Past ten？ Ah； there's a long night before you and me；
watchmen。 Heavens； what a trade！ But it will be something to
laugh over with Mary and 。 。 。 with him？ Damn it； the delusion
is too strong for me。 It's a thing to be ashamed of。 'We
Brodies'： how she says it！ 'We Brodies and our Deacon'： what a
pride she takes in it； and how good it sounds to me！ 'Deacon of
his craft； sir； Deacon of the 。 。 。！ （BRODIE； MASKED； APPEARS
WITHOUT AT THE WINDOW； WHICH HE PROCEEDS TO FORCE。） Ha！ I knew
he'd come。 I was sure of it。 （HE CROUCHES NEAR AND NEARER TO
THE WINDOW； KEEPING IN THE SHADE。） And I know you too。 I swear
I know you。
SCENE IV
BRODIE； LESLIE
BRODIE enters by the window with assurance and ease； closes it
silently； and proceeds to traverse the room。 As he moves； LESLIE
leaps upon and grapples him。
LESLIE。 Take off that mask！
BRODIE。 Hands off！
LESLIE。 Take off the mask！
BRODIE。 Leave go； by God； leave go！
LESLIE。 Take it off！
BRODIE （OVERPOWERED）。 Leslie 。。。。
LESLIE。 Ah！ you know me！ （SUCCEEDS IN TEARING OFF THE MASK。）
Brodie！
BRODIE （IN THE MOONLIGHT）。 Brodie。
LESLIE。 You 。 。 。 you； Brodie； you？
BRODIE。 Brodie； sir； Brodie as you see。
LESLIE。 What does it mean？ What does it mean； my God？ Were you
here before？ Is this the second time？ Are you a thief； man？ are
you a thief？ Speak； speak； or I'll kill you。
BRODIE。 I am a thief。
LESLIE。 And my friend； my own friend； and 。 。 。 Mary； Mary！ 。 。
。 Deacon； Deacon； for God's sake； no！
BRODIE。 God help me！
LESLIE。 'We Brodies！ We Brodies！'
BRODIE。 Leslie …
LESLIE。 Stand off！ Don't touch me！ You're a thief！
BRODIE。 Leslie； Leslie
LESLIE。 A thief's sister！ Why are you here？ why are you here？
Tell me！ Why do you not speak？ Man； I know you of old。 Are you
Brodie； and have nothing to say？
BRODIE。 To say？ Not much … God help me … and commonplace；
commonplace like sin。 I was honest once； I made a false step； I
couldn't retrace it； and 。 。 。 that is all。
LESLIE。 You have forgot the bad companions！
BRODIE。 I did forget them。 They were there。
LESLIE。 Commonplace！ Commonplace！ Do you speak to me； do you
reason with me； do you make excuses？ You … a man found out；
shamed； a liar； a thief … a man that's killed me； killed this
heart in my body； and you speak！ What am I to do？ I hold your
life in my hand； have you thought of that？ What am I to do？
BRODIE。 Do what you please； you have me trapped。
（JEAN WATT IS HEARD SINGING WITHOUT TWO BARS OF 'WANDERIN'
WILLIE；' BY WAY OF SIGNAL。）
LESLIE。 What is that？
BRODIE。 A signal。
LESLIE。 What does it mean？
BRODIE。 Danger to me； there is someone coming。
LESLIE。 Danger to you？
BRODIE。 Some one is coming。 What are you going to do with me？
（A KNOCK AT THE DOOR。）
LESLIE （AFTER A PAUSE）。 Sit down。 （KNOCKING。）
BRODIE。 What are you going to do with me？
LESLIE。 Sit down。 （BRODIE SITS IN DARKEST PART OF STAGE。
LESLIE OPENS DOOR； AND ADMITS LAWSON。 DOOR OPEN TILL END OF
ACT。）
SCENE V
BRODIE； LAWSON； LESLIE
LAWSON。 This is an unco' time to come to your door； but eh；
laddie； I couldna bear to think o' ye sittin' your lane in the
dark。
LESLIE。 It was very good of you。
LAWSON。 I'm no very fond of playing hidee in the dark mysel'；
and noo that I'm here …
LESLIE。 I will give you a light。 （HE LIGHTS THE CANDLES。
LIGHTS UP。）
LAWSON。 God A'michty！ William Brodie！
LESLIE。 Yes； Brodie was good enough to watch with me。
LAWSON。 But he gaed awa' 。 。 。 I dinna see 。 。 。 an' Lord be
guid to us； the window's open！
LESLIE。 A trap we laid for them： a device of Brodie's。
BRODIE （TO LAWSON）。 Set a thief to catch a thief。 （PASSING TO
LESLIE； ASIDE。） Walter Leslie； God will reward。 （JEAN SIGNALS
AGAIN。）
LAWSON。 I dinna like that singin' at siccan a time o' the nicht。
BRODIE。 I must go。
LAWSON。 Not one foot o' ye。 I'm ower glad to find ye in guid
hands。 Ay； ye dinna ken how glad。
BRODIE （ASIDE TO LESLIE）。 Get me out of this。 There's a man
there will stick at nothing。
LESLIE。 Mr。 Lawson； Brodie has done his shift。 Why should we
keep him？ （JEAN APPEARS AT THE DOOR； AND SIGNS TO BRODIE。）
LAWSON。 Hoots！ this is my trade。 That's a bit o' 'Wanderin'
Willie。' I've had it before me in precognitions； that same stave
has been used for a signal by some o' the very warst o' them。
BRODIE （ASIDE TO LESLIE）。 Get me out of this。 I'll never forget
to…night。 （JEAN AT DOOR AGAIN。）
LESLIE。 Well； good…night； Brodie。 When shall we meet again？
LAWSON。 Not one foot o' him。 （JEAN AT DOOR。） I tell you； Mr。
Leslie …
SCENE VI
To these； JEAN
JEAN （FROM SHE DOOR）。 Wullie； Wullie！
LAWSON。 Guid guide us； Mrs。 Watt！ A dacent wumman like
yoursel'！ Whatten a time o' nicht is this to come to folks'
doors？
JEAN （TO BRODIE）。 Hawks； Wullie； hawks！
BRODIE。 I suppose you know what you've done； Jean？
JEAN。 I HAD to come； Wullie； he wadna wait another minit。 He
wad have come himsel'。
BRODIE。 This is my mistress。
LAWSON。 William； dinna t