SCENE VI

BURNS’S _house at Dumfries, in July, 1796, five years later_.

_It is a sweltering afternoon, and_ BURNS, _worn and ill, is seated by the open window, looking out on to the street_.

_Out in the town can be heard a drum and fife band. As it comes nearer and passes away_, BURNS _sings with some effort_.

When wild war’s deadly blast was blawn, And gentle peace returning, Wi’ mony a sweet babe fatherless, And mony a widow mourning;

I left the lines and tented field, Where lang I’d been a lodger, My humble knapsack a’ my wealth, A poor and honest sodger.

[JEAN _comes in_.]

_Jean_: You mustn’t exhaust yourself, Robin dear.

_Burns_: There’s not much left of me now to spend, my girl. It’s busy in the town to-day?

_Jean_: Aye. It’s the emigrants. And the volunteers are leaving this evening.

_Burns_: They’re going to fight the Frenchies, and I’m going to fight auld Nickie-ben. We’re full of affairs in Scotland to-day.

_Jean_: Mr. Gavin Hamilton is coming to see you.

_Burns_: It’s very attentive of him. He’s welcome. Most of my fine friends have grown tired of me these years.

_Jean_: You mustn’t say that, Robin.

_Burns_: Why not? It’s true. They wouldn’t look at me across the street, lots of them, these months past. I don’t blame them. I’ve not played my game very well, Jean.

_Jean_: There are enquiries for you everywhere in the town. They’re troubled for you, boy.

_Burns_: It’s kind of them, but it’s late now. Mr. Thompson has sent the five pounds. I’ve had to turn beggar at the end.

_Jean_: You earned it, you know that.

_Burns_: I know I had to beg.

[_An approaching voice is heard._]

_Burns_: There’s a friend who’s not welcome.

[HOLY WILLIE _passes the window, his prayer on his lips_.]

But, Lord, remember me and mine, Wi’ mercies temp’ral and divine, That I for grace and gear may shine, Excell’d by nane, And a’ the glory shall be Thine, Amen, Amen!

[_He comes to the door. Twelve years have made no change in him._]

_Holy Willie_: Is the man Burns within?

_Jean_: Mr. Burns is very ill.

_Holy Willie_: Aye, so I am informed. (_Coming into the room._) I came the journey expressly to exhort you to repentance.

_Burns_: I’ve spent my life repenting.

_Holy Willie_: I fear you’ve lived in unbridled pleasure.

_Burns_: You’re a great reconciler to another world, minister.

_Jean_: Will you not leave him in peace?

_Holy Willie_: There’s no peace for the damned. I had little hope of grace in him. But I wanted my flock to know that I had not failed in my duty by one of them, though strayed. I’m content.

_Burns_: I’ll never see you again, minister, God be praised. But listen, a parting word to you.

[_He sings._]

O ye wha are sae guid yoursel’, Sae pious and sae holy, Ye’ve nought to do but mark and tell Your neebours’ fauts and folly! Whase life is like a weel-gaun mill, Supply’d wi’ store o’ water, The heapèt happer’s ebbing still, And still the clap plays clatter.

Then gently scan your brother man, Still gentler sister woman; Though they may gang a kennin’ wrang, To step aside is human: One point must still be greatly dark, The moving _Why_ they do it; And just as lamely can ye mark How far perhaps they rue it.

_Holy Willie_: Stubborn in your pride, even at death’s gate. I’ll persevere with you no longer. Repent, repent--

[_He goes out, his voice fading with_--]

But, Lord, remember me and mine, Wi’ mercies temp’ral and divine, That I for gear and grace may shine, Excell’d by nane, And a’ the glory shall be Thine, Amen, Amen!

_Jean_: I should have kept him out. He vexed you.

_Burns_: I’ll never be vexed again. He’s some trick of the Lord’s. Jean girl, I’ll say it now, and then we’ll not speak of it again. You’ve been the one sure thing in this world for me. I’m tired, and I leave it all gladly, but you, and them you’ve given me. Bless you everlastingly, and forgive me for my poor soul’s sake, and I’ll need no other forgiveness on earth.

_Jean_ (_kisses him, and sings_):

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever; Ae fareweel, and then, for ever! Deep in heart-wrung tears I’ll pledge thee, Warring sighs and groans I’ll wage thee. Who shall say that fortune grieves him, While the star of hope she leaves him? Me, nae cheerfu’ twinkle lights me: Dark despair around benights me.

