LITMIR.BIZ

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looks up.)

      Your very hair infuriates me —

      (She holds her hair.)

      As a wife — a wife! Can any sane man conceive you as a wife!

      (Goes down a step.)

      BABBIE (looking up suddenly). You are not proposing to me, are you?

      GAVIN. Heaven forbid! Then why is it —

      BABBIE. Why is what?

      GAVIN. I don’t know. But you — you — your hair — your eyes — (His arm rises admonishingly.)

      (Enter nanny.)

      NANNY (gleefully). Eh, but she’s catching it now.

      GAVIN. Go away! Go away!

      NANNY. Lassie, you ‘re to catch it now!

      (NANNY goes off rubbing her hands gleefully.)

      GAVIN (intensely). Babbie, I never kissed a woman before.

      BABBIE. Before what?

      (He is startled. He goes for his hat on loom, then turns to her.)

      GAVIN. Are you never serious?

      BABBIE. Yes.

      GAVIN. When?

      BABBIE (lugubriously, and in a sort of solemn burlesque). When I — when I think of how I am going to end. I have read my future, Mr. Dishart, and it is not to be a glorious one. (Sits in armchair.) This flibberty-gibbet of a Babbie is to get her licks in the end. (Reading her hand) I see him — I see my husband!

      GAVIN (going to her, eagerly). You won’t care for him?

      BABBIE (examining her hand). Will I — or won’t I? This line — but that line — no, I don’t believe I will.

      GAVIN. Then why?

      BABBIE (half serious for the first time). I suppose just for the fun of the thing. Haven’t you seen that I do everything for fun? It tosses me in the air; I am just a bubble. Some day, foof! — (making the action of blowing) — and I shall be blown out.

      GAVIN (ardently). A soldier is not the right man for you.

      BABBIE. The right man for me! I see him!

      GAVIN. Tell me, woman!

      BABBIE. He is everything I am not, and nothing that I am.

      GAVIN (seeing himself in this). Yes, yes.

      BABBIE. He must be a man — not a bubble —

      GAVIN. No!

      BABBIE. One who takes the world by the throat —

      GAVIN. All ministers do.

      (They are not looking at each other.)

      BABBIE. A man who has a mind of his own, and having once made it up, stands to it in defiance of everyone.

      GAVIN. Thomas Whamond.

      BABBIE. If I love him it must be because he has shown me what love is. If I have a soul, he has got to find it for me. He must compel me somehow to think — he must be my master —

      GAVIN (carried away). Your master! (Going close to her)

      Babbie, I am that man!

      (The awfulness of what he has said strikes them both; they stare at each other aghast, GAVIN seizes his hat and rushes in horror from the room.)

      SCENE II

      The Manse Garden: It is early evening, some days later.

      (As curtain rises JEAN is taking down towels from line. She exits with basket in one arm, apron in other, and pin in mouth. Nothing is now left of the washing except rope. While this is going on, GAVIN is seen passing and repassing window (whose blind is not drawn). He is walking up and down room composing, muttering to himself, etc. Once he stands looking out at window composing, then walks about again, BABBIE, in gipsy dress and carrying a lighted lantern and a shawl, passes along behind wall and enters at gate. Her movements and glances behind her show that she fears someone is pursuing her. She sees GAVIN at window, is delighted, but hides beneath it so that he may not see her. She mischievously flashes lantern three times. Once he is about to look out; she hides; he withdraws. Again she flashes light on window. Suddenly she starts away, hears someone, looks over wall, is alarmed, and runs off hastily, DOW passes behind wall, looking about him in wrath, and enters at gate. At that moment JEAN, the woman servant, opens door to come out. DOW pounces on her in front of Manse door.)

      JEAN (screaming). Let go!

      DOW (releasing her and backing). It’s you, Jean?

      JEAN. Wha would it be? You widow man! Wha did you think it was?

      DOW (conciliatory). Nobody. (Eagerly) I’m looking for nobody. I’ve seen nobody.

      JEAN. You’re drunk again.

      DOW (eagerly). Ay, that’s it. I’m just drunk. (Looking at window) Is he there? He hasna left the house? (Fiercely)

      Tell me!

      (jean shrinks from him gavin opens window.)

      GAVIN. Jean, was that lightning a moment ago?

      JEAN. I saw no lightning, sir. (Continues winding up clothesline).

      (DOW starts.)

      GAVIN. I could have sworn I saw several flashes on the window. Has Thomas Whamond come for the key of the church?

      JEAN. No, HE HASNA come yet.

      GAVIN. You are coming to the prayer meeting, I hope, Rob?

      DOW. Ay, of course.

      (GAVIN shuts window, pulls down blind and disappears.

      JEAN goes on rolling up the rope, which she leaves hanging on hook on Manse wall.)

      JEAN. Would you shame the kirk by coming to the prayer meeting in corduroys? Away hame and put on your blacks!

      DOW. I’M NO COMING TO THE MEETING.! HAVE OTHER WORK to do. (Darkly) If she — if she —

      JEAN. Wha? Wha are you raving about? A woman?

      DOW (going to her). No, no, there’s no woman, I tell you — I’m drunk.

      WHAMOND (off). Jean!

      DOW. That’s Tammas Whamond! If you tell him I saw a woman here I’ll throttle you! (Grips her arm.)

      (She releases herself. Enter whamond in his blacks, aged silk hat, etc.)

      WHAMOND. I’ve come for the key of the kirk, Jean.

      JEAN (producing key from her pocket). There it is. (Gives him the key.) And it’s time I was putting on my blacks.

      (Looks admiringly at gavin’s window.) Tammas, he’s sitting there, studying to the last moment. At times I’m near terrified that some day he’ll walk straight out of that window in a fit of sublime thought. —

      (Exit into Manse, WHAMOND looks inquiringly at DOW.)

      WHAMOND (harshly). What are you prowling about here for?

      DOW. Nothing. I’ve no reason.

      WHAMOND. You have a reason, and the reason is an Egyptian trollop. I ken what makes ye haunt this garden.

      DOW (startled). You dinna mean —

      WHAMOND (going to him). I mean that I’ve been watching as well as you. I mean I ken about a lovers’ meeting in Nanny Webster’s house. Ay, and about another since then, at the Kaims o’ Erly.

      DOW (relieved). Is that all?

      WHAMOND. All! Is there mair?

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