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that makes all cats grey； and all honesties of one complexion。
Shall a man not have HALF a life of his own？ … not eight hours
out of twenty…four？ ＇Eight shall he have should he dare the pit
of Tophet。＇ （TAKES OUT MONEY。） Where's the blunt？ I must be
cool to…night； or 。 。 。 steady； Deacon； you must win； damn you；
you must！ You must win back the dowry that you've stolen； and
marry your sister； and pay your debts； and gull the world a
little longer！ （AS HE BLOWS OUT THE LIGHTS。） The Deacon's going
to bed … the poor sick Deacon！ ALLONS！ （THROWS UP THE WINDOW；
AND LOOKS OUT。） Only the stars to see me！ （ADDRESSING THE BED。）
Lie there； Deacon！ sleep and be well to…morrow。 As for me； I'm a
man once more till morning。 （GETS OUT OF THE WINDOW。）
TABLEAU II。 HUNT THE RUNNER
THE SCENE REPRESENTS THE PROCURATOR'S OFFICE。
SCENE I
LAWSON； HUNT
＇LAWSON （ENTERING）。 Step your ways in； Officer。 （AT WING。） Mr。
Carfrae； give a chair to yon decent wife that cam' in wi' me。
Nae news？
A VOICE WITHOUT。 Naething； sir。
LAWSON （SITTING）。 Weel； Officer； and what can I do for you？＇
HUNT。 Well； sir； as I was saying； I've an English warrant for
the apprehension of one Jemmy Rivers； ALIAS Captain Starlight；
now at large within your jurisdiction。
LAWSON。 That'll be the highwayman？
HUNT。 That same； Mr。 Procurator…Fiscal。 The Captain's given me
a hard hunt of it this time。 I dropped on his marks first at
Huntingdon； but he was away North； and I had to up and after him。
I heard of him all along the York road； for he's a light hand on
the pad； has Jemmy； and leaves his mark。 ＇I missed him at York
by four…and…twenty hours； and lost him for as much more。 Then I
picked him up again at Carlisle； and we made a race of it for the
Border； but he'd a better nag； and was best up in the road； so I
had to wait till I ran him to earth in Edinburgh here and could
get a new warrant。＇ So here I am； sir。 They told me you were an
active sort of gentleman； and I'm an active man myself。 And Sir
John Fielding； Mr。 Procurator…Fiscal； he's an active gentleman；
likewise； though he's blind as a himage； and he desired his
compliments to you； ＇sir； and said that between us he thought
we'd do the trick＇。
LAWSON。 Ay； he'll be a fine man； Sir John。 Hand me owre your
papers； Hunt； and you'll have your new warrant QUAM PRIMUM。 And
see here； Hunt； ye'll aiblins have a while to yoursel'； and an
active man； as ye say ye are； should aye be grinding grist。
We're sair forfeuchen wi' our burglaries。 NON CONSTAT DE
PERSONA。 We canna get a grip o' the delinquents。 Here is the
HUE AND CRY。 Ye see there is a guid two hundred pounds for ye。
HUNT。 Well； Mr。 Procurator…Fiscal ＇I ain't a rich man； and two
hundred's two hundred。 Thereby； sir＇； I don't mind telling you
I've had a bit of a worry at it already。 You see； Mr。
Procurator…Fiscal； I had to look into a ken to…night about the
Captain； and an old cock always likes to be sure of his walk； so
I got one of your Scotch officers … him as was so polite as to
show me round to Mr。 Brodie's … to give me full particulars about
the 'ouse； and the flash companions that use it。 In his list I
drop on the names of two old lambs of my own； and I put it to
you； Mr。 Procurator…Fiscal； as a genleman as knows the world； if
what's a black sheep in London is likely or not to be keeping
school in Edinburgh？
LAWSON。 COELUM NON ANIMUM。 A just observe。
HUNT。 I'll give it a thought； sir； and see if I can't kill two
birds with one stone。 Talking of which； Mr。 Procurator…Fiscal；
I'd like to have a bit of a confab with that nice young woman as
came to pay her rent。
LAWSON。 Hunt； that's a very decent woman。
HUNT。 And a very decent woman may have mighty queer pals； Mr。
Procurator…Fiscal。 Lord love you； sir； I don't know what the
profession would do without 'em！
LAWSON。 Ye're vera richt； Hunt。 An active and a watchful
officer。 I'll send her in till ye。
SCENE II
HUNT （SOLUS）
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 …