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sune in partnership wi' Mr。 Leslie。 He and Mary are gey and
pack; a body can see that。
'BRODIE。 'Daffin' and want o' wit' … you know the rest。
LAWSON。 VIDI; SCIVI; ET AUDIVI; as we say in a Sasine; William。'
Man; because my wig's pouthered do ye think I havena a green
heart? I was aince a lad mysel'; and I ken fine by the glint o'
the e'e when a lad's fain and a lassie's willing。 And; man; it's
the town's talk; COMMUNIS ERROR FIT JUS; ye ken。
'OLD BRODIE。 Oh!
LAWSON。 See; ye're hurting your faither's hand。
BRODIE。 Dear dad; it is not good to have an ill…tempered son。
LAWSON。 What the deevil ails ye at the match? 'Od; man; he has
a nice bit divot o' Fife corn…land; I can tell ye; and some
Bordeaux wine in his cellar! But I needna speak o' the Bordeaux;
ye'll ken the smack o't as weel's I do mysel'; onyway it's grand
wine。 TANTUM ET TALE。 I tell ye the PRO'S; find you the CON。'S;
if ye're able。'
BRODIE。 'I am sorry; Procurator; but I must be short with you。'
You are talking in the air; as lawyers will。 I prefer to drop
the subject 'and it will displease me if you return to it in my
hearing'。
LESLIE。 At four o'clock to…morrow? At my house? (TO MARY)。
MARY。 As soon as church is done。 (EXIT MARY。)
LAWSON。 Ye needna be sae high and mighty; onyway。
BRODIE。 I ask your pardon; Procurator。 But we Brodies … you
know our failings! 'A bad temper and a humour of privacy。'
LAWSON。 Weel; I maun be about my business。 But I could tak' a
doch…an…dorach; William; SUPERFLUA NON NOCENT; as we say; an
extra dram hurts naebody; Mr。 Leslie。
BRODIE (WITH BOTTLE AND GLASSES)。 Here's your old friend;
Procurator。 Help yourself; Leslie。 Oh no; thank you; not any
for me。 You strong people have the advantage of me there。 With
my attacks; you know; I must always live a bit of a hermit's
life。
LAWSON。 'Od; man; that's fine; that's health o' mind and body。
Mr。 Leslie; here's to you; sir。 'Od; it's harder to end than to
begin wi' stuff like that。
SCENE III
To these; SMITH and JEAN; C。
SMITH。 Is the king of the castle in; please?
LAWSON (ASIDE)。 Lord's sake; it's Smith!
BRODIE (TO SMITH)。 I beg your pardon?
SMITH。 I beg yours; sir。 If you please; sir; is Mr。 Brodie at
home; sir?
BRODIE。 What do you want with him; my man?
SMITH。 I've a message for him; sir; a job of work; sir!
BRODIE (TO SMITH; REFERRING TO JEAN)。 And who is this?
JEAN。 I am here for the Procurator; about my rent。 There's nae
offence; I hope; sir。
LAWSON。 It's just an honest wife I let a flat to in Libberton's
Wynd。 It'll be for the rent?
JEAN。 Just that; sir。
LAWSON。 Weel; ye can just bide here a wee; and I'll step down
the road to my office wi' ye。 (EXEUNT BRODIE; LAWSON; LESLIE;
C。)
SCENE IV
SMITH; JEAN WATT; OLD BRODIE。
SMITH (BOWING THEM OUT)。 Your humble and most devoted servant;
George Smith; Esquire。 And so this is the garding; is it? And
this is the style of horticulture? Ha; it is! (AT THE MIRROR。)
In that case George's mother bids him bind his hair。 (KISSES HIS
HAND。) My dearest Duchess; … (TO JEAN。) I say; Jean; there's a
good deal of difference between this sort of thing and the way we
does it in Libberton's Wynd。
JEAN。 I daursay。 And what wad ye expeck?
