SCENE SIX
The hangman’s quarters, within sight of the gallows. OGILVIE kneels in prayer, with his rosary wound round his fingers and his eyes tightly shut. THE SOLDIERS stand by watching him patiently. Their swords are drawn and they carry shields. In the distance, the sound of drums can be heard.
SPOTTISWOODE enters impatiently, followed by THE HANGMAN. Both check as they see OGILVIE at prayer. OGILVIE finishes praying, opens his eyes, and rises unsteadily to his feet. He sees SPOTTISWOODE as he turns.
OGILVIE: My Lord.
SPOTTISWOODE: (quietly) Ye are ready now? (OGILVIE nods. SPOTTISWOODE looks about himself in exasperation and says to no-one in particular) Better get on wi’t then!
(Exit SPOTTISWOODE. THE HANGMAN approaches OGILVIE with bowed head. OGILVIE goes to meet him, taking him lightly by each sleeve)
OGILVIE: Be of good heart, my friend. I have forgiven you already. Will …
(WILL turns as he calls. OGILVIE goes to him and embraces him)
OGILVIE: Take care, my son! My time has come. Take care.
(WILL chokes with emotion, turns away)
OGILVIE: Sandy! Goodbye to you!
(SANDY pumps OGILVIE’S hand)
SANDY: Here’s tae ye, Faither. Here’s tae ye!
OGILVIE: Wat!
(WAT turns away and spits)
OGILVIE: Andrew! Can I just say that …
ANDREW: (roughly) Say naethin, Faither! The time for words is past! (Prods THE HANGMAN with his sword) Come on, you! Get on wi’t (Turns to the other soldiers) Right. Sandy and me’ll tak it frae here! (They prepare to move off)
WILL: Andro …
ANDREW: Aye?
WILL: Can I no come instead ο Sandy?
(ANDREW and SANDY exchange wise smiles)
ANDREW: Been on the gallows afore, have ye?
WILL: Naw, but …
ANDREW: Then I’m no wantin ye! (Softer) Listen, son. Ye ken there’s gonnae be trouble — bound tae be. There’s no an awfy lot ο room up by the scaffold thonder. Mair nor twa ο us and we’d just be gettin in ane another’s road. Best leave it tae Sandy and me, son — we’re auld hands at this gemme.
SANDY: Aye, Andro’s richt, son. You listen tae Andro. Him and me, we’ve …
ANDREW: (to SANDY) You shut up! (To THE HANGMAN) Come on! Let’s dae the job.
(They are about to move off again, when OGILVIE suddenly stops dead and turns to them all)
OGILVIE: Wait! (Looks pointedly at ANDREW who makes a pained expression) I have one last word for you all. If there are any hidden Catholics among you, I would welcome your prayers — but the prayers of heretics I will not have!
(ANDREW explodes with anger)
ANDREW: Get him oot ο here!
(THE HANGMAN takes OGILVIE by the arm, but OGILVIE stands his ground. ANDREW comes forward and pushes OGILVIE in the chest with his sword hand. Between THE HANGMAN and ANDREW, OGILVIE is pushed and hauled off the stage, followed by SANDY.
WILL watches them leave anxiously. Unconcerned, WAT sheathes his sword)
WAT: He doesnae trust ye, son.
(A huge roar is heard from outside)
WILL: (sheathing his sword) What’s that?
WAT: The auld fella. Andro. I’m sayin he doesnae trust ye.
WILL: (absently) Aye? Weel, he’s richt enough, I suppose.
WAT: Aye, ye see, it doesnae dae tae get owre chief wi a prisoner, Wullie. It doesnae dae, son.
WILL: Does it no? Weel, Andro kens I’ll aye dae the job. He kens he can rely on me.
WAT: He does, does he? Huh! That’s mair nor I wad dae!
WILL: What for no, eh?
WAT: Aw, come on, son! Ye’re jokin! See ye there the nou — ye were near greetin! I’m gaun up tae the gallows tae hing a man — wi a big mob like that ane ootby — and the boy that’s meant tae be helpin me’s greetin like a wean acause the prisoner’s tae be hung? Foo! Forget it, son! No danger!
WILL: Aye, weel, it wisnae you that was gaun tae the gallows in any case!
WAT: So what? What the hell’s the odds whae goes up? The thing is, Wullie — ye’re no reliable. Ye took up wi that pape and there’s nane ο us can depend on ye!
WILL: Aye, so ye say — but Andro doesna think that! Neither does Sandy. Ach, you, ye dinnae understand onything, you dinnae! I’ll no deny I thocht a lot on Faither Ogilvie — but I’m no ashamed ο that! He’s a guid man …
WAT: Is he …
WILL: You shut yer mooth! He’s worth ten ο you ony day ο the week!
WAT: Aw, is that right? Weel, listen son, I’ll tell ye somethin aboot your precious Faither Ogilvie. He’s a crappin bastard! He’s got a big yellae streak rinnin aa the wey doun his back!
