BRODIE (_to_ LAWSON). Set a thief to catch a thief. (_Passing to_ LESLIE, _aside_.) Walter Leslie, God will reward. (JEAN _signals again_.) LAWSON. I dinna like that singin’ at siccan a time o’ the nicht. BRODIE. I must go. LAWSON. Not one foot o’ ye. I’m ower glad to find ye in guid hands. Ay, ye dinna ken how glad. BRODIE (_aside to_ LESLIE). Get me out of this. There’s a man there will stick at nothing. LESLIE. Mr. Lawson, Brodie has done his shift. Why should we keep him? (JEAN _appears at the door_, _and signs to_ BRODIE.) LAWSON. Hoots! this is my trade. That’s a bit o’ ‘Wanderin’ Willie.’ I’ve had it before me in precognitions; that same stave has been used for a signal by some o’ the very warst o’ them. BRODIE (_aside to_ LESLIE). Get me out of this. I’ll never forget to-night. (JEAN _at door again_.) LESLIE. Well, good-night, Brodie. When shall we meet again? LAWSON. Not one foot o’ him. (JEAN _at door_.) I tell you, Mr. Leslie— SCENE VI _To these_, JEAN JEAN (_from she door_). Wullie, Wullie! LAWSON. Guid guide us, Mrs. Watt! A dacent wumman like yoursel’! Whatten a time o’ nicht is this to come to folks’ doors? JEAN (_to_ BRODIE). Hawks, Wullie, hawks! BRODIE. I suppose you know what you’ve done, Jean? JEAN. I _had_ to come, Wullie, he wadna wait another minit. He wad have come himsel’. BRODIE. This is my mistress. LAWSON. William, dinna tell me nae mair. BRODIE. I have told you so much. You may as well know all. That good man knows it already. Have you issued a warrant for me . . . yet? LAWSON. No, no, man: not another word. BRODIE, (_pointing to the window_). That is my work. I am the man. Have you drawn the warrant? LAWSON (_breaking down_). Your father’s son! LESLIE (_to_ LAWSON). My good friend! Brodie, you might have spared the old man this. BRODIE. I might have spared him years ago; and you and my sister, and myself. I might . . . would God I had! (_Weeping himself_.) Don’t weep, my good old friend; I was lost long since; don’t think of me; don’t pity me; don’t shame me with your pity! I began this when I was a boy. I bound the millstone round my neck; [it is irrevocable now,] and you must all suffer . . . all suffer for me! . . . [for this suffering remnant of what was once a man]. O God, that I can have fallen to stand here as I do now. My friend lying to save me from the gallows; my second father weeping tears of blood for my disgrace! And all for what? By what? Because I had an open hand, because I was a selfish dog, because I loved this woman. JEAN. O Wullie, and she lo’ed ye weel! But come near me nae mair, come near me nae mair, my man; keep wi’ your ain folks . . . your ain dacent folks. LAWSON. Mistress Watt, ye shall sit rent free as lang’s there’s breath in William Lawson’s body. LESLIE. You can do one thing still . . . for Mary’s sake. You can save yourself; you must fly.