plays-第5部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
my friend。 He had dined with me that day; and I felt like a man
in a story。 I climbed his wall; I crawled along his pantry roof;
I mounted his window…sill。 That one turn of my wrist … you know
it I … and the casement was open。 It was as dark as the pit; and
I thought I'd won my wager; when; phewt! down went something
inside; and down went somebody with it。 I made one leap; and was
off like a rocket。 It was my poor friend in person; and if he'd
caught and passed me on to the watchman under the window; I
should have felt no viler rogue than I feel just now。
MOORE。 I s'pose he knows you pretty well by this time?
BRODIE。 'Tis the worst of friendship。 Here; Kirsty; fill these
glasses。 Moore; here's better luck … and a more honourable
plant! … next time。
MOORE。 Deacon; I looks towards you。 But it looks thundering
like rotten eggs; don't it?
BRODIE。 I think not。 I was masked; for one thing; and for
another I was as quick as lightning。 He suspects me so little
that he dined with me this very afternoon。
MOORE。 Anyway; you ain't game to try it on again; I'll lay odds
on that。 Once bit; twice shy。 That's your motto。
BRODIE。 Right again。 I'll put my ALIBI to a better use。 And;
Badger; one word in your ear: there's no Newcastle Jemmy about
ME。 Drop the subject; and for good; or I shall drop you。 (HE
RISES; AND WALKS BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS; A LITTLE UNSTEADILY。
THEN RETURNS; AND SITS L。; AS BEFORE。)
SCENE II
To these; HUNT; disguised He is disguised as a 'flying stationer'
with a patch over his eye。 He sits at table opposite BRODIE'S
and is served with bread and cheese and beer。
HAMILTON (FROM BEHIND)。 The deevil tak' the cairts!
AINSLIE。 Hoot; man; dinna blame the cairts。
MOORE。 Look here; Deacon; I mean business; I do。 (HUNT LOOKS UP
AT THE NAME OF 'DEACON。')
BRODIE。 Gad; Badger; I never meet you that you do not。 'You
have a set of the most commercial intentions!' You make me
blush。
MOORE。 That's all blazing fine; that is! But wot I ses is; wot
about the chips? That's what I ses。 I'm after that thundering
old Excise Office; I am。 That's my motto。
BRODIE。 'Tis a very good motto; and at your lips; Badger; it
kind of warms my heart。 But it's not mine。
MOORE。 Muck! why not?
BRODIE。 'Tis too big and too dangerous。 I shirk King George; he
has a fat pocket; but he has a long arm。 'You pilfer sixpence
from him; and it's three hundred reward for you; and a hue and
cry from Tophet to the stars。' It ceases to be business; it
turns politics; and I'm not a politician; Mr。 Moore。 (RISING。)
I'm only Deacon Brodie。
MOORE。 All right。 I can wait。
BRODIE (SEEING HUNT)。 Ha; a new face; … and with a patch!
'There's nothing under heaven I like so dearly as a new face with
a patch。' Who the devil; sir; are you that own it? And where
did you get it? And how much will you take for it second…hand?
HUNT。 Well; sir; to tell you the truth (BRODIE BOWS) it's not
for sale。 But it's my own; and I'll drink your honour's health
in anything。 BRODIE。 An Englishman; too! Badger; behold a
countryman。 What are you; and what part of southern Scotland do
you come from?
HUNT。 Well; your honour; to tell you the honest truth …
'BRODIE (BOWING)。 Your obleeged!'
HUNT。 I knows a gentleman when I sees him; your honour 'and; to
tell your honour the truth …
BRODIE。 JE VOUS BAISE LES MAINS! (BOWING。)'
HUNT。 A gentleman as is a gentleman; your honour 'is always a
gentleman; and to tell you the honest truth' …
BRODIE。 Great heavens! answer in three words; and be hanged to
you! What are you; and where are you from?