(A huge roar is heard from outside. They pause as they hear it)
WAT: I ken. I ken Ogilvie’s kind weel enough. And I’m tellin you, Wullie …
WILL: Aw, you get stuffed!
WAT: Listen, d’ye want me tae prove it tae ye? I’m a torturer, son — and pan ο my tredd’s kennin when a man’s feart and when he’s no. I kent he’s kind the minute I clapped eyes on him.
WILL: Aye, when ye went tae meisure him for the buits!
WAT: Aye, he didnae get the buits, though, did he? He got somethin worse, I reckon. And I’m no shair but that that didnae brak him. I’m no shair but he didnae cough his load tae the Archbishop.
WILL: Balls! Whit the hell are they hingin him for then?
(Another huge roar is heard from outside. Again they pause)
WAT: I dinnae ken. But I ken this; mind when he was in Glesca first, just efter the arrest? What was he like? Eh? Ye ken yersel. Doun in the dungeon amang the rats and aa the shit and filth ο the day! A twa-hunner pund wecht chyned til his leg! Aye. And hou’s he been this past while? A different story. A wee room ο his ain, a table, a chair, a bed, visitors tae see him, buiks tae read, wine tae drink, Lady Spottiswoode … Even you have tae admit there’s somethin twisted about that!
WILL: There’s just the wan thing that’s twisted aboot here …
WAT: Listen, hou d’ye fancy a wee bet? Eh? Hou d’ye fancy a wee wager that they’ll hae tae turn him aff.
WILL: Turn him aff? What’s that?
WAT: Shove him aff, ye fule! He’ll get tae the tap ο the scaffold syne put up a fecht! They’ll hae tae gie him the heave!
WILL: Naw! Naw! No chance! No him! Never him!
WAT: Aye, we’ll see then, eh? Just you wait! We’ll see.
(Enter SANDY running)
SANDY: (out of breath) Jesus Christ, I never saw anythin like thon in aa my born days!
WAT: What happened, Sandy! Tell us what happened!
(SANDY leans against WILL for support. He is out of breath for the duration of his speech)
SANDY: Aw, wait’ll I catch my braith! Lads, I’ll tell ye … Oh my God!
WILL: What happened, Sandy? What happened?
SANDY: The Faither — he goes up there quite checko, ye ken? Kisses the scaffold — aye, kisses the bluidy scaffold. Then this laddie manages tae get up on the gallows.
WAT: What then?
SANDY: Aw, Andro sorted him aaricht. Nae messin. Boom, boom. Puir laddie. I hope he wasnae thinkin ο gettin mairrit.
WILL: Never mind him! What about the Faither?
SANDY: Ogilvie takes his rosary and he slings it intae the crowd …
WILL: Aye, that’d be him right enough.
SANDY: Aye, weel, we get him aa tied up and the hangman takes him up the scaffold. He had a bit ο a job ο it, what wi Ogilvie’s hands bein ahint his back and that — but onyway, he gets him up. Ogilvie’s chantin awa at this Latin prayer aa the time. The hangman gets him up — and he says tae him ‘Say it, John. Lord have mercy on me. Lord, receive my soul’ and Ogilvie says it ‘Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, receive my soul’, and then …
WAT: Aye! Aye! What happened then!
SANDY: Aw, Christ I dinnae ken! There was a struggle … the hangman couldnae manage … Andro had tae sclim the ladder and shove the Faither aff!
WAT: I tellt ye! I tellt ye! The bastard crapped it at the last! I tellt ye he was yella, Wullie! I tellt ye! (Slaps one palm against the other) Put it there, son! Put it there!
(WILL loses his temper completely and goes for WAT)
WILL: Shut up, you! Shut up, shut up, shut up! I’m seik and tired ο listenin tae your sneerie tongue …
SANDY: Hi, Wullie, what’s this? Keep the heid, son, eh? Keep the heid!
WAT: (sneering) Cannae take it, eh?
(WILL pushes SANDY aside)
WILL: I tellt you tae shut up! Shut up — or you’ll take it! Ye’ll take it frae me! Aa richt!
WAT: Naw! No aaricht! I’ve taen about as muckle as I can thole …
(SANDY tries to restrain WAT)
SANDY: For the love ο Christ, Wattie! Wad ye no …
(WAT throws SANDY to one side)
WAT: Oot the road! Nae hauf-airsed wee pape’s gonnae tell me …
(WAT draws his sword. WILL lets out a yell of anger and draws his sword too. He aims a great two-handed sweep WAT’s direction. At that precise moment, ANDREW bursts in, hauling WAT out of the way of the blow and throwing him to one side. WILL is thrown off balance and the impetus of the blow spins him round. ANDREW grabs him by the belt and the scruff of the neck and throws him to the other side of the stage)
ANDREW: What the fuckin hell dae you pair of stupit bastards think ye’re airsin about at? I tellt ye, did I no? I tellt ye baith — but you, ye stupit fuckers, ye wadnae listen! (Pauses breathless, exasperated with them) It’s done! It’s finished! And that’s an end tae it!