SMITH。 Ah; Jean; if you'd cast affection's glance on this poor
but honest soger! George Lord S。 is not the nobleman to cut the
object of his flame before the giddy throng; nor to keep her
boxed up in an old mouse…trap; while he himself is revelling in
purple splendours like these。 He didn't know you; Jean: he was
afraid to。 Do you call that a man? Try a man that is。
JEAN。 Geordie Smith; ye ken vera weel I'll tak' nane o' that
sort of talk frae you。 And what kind o' a man are you to even
yoursel' to the likes o' him? He's a gentleman。
SMITH。 Ah; ain't he just! And don't he live up to it? I say;
Jean; feel of this chair。
JEAN。 My! look at yon bed!
SMITH。 The carpet too! Axminster; by the bones of Oliver
Cromwell!
JEAN。 What a expense!
SMITH。 Hey; brandy! The deuce of the grape! Have a toothful;
Mrs。 Watt。 '(SINGS) …
'Says Bacchus to Venus;
There's brandy between us;
And the cradle of love is the bowl; the bowl!''
JEAN。 Nane for me; I thank ye; Mr。 Smith。
SMITH。 What brings the man from stuff like this to rotgut and
spittoons at Mother Clarke's; but ah; George; you was born for a
higher spear! And so was you; Mrs。 Watt; though I say it that
shouldn't。 (SEEING OLD BRODIE FOR THE FIRST TIME。) Hullo! it's
a man!
JEAN。 Thonder in the chair。 (THEY GO TO LOOK AT HIM; THEIR
BACKS TO THE DOOR。)
GEORGE。 Is he alive?
JEAN。 I think there's something wrong with him。
GEORGE。 And how was you to…morrow; my valued old gentleman; eh?
JEAN。 Dinna mak' a mock o' him; Geordie。
OLD BRODIE。 My son … the Deacon … Deacon of his trade。
JEAN。 He'll be his feyther。 (HUNT APPEARS AT DOOR C。; AND
STANDS LOOKING ON。)
SMITH。 The Deacon's old man! Well; he couldn't expect to have
his quiver full of sich; could he; Jean? (TO OLD BRODIE。) Ah;
my Christian soldier; if you had; the world would have been more
varigated。 Mrs。 Deakin (TO JEAN); let me introduce you to your
dear papa。
JEAN。 Think shame to yoursel'! This is the Deacon's house; you
and me shouldna be here by rights; and if we are; it's the least
we can do to behave dacent。 'This is no the way ye'll mak' me
like ye。'
SMITH。 All right; Duchess。 Don't be angry。
SCENE V
To these; HUNT; C。 (He steals down; and claps each one suddenly
on the shoulder。)
HUNT。 Is there a gentleman here by the name of Mr。 Procurator…
Fiscal?
SMITH (PULLING HIMSELF TOGETHER)。 D…n it; Jerry; what do you
mean by startling an old customer like that?
HUNT。 What; my brave un'? You're the very party I was looking
for!
SMITH。 There's nothing out against me this time?
HUNT。 I'll take odds there is。 But it ain't in my hands。 (TO
OLD BRODIE。) You'll excuse me; old genelman?
SMITH。 Ah; well; if it's all in the way of friendship! 。 。 。 I
say; Jean; 'you and me had best be on the toddle。' We shall be
late for church。
HUNT。 Lady; George?
SMITH。 It's a … yes; it's a lady。 Come along; Jean。
HUNT。 A Mrs。 Deacon; I believe? 'That was the name; I think?'
Won't Mrs。 Deacon let me have a queer at her phiz?
JEAN (UNMUFFLING)。 I've naething to be ashamed of。 My name's
Mistress Watt; I'm weel kennt at the Wynd heid; there's naething
again me。
HUNT。 No; to be sure; there ain't; and why clap on the blinkers;
my dear? You that has a face like a rose; and with a cove like
Jerry Hunt that might be your born father? 'But all this don't
tell me about Mr。 Procurator…Fiscal。'
GEORGE (IN AN AGONY)。 Jean; Jean; we shall be late。 (GOING WITH
ATTEMPTED SWAGGER。) Well; ta…ta; Jerry。
SCENE VI
To these; C; BRODIE and LAWSON (greatcoat; muffler; lantern)。
LAWSON (FROM THE DOOR)。 Come your ways; Mistress Watt。
JEAN。 That's the Fiscal himsel'。
HUNT。 Mr。 Procurator…Fiscal; I believe?
LAWSON。 That's me。 Who'll you be?
HUNT。 Hunt the