HUNT。 A patter…cove from Seven Dials。
BRODIE。 Is it possible? All my life long have I been pining to
meet with a patter…cove from Seven Dials! Embrace me; at a
distance。 'A patter…cove from Seven Dials!' Go; fill yourself
as drunk as you dare; at my expense。 Anything he likes; Mrs。
Clarke。 He's a patter…cove from Seven Dials。 Hillo! what's all
this?
AINSLIE。 Dod; I'm for nae mair! (AT BACK; AND RISING。)
PLAYERS。 Sit down; Ainslie。 … Sit down; Andra。 … Ma revenge!
AINSLIE。 Na; na; I'm for canny goin'。 (COMING FORWARD WITH
BOTTLE。) Deacon; let's see your gless。
BRODIE。 Not an inch of it。
MOORE。 No rotten shirking; Deacon!
'AINSLIE。 I'm sayin'; man; let's see your gless。
BRODIE。 Go to the deuce!'
AINSLIE。 But I'm sayin' …
BRODIE。 Haven't I to play to…night?
AINSLIE。 But; man; ye'll drink to bonnie Jean Watt?
BRODIE。 Ay; I'll follow you there。 A LA REINE DE MES AMOURS!
(DRINKS。) What fiend put this in your way; you hound? You've
filled me with raw stuff。 By the muckle deil! …
MOORE。 Don't hit him; Deacon; tell his mother。
HUNT (ASIDE)。 Oho!
SCENE III
To these; SMITH; RIVERS
SMITH。 Where's my beloved? Deakin; my beauty; where are you?
Come to the arms of George; and let him introduce you。 Capting
Starlight Rivers! Capting; the Deakin: Deakin; the Capting。 An
English nobleman on the grand tour; to open his mind; by the
Lard!
RIVERS。 Stupendiously pleased to make your acquaintance; Mr。
Deakin; split me!
'BRODIE。 We don't often see England's heroes our way; Captain;
but when we do; we make them infernally welcome。
RIVERS。 Prettily put; sink me! A demned genteel sentiment; stap
my vitals!'
BRODIE。 Oh Captain! you flatter me。 'We Scotsmen have our
qualities; I suppose; but we are but rough and ready at the best。
There's nothing like your Englishman for genuine distinction。 He
is nearer France than we are; and smells of his neighbourhood。
That d…d thing; the JE NE SAIS QUOI; too! Lard; Lard; split me!
stap my vitals! O such manners are pure; pure; pure。 They are;
by the shade of Claude Duval!'
RIVERS。 Mr。 Deakin; Mr。 Deakin 'this is passatively too much'。
What will you sip? Give it the Hanar of a neam。
BRODIE。 By these most Hanarable hands now; Captain; you shall
not。 On such an occasion I could play host with Lucifer
himself。 Here; Clarke; Mother Midnight! Down with you; Captain!
(FORCING HIM BOISTEROUSLY INTO A CHAIR。) I don't know if you can
lie; but; sink me! you shall sit。 (DRINKING; ETC。; IN
DUMB…SHOW。)
MOORE (ASIDE TO SMITH)。 We've nobbled him; Geordie!
SMITH (ASIDE TO MOORE)。 As neat as ninepence! He's taking it
down like mother's milk。 But there'll be wigs on the green
to…morrow; Badger! It'll be tuppence and toddle with George
Smith。
MOORE。 O muck! Who's afraid of him? (TO AINSLIE。) Hang on;
Slinkie。
HUNT (WHO IS FEIGNING DRUNKENNESS; AND HAS OVERHEARD; ASIDE)。 By
jingo!
'RIVERS。 Will you sneeze; Mr。 Deakin; sir?
BRODIE。 Thanks; I have all the vices; Captain。 You must send me
some of your rappee。 It is passatively perfect。'
RIVERS。 Mr。 Deakin; I do myself the Hanar of a sip to you。
BRODIE。 Topsy…turvy with the can!
