Роберт Льюис Стивенсон - The Plays of W. E. Henley and R. L. Stevenson стр 11.

Smith. Its as easy as my eye, Deakin. Slink Ainslie got letting the merry glass go round, and didnt know the right bones from the wrong. Thats hall.

Brodie. [What clumsy liars you are!

Smith. In boyhoods hour, Deakin, he were called Old Truthful. Little did he think ]

Brodie. What is your errand?

Moore. Business.

Smith. After the melancholy games of last night, Deakin, which no one deplores so much as George Smith, we thought wed trot round didnt us, Hump? and see how you and your bankers was a-getting on.

Brodie. Will you tell me your errand?

Moore. Youre dry, aint you?

Brodie. Am I?

Moore. We aint none of us got a stiver, thats wots the matter with us.

Brodie. Is it?

Moore. Ay, strike me, it is! And wot weve got to is to put up the Excise.

Smith. Its the last plant in the shrubbery Deakin, and its breaking George the gardeners heart, it is. We really must!

Brodie. Must we?

Moore. Musts the thundering word. I mean business, I do.

Brodie. Thats lucky. I dont.

Moore. O, you dont, dont you?

Brodie. I do not.

Moore. Then praps youll tell us wot you thundering well do?

Brodie. What do I mean? I mean that you and that merry-andrew shall walk out of this room and this house. Do you suppose, you blockheads, that I am blind? Im the Deacon, am I not? Ive been your king and your commander. Ive led you, and fed you, and thought for you with this head. And you think to steal a march upon a man like me? I see you through and through [I know you like the clock]; I read your thoughts like print. Brodie, you thought, has money, and wont do the job. Therefore, you thought, we must rook him to the heart. And therefore, you put up your idiot cockney. And now you come round, and dictate, and think sure of your Excise? Sure? Are you sure Ill let you pack with a whole skin? By my soul, but Ive a mind to pistol you like dogs. Out of this! Out, I say, and soil my home no more.

Moore (sitting). Now look ere. Mr. bloody Deacon Brodie, you see this ere chair of yours, dont you? Wot I ses to you is, here I am, I ses, and here I mean to stick. Thats my motto. Who the devil are you to do the high and mighty? You make all you can out of us, dont you? and when one of your plants get cross, you order us out of the ken? Muck! Thats wot I think of you. Muck! Dont you get coming the nob over me, Mr. Deacon Brodie, or Ill smash you.

Brodie. You will?

Moore. Ay will I. If I thundering well swing for it. And as for clearing out? Muck! Here I am, and here I stick. Clear out? You try it on. Im a man, I am.

Brodie. This is plain speaking.

Moore. Plain? Wot about your father as cant walk? Wot about your fine-madam sister? Wot about the stone-jug, and the dock, and the rope in the open street? Is that plain? If it aint, you let me know, and Ill spit it out so as itll raise the roof off this ere ken. Plain! Im that coves master, and Ill make it plain enough for him.

Brodie. What do you want of me?

Moore. Wot do I want of you? Now you speak sense. Leslies is wot I want of you. The Excise is wot I want of you. Leslies to-night and the Excise to-morrow. Thats wot I want of you, and wot I thundering well mean to get.

Brodie. Damn you!

Moore. Amen. But youve got your orders.

Brodie (with pistol). Orders? hey? orders?

Smith (between them). Deacon, Deacon!  Badger, are you mad?

Moore. Muck! Thats my motto. Wot I ses is, has he got his orders or has he not? Thats wots the matter with him.

Smith. Deacon, half a tick. Humphrey, Im only a light weight, and you fight at twelve stone ten, but Im damned if Im going to stand still and see you hitting a pal when hes down.

Moore. Muck! Thats wot I think of you.

Smith. Hes a cut above us, aint he? He never sold his backers, did he? We couldnt have done without him, could we? You dry up about his old man, and his sister; and dont go on hitting a pal when hes knocked out of time and cannot hit back, for, damme, I will not stand it.

Moore. Amen to you. But Im cock of this here thundering walk, and that coves got his orders.

Brodie (putting pistol on bench). I give in. I will do your work for you once more. Leslies to-night and the Excise to-morrow. If that is enough, if you have no more.. orders, you may count it as done.

Moore. Fen larks. No rotten shirking, mind.

Brodie. I have passed you my word. And now you have said what you came to say, you must go. I have business here; but two hours hence I am at your.. orders. Where shall I await you?

Moore. What about that womans place of yours?

Brodie. Your will is my law.

Moore. Thats good enough. Now, Dock.

Smith. Bye-bye, my William. Dont forget.

Brodie. Trust me. No man forgets his vice, you dogs, or forgives it either. It must be done: Leslies to-night and the Excise to-morrow. It shall be done. This settles it. They used to fetch and carry for me, and now.. Ive licked their boots, have I? Im their man, their tool, their chattel. Its the bottom rung of the ladder of shame. I sound with my foot, and theres nothing underneath but the black emptiness of damnation. Ah, Deacon, Deacon, and so this is where youve been travelling all these years; and its for this that you learned French! The gallows.. God help me, it begins to dog me like my shadow. Theres a step to take! And the jerk upon your spine! Hows a man to die with a night-cap on? Ive done with this. Over yonder, across the great ocean, is a new land, with new characters, and perhaps new lives. The sun shines, and the bells ring, and its a place where men live gladly; and the Deacon himself can walk without terror, and begin again like a new-born child. It must be good to see day again and not to fear; it must be good to be ones self with all men. Happy like a child, wise like a man, free like Gods angels.. should I work these hands off and eat crusts, there were a life to make me young and good again. And its only over the sea! O man, you have been blind, and now your eyes are opened. It was half a lifes nightmare, and now you are awake. Up, Deacon, up, its hope thats at the window! Mary! Mary! Mary!

(Brodie has fallen into a chair, with his face upon the table. Enter Mary, by the side door pushing her fathers chair. She is supposed to have advanced far enough for stage purposes before Brodie is aware of her. He starts up, and runs to her.)

Brodie. Look up, my lass, look up, and be a woman! I.. O kiss me, Mary I give me a kiss for my good news.

Mary. Good news, Will? Is it changed?

Brodie. Changed? Why, the worlds a different colour! It was night, and now its broad day and I trust myself again. You must wait, dear, wait, and I must work and work; and before the week is out, as sure as God sees me, Ill have made you happy. O you may think me broken, hounds, but the Deacons not the man to be run down; trust him, he shall turn a corner yet, and leave you snarling! And you, Poll, you. Ive done nothing for you yet; but, please God, Ill make your life a life of gold; and wherever I am, Ill have a part in your happiness, and youll know it, by heaven! and bless me.

Mary. O Willie, look at him; I think he hears you, and is trying to be glad with us.

Brodie. My son Deacon better man than I was.

Brodie. O for Gods sake, hear him!