_Burns_ (_taking up the song_):

Fare-thee-weel, thou first and fairest! Fare-thee-weel, thou best and dearest! Thine be ilka joy and treasure, Peace, enjoyment, love, and pleasure! Ae fond kiss, and then we sever; Ae fareweel, alas, for ever! Deep in heart-wrung tears I’ll pledge thee, Warring sighs and groans I’ll wage thee!

_Together_:

Had we never lov’d sae kindly, Had we never lov’d sae blindly, Never met--or never parted, We had ne’er been broken-hearted.

_Burns_: There, lass. Now we must be stout-hearted. Ah, here’s Mr. Hamilton coming.

[GAVIN HAMILTON _passes the window_. JEAN _goes to the door_.]

_Jean_ (_showing him in_): It’s good of you to come, Mr. Hamilton.

_Hamilton_: Well, Robert, my lad. Taking some of your Dumfries air?

_Burns_: Pretty near my last draught of it, Mr. Hamilton.

_Hamilton_: No, no.

_Burns_: Oh, but it is. But I’m easy in my mind for myself now. If you’ll do what you can to see that things here don’t break up.

_Hamilton_: You can trust us about that. But you mustn’t give up.

_Burns_: I’m old bones before my time, Mr. Hamilton, and I’ll not have another word of repining in this house.

_Hamilton_: There’s very widespread concern about you, Robert.

_Burns_: Aye? I’ll be a great ceremony, dead. Now, Mr. Hamilton, I don’t want you to talk for a little. Sit down, just there, will you, where I can look at a friend that’s never gone back on me.

[HAMILTON _sits opposite_ BURNS, _and_ JEAN _at her husband’s side_. BURNS _seems for a moment to be falling asleep, then there is a sound of moving people outside_.]

_Burns_: What’s that?

_Jean_ (_looking out of the window_): It’s the emigrants. They’re leaving the town.

_Hamilton_: I saw them gathering outside your town hall as I came by.

_Burns_: Aye--they’re going to a new world. Starting a new life. If I were not the miserable disaster I am, I might be going with them. I might be going to prove myself in far lands.

[_The crowd is approaching, singing on its way._]

_Burns_ (_in a new excitement_): Do you hear, Mr. Hamilton--do you hear, Jean?

[_The crowd passes the window, singing._ BURNS _and the others taking up the song_.]

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And days o’ lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, For auld lang syne.

We twa hae run about the braes, And pou’d the gowans fine; But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot Sin’ auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, For auld lang syne.

_Burns_ (_as the song fades away_): Do you hear that? They’re singing my song--they’re taking me out into the world with them. The darlings!

[_Again he relapses into his quietness for a moment. Then in the distance is heard the pipes of a Scots regiment on march._]

_Burns_ (_rousing_): Listen--listen. It’s my volunteers--they’re going to the wars.

[_The pipes come down the street._]

_Burns_: They’re marching away, and I’ll never see them come back.

[_The pipers lead the regiment past the window._]

_Burns_ (_forcing himself up, and waving his muffler out of the window to them_): God go with you, my lads--Scotland for ever.

[_As they pass down the street, he sings._]

Scots, wha hae wi’ Wallace bled, Scots, wham Bruce has aften led; Welcome to your gory bed, Or to victorie!

Now’s the day, and now’s the hour; See the front of battle lour; See approach proud Edward’s pow’r-- Chains and slaverie!

By Oppression’s woes and pains! By your sons in servile chains! We will drain our dearest veins But they shall be free!

Lay the proud usurpers low! Tyrants fall in every foe! Liberty’s in every blow!-- Let us do, or die!

Scots, wha hae wi’ Wallace bled, Scots, wham Bruce has aften led; Welcome to your gory bed, Or to victorie!

[_He sinks back exhausted into the arms of_ HAMILTON _and_ JEAN, _and_]

THE CURTAIN FALLS

Transcriber’s Note

In this file, text in _italics_ is indicated by underscores.

The following changes were made to the text as printed:

Page 3: “why, the quality’s serving women would laugh at it” changed to “why, the quality’s serving women would laugh at it.”

Page 22: “Some of the others at another table are playing cards_). We were friends, Nell, you and I.” changed to “Some of the others at another table are playing cards_): We were friends, Nell, you and I.”

Page 43: “out by the candle-light of the stairway” changed to “out by the candlelight of the stairway”

Page 71: “BURNS (_to full chorus, is singing_),” changed to “_Burns_ (_to full chorus, is singing_),”

Page 76: “_White_: A song, a song” changed to “_White_: A song, a song.”

Page 109: “Heaven gave me more--it made thee mine” changed to “Heaven gave me more--it made thee mine.”

Page 111: “auld Nickie Ben” changed to “auld Nickie-ben”