MOORE (ASIDE TO SMITH)。 That made him wink。
BRODIE。 Your high and mighty hand; my Captain! Shall we dice …
dice … dice? (DUMB…SHOW BETWEEN THEM。)
AINSLIE (ASIDE TO MOORE)。 I'm sayin' …?
MOORE。 What's up now?
AINSLIE。 I'm no to gie him the coggit dice?
MOORE。 The square ones; rot you! Ain't he got to lose every
brass farden?
AINSLIE。 What'll like be my share?
MOORE。 You mucking well leave that to me。
RIVERS。 Well; Mr。 Deakin; if you passatively will have me shake
a Helbow …
BRODIE。 Where are the bones; Ainslie? Where are the dice; Lord
George? (AINSLIE GIVES THE DICE AND DICE…BOX TO BRODIE; AND
PRIVATELY A SECOND PAIR OF DICE。) Old Fortune's counters the
bonnie money…catching; money…breeding bones! Hark to their dry
music! Scotland against England! Sit round; you tame devils;
and put your coins on me!
SMITH。 Easy does it; my lord of high degree! Keep cool。
BRODIE。 Cool's the word; Captain … a cool twenty on the first?
RIVERS。 Done and done。 (THEY PLAY。)
HUNT (ASIDE TO MOORE; A LITTLE DRUNK)。 Ain't that 'ere Scotch
gentleman; your friend; too drunk to play; sir?
MOORE。 You hold your jaw; that's what's the matter with you。
AINSLIE。 He's waur nor he looks。 He's knockit the box aff the
table。
SMITH (PICKING UP BOX)。 That's the way we does it。 Ten to one
and no takers!
BRODIE。 Deuces again! More liquor; Mother Clarke!
SMITH。 Hooray our side! (POUTING OUT。) George and his pal for
ever!
BRODIE。 Deuces again; by heaven! Another?
RIVERS。 Done!
BRODIE。 Ten more; money's made to go。 On with you!
RIVERS。 Sixes。
BRODIE。 Deuce…ace。 Death and judgment? Double or quits?
RIVERS。 Drive on! Sixes。
SMITH。 Fire away; brave boys! (TO MOORE) It's Tally…ho…the…
Grinder; Hump!
BRODIE。 Treys! Death and the pit! How much have you got there?
RIVERS。 A cool forty…five。
BRODIE。 I play you thrice the lot。
RIVERS。 Who's afraid?
SMITH。 Stand by; Badger!
RIVERS。 Cinq…ace。
BRODIE。 My turn now。 (HE JUGGLES IN AND USES THE SECOND PAIR OF
DICE。) Aces! Aces again! What's this? (PICKING UP DICE。)
Sold! 。 。 。 You play false; you hound!
RIVERS。 You lie!
BRODIE。 In your teeth。 (OVERTURNS TABLE; AND GOES FOR HIM。)
MOORE。 Here; none o' that。 (THEY HOLD HIM BACK。 STRUGGLE。)
SMITH。 Hold on; Deacon!
BRODIE。 Let me go。 Hands off; I say! I'll not touch him。
(STANDS WEIGHING DICE IN HIS HAND。) But as for that thieving
whinger; Ainslie; I'll cut his throat between this dark and
to…morrow's。 To the bone。 (ADDRESSING THE COMPANY。) Rogues;
rogues; rogues! (SINGING WITHOUT。) Ha! what's that?
AINSLIE。 It's the psalm…singing up by at the Holy Weaver's。 And
O Deacon; if ye're a Christian man …
THE PSALM WITHOUT:… 'Lord; who shall stand; if Thou; O Lord;
Should'st mark iniquity? But yet with Thee forgiveness is; That
feared Thou may'st be。'
BRODIE。 I think I'll go。 'My son the Deacon was aye regular at
kirk。' If the old man could see his son; the Deacon! I think
I'll … Ay; who SHALL stand? There's the rub! And forgiveness;
too? There's a long word for you! I learnt it all lang syne;
and now 。 。 。 hell and ruin are on either hand of me; and the
devil has me by the leg。 'My son; the Deacon 。 。 。 !