# Dramas (Baillie)/Witchcraft/Act 2

ACT II.
SCENE I.—The inside of a miserable Cottage, with a Board or coarse Table by the wall, on which stand some empty wooden Bickers or Bowls.
Enter Wilkin, who runs eagerly to the board, then turns away disappointed.
WILKIN.
​parritch nane! (Pointing to the bowls, and then pressing his stomach.) Tuim there! tuim here! Woe worth it! to say they wad be fou, an' they're no fou! Woe worth it! woe worth them a'!
Enter Bawldy, and Wilkin runs to take hold of him.
BAWLDY (frightened).
WILKIN.
BAWLDY (pulling out a horse-shoe from his pocket).
WILKIN.
BAWLDY.
WILKIN.
BAWLDY.
WILKIN.
BAWLDY.
WILKIN.
BAWLDY.
WILKIN.
BAWLDY.
WILKIN.
BAWLDY.
WILKIN.
BAWLDY.
WILKIN.
BAWLDY (shrinking back from him).
WILKIN.
BAWLDY.
WILKIN.
BAWLDY.
WILKIN.
BAWLDY.
WILKIN.
BAWLDY.
[Voices without.]
FIRST VOICE.
SECOND VOICE.
Enter Mary Macmurren and Elspy Low, and Bawldy hides himself behind the door.
MARY MACMURREN.
ELSPY LOW.
MARY MACMURREN (pointing to the board).
Even thay puir cogs are as toom as before, and my puir idiot as hungry. Hast tu had ony thing, Wilkin? (Turns round to him and discovers Bawldy.) Ha! wha has tu wi' thee? (To Bawldy.) What brought thee here, in a mischief to thee! Thou's Dungarren's herd, I reckon.
BAWLDY.
MARY MACMURREN.
BAWLDY.
MARY MACMURREN.
Enter Grizeld Bane.
GRIZELD BANE (looking on her with stern contempt).
Who speaks of Grizeld Bane with such unwary words? Repeat them, I pray thee. (Mary stands abashed.) Thou whit not.—(To Elspy, in like manner.) And what hast thou to say of Grizeld Bane? (A pause.) And thou, too, art silent before my face.
ELSPY LOW.
GRIZELD BANE (to Bawldy).
BAWLDY.
GRIZELD BANE.
BAWLDY.
GRIZELD BANE (in a kind of chant).
Where there be ladies and where there be lords,
Mischief is making with glances and words, Work is preparing for pistols and swords.
BAWLDY.
GRIZELD BANE.
BAWLDY.
[Exit in a fright.
GRIZELD BANE (turning to Mary Macmurren and Elspy Low).
ELSPY LOW.
GRIZELD BANE.
ELSPY LOW.
GRIZELD BANE.
MARY MACMURREN.
GRIZELD BANE.
MARY MACMURREN.
GRIZELD BANE.
ELSPY LOW.
If we ware upon clouds, we ware sleeping a' the while, for I ken naething anent it. Do ye, neighbour? (To Mary Macmurren.) ​
MARY MACMURREN.
GRIZELD BANE.
(Draws a circle on the floor.)
MARY MACMURREN and ELSPY LOW (at once).
[Exeunt hastily, leaving Grizeld alone.
GRIZELD BANE (chanting to herself after having completed the circle).
Black of mien and stern of brow,
Dark one, dread one, hear me now!
Come with potency and speed;
Come to help me in my need.
Kith and kindred have I none,
Ever wand'ring, ever lone.
Black of mien and stern of brow,
Dark one, dread one, hear me now!
He is now at hand; the floor yawns under my feet, and the walls are running round; he is ​here! (bending her head very low and then raising it.) Ha! is it thou? art thou risen in thy master's stead? It becomes thee to answer my call; it is no weak tie that has bound us together. I loved thee in sin and in blood: when the noose of death wrung thee, I loved thee. And now thou art a dear one and a terrible with the Prince of the power of the air. Grant what I ask! grant it quickly. Give me of thy power; I have earned it. But this is a mean, narrow den; the cave of the lin is near, where water is soughing and fern is waving; the bat-bird clutching o'er head, and the lithe snake stirring below; to the cave, to the cave! we'll hold our council there.
[Exit with frantic gestures, as if courteously showing the way to some great personage.
SCENE II.
A Flower Garden by the cottage of Violet Murrey, with the building partly occupying the bottom of the Stage, and partly concealed.
Enter Dungarren, who stops and looks round him, then mutters to himself in a low voice, then speaks audibly.
DUNGARREN.
Enter Violet from the house, while he is stooping over the flowers.
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET (endeavouring to recover herself).
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN (following her).
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET.
[Exit into the house.
DUNGARREN (alone).
Re-enter Violet, in alarm, from the house.
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET.
DUNGARREN (catching her in his arms, then unclasping her suddenly and dropping on his knee).
VIOLET.
[He leads her towards the house, caressing her hand tenderly as they go; then exeunt severally.
SCENE III.
A Passage or Entrance-room in the Tower.
Enter Anderson.
ANDERSON (looking off the Stage).
Enter Bawldy.
BAWLDY.
ANDERSON.
BAWLDY.
ANDERSON.
BAWLDRY.
ANDERSON.
BAWLDY.
ANDERSON.
BAWLDY.
ANDERSON.
BAWLDY.
ANDERSON.
BAWLDY.
ANDERSON.
BAWLDY.
ANDERSON.
SCENE IV.
The Apartment of Annabella, who enters, and throws herself into a chair, remaining silent for a short time, and then speaks impatiently.
ANNABELLA.
Enter Phemy.
PHEMY.
ANNABELLA.
Exit Phemy, and presently Bawldy enters.
I want thee to do an errand for me again, Bawldy. Do not look so grave and so cowed, man: thou shalt be well paid for it.
BAWLDY.
ANNABELLA.
BAWLDY.
ANNABELLA.
BAWLDY.
ANNABELLA.
BAWLDY.
ANNABELLA.
BAWLDY (sheepishly).
ANNABELLA.
BAWLDY (interrupting her in a low murmuring voice).
ANNABELLA.
BAWLDY.
ANNABELLA.
BAWLDY.
ANNABELLA.
BAWLDY.
ANNABELLA.
BAWLDY.
ANNABELLA.
BAWLDY.
ANNABELLA.
BAWLDY.
ANNABELLA.
BAWLDY.
ANNABELLA.
Go thy ways, and do as I bid thee, without loss of time, and thou wilt soon find it good, profitable earnest. She will make a very good thrifty wife, and thou a good muirland drover, when thou 'rt old enough.[Exit Bawldy. ​
ANNABELLA (alone).
Enter Phemy in alarm.
PHEMY.
ANNABELLA.
PHEMY.
ANNABELLA.
PHEMY.
ANNABELLA.
PHEMY.
ANNABELLA.
PHEMY.
ANNABELLA.
[Exeunt.