Act 3 — SCENE I

Leslie, Lawson, Mary, seated. Brodie at back, walking between the windows and strong-box.

Lawson. Weel, weel, weel, weel, nae doubt.

Leslie. Mr. Lawson, I am perfectly satisfied with Brodie’s word; I will wait gladly.

Lawson. I have nothing to say against that.

Brodie (behind Lawson). Nor for it.

Lawson. For it? for it, William? Ye’re perfectly richt there. (To Leslie.) Just you do what William tells you; ye canna do better than that.

Mary. Dear uncle, I see you are vexed; but Will and I are perfectly agreed on the best course. Walter and I are young. Oh, we can wait; we can trust each other.

Brodie (from behind). Leslie, do you think it safe to keep this strong-box in your room?

Leslie. It does not trouble me.

Brodie. I would not. ’Tis close to the window.

Leslie. It’s on the right side of it.

Brodie. I give you my advice: I would not.

Lawson. He may be right there too, Mr. Leslie.

Brodie. I give him fair warning: it’s not safe

Leslie. I have a different treasure to concern myself about; if all goes right with that I shall be well contented.

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.