* * * * * DROP ACT III SCENE I MACAIRE, BERTRAND _As the curtain rises_, _the stage is dark and empty_. _Enter_ MACAIRE, _L. U. E._, _with lantern_. _He looks about_ MACAIRE (_calling off_). S’st! BERTRAND (_entering L. U. E._). It’s creeping dark. MACAIRE. Blinding dark; and a good job. BERTRAND. Macaire, I’m cold; my very hair’s cold. MACAIRE. Work, work will warm you: to your keys. BERTRAND. No, Macaire, it’s a horror. You not kill him; let’s have no bloodshed. MACAIRE. None: it spoils your clothes. Now, see: you have keys and you have experience; up that stair, and pick me the lock of that man’s door. Pick me the lock of that man’s door. BERTRAND. May I take the light? MACAIRE. You may not. Go. (BERTRAND _mounts the stairs_, _and is seen picking the lock of Number Thirteen_.) The earth spins eastward, and the day is at the door. Yet half an hour of covert, and the sun will be afoot, the discoverer, the great policeman. Yet, half an hour of night, the good, hiding, practicable night; and lo! at a touch the gas-jet of the universe turned on; and up with the sun gets the providence of honest people, puts off his night-cap, throws up his window, stares out of house—and the rogue must skulk again till dusk. Yet half an hour and, Macaire, you shall be safe and rich. If yon fool—my fool—would but miscarry, if the dolt within would hear and leap upon him, I could intervene, kill both, by heaven—both!—cry murder with the best, and at one stroke reap honour and gold. For, Bertrand dead— BERTRAND (_from above_). S’st, Macaire! MACAIRE. Is it done, dear boy? Come down. (BERTRAND _descends_.) Sit down beside this light: this is your ring of safety, budge not beyond—the night is crowded with hobgoblins. See ghosts and tremble like a jelly if you must; but remember men are my concern; and at the creak of a man’s foot, hist! (_Sharpening his knife upon his sleeve_.) What is a knife? A plain man’s sword. BERTRAND. Not the knife, Macaire; O, not the knife! MACAIRE. My name is Self-Defence. (_He goes upstairs and enters Number Thirteen_.)