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 been in bed till daylight for a week.
LAWSON. Weel, there's nae sense in the like o' that.
LESLIE. Gad, but there is though. Why, Procurator, this is town's business; this is a municipal affair; I'm a public character. Why? Ah, here's a nut for the Crown Prosecutor! I'm a bit of a party to a robbery.
LAWSON. Guid guide us, man, what d'ye mean?
LESLIE. You shall hear. A week ago to-night, I was passing through this very room without a candle on my way to bed, when . . . what should I see, but a masked man fumbling at that window! How he did the Lord knows. I suspect, Procurator, it was not the first he'd tried . . . for he opened it as handily as his own front door.
LAWSON. Preserve me! Another of thae robberies!
LESLIE. That's it. And, of course, I tried to seize him. But the rascal was too quick. He was down and away in an instant. You never saw a thing so daring and adroit.
LAWSON. Is that a'? Ye're a bauld lad, I'll say that for ye. I'm glad it wasna waur.
LESLIE. Yes, that's all plain sailing. But here's the hitch. Why didn't I tell the Procurator-Fiscal? You never thought of that.
LAWSON. No, man. Why?
LESLIE. Aha! There's the riddle. Will you guess? No? . . . I thought I knew the man.
LAWSON. What d'ye say?
LESLIE. I thought I knew him.
LAWSON. Wha was't?
LESLIE. Ah, there you go beyond me. That I cannot tell.