按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
TOWN CRIER ＇outside； ringing a bell。＇ Take notice； last event of this
day！ Tug…of…warring on the green below！ Come on； the lot of you！ Great
achievements for all Mayo men！
PEGEEN。 Go on； and leave him for to rest and dry。 Go on； I tell you； for
he'll do no more。 （She hustles crowd out； Widow Quin following them。）
MEN ＇going。＇ Come on then。 Good luck for the while！
PEGEEN ＇radiantly； wiping his face with her shawl。＇ Well； you're the
lad； and you'll have great times from this out when you could win that wealth
of prizes； and you sweating in the heat of noon！
CHRISTY ＇looking at her with delight。＇ I'll have great times if I win
the crowning prize I'm seeking now； and that's your promise that you'll wed me
in a fortnight； when our banns is called。
PEGEEN ＇backing away from him。＇ You've right daring to go ask me that；
when all knows you'll be starting to some girl in your own townland； when your
father's rotten in four months； or five。
CHRISTY ＇indignantly。＇ Starting from you； is it？ （He follows her。） I
will not； then； and when the airs is warming in four months； or five； it's
then yourself and me should be pacing Neifin in the dews of night； the times
sweet smells do be rising； and you'd see a little shiny new moon； maybe；
sinking on the hills。
PEGEEN ＇looking at him playfully。＇ And it's that kind of a poacher's love
you'd make； Christy Mahon； on the sides of Neifin； when the night is down？
CHRISTY。 It's little you'll think if my love's a poacher's； or an earl's
itself； when you'll feel my two hands stretched around you； and I squeezing
kisses on your puckered lips； till I'd feel a kind of pity for the Lord God is
all ages sitting lonesome in his golden chair。
PEGEEN。 That'll be right fun； Christy Mahon； and any girl would walk her
heart out before she'd meet a young man was your like for eloquence； or talk；
at all。
CHRISTY ＇encouraged。＇ Let you wait； to hear me talking； till we're astray
in Erris； when Good Friday's by； drinking a sup from a well； and making mighty
kisses with our wetted mouths； or gaming in a gap or sunshine； with yourself
stretched back unto your necklace； in the flowers of the earth。
PEGEEN ＇in a lower voice； moved by his tone。＇ I'd be nice so； is it？
CHRISTY ＇with rapture。＇ If the mitred bishops seen you that time； they'd
be the like of the holy prophets； I'm thinking； do be straining the bars of
Paradise to lay eyes on the Lady Helen of Troy； and she abroad； pacing back
and forward； with a nosegay in her golden shawl。
PEGEEN ＇with real tenderness。＇ And what is it I have； Christy Mahon； to
make me fitting entertainment for the like of you； that has such poet's
talking； and such bravery of heart？
CHRISTY ＇in a low voice。＇ Isn't there the light of seven heavens in your
heart alone； the way you'll be an angel's lamp to me from this out； and I
abroad in the darkness； spearing salmons in the Owen； or the Carrowmore？
PEGEEN。 If I was your wife； I'd be along with you those nights； Christy
Mahon； the way you'd see I was a great hand at coaxing bailiffs； or coining
funny nick…names for the stars of night。
CHRISTY。 You； is it？ Taking your death in the hailstones； or in the fogs of
dawn。
PEGEEN。 Yourself and me would shelter easy in a narrow bush； （with a qualm of
dread） but we're only talking； maybe； for this would be a poor； thatched place
to hold a fine lad is the like of you。
CHRISTY ＇putting his arm round her。＇ If I wasn't a good Christian； it's
on my naked knees I'd be saying my prayers and paters to every jackstraw you
have roofing your head； and every stony pebble is paving the laneway to your
door。
PEGEEN ＇radiantly。＇ If that's the truth； I'll be burning candles from this
out to the miracles of God that have brought you from the south to…day； and I；
with my gowns bought ready； the way that I can wed you； and not wait at all。
CHRISTY。 It's miracles； and that's the truth。 Me there toiling a long while；
and walking a long while； not knowing at all I was drawing all times nearer to
this holy day。
PEGEEN。 And myself； a girl； was tempted often to go sailing the seas till I'd
marry a Jew…man； with ten kegs of gold； and I not knowing at all there was the
like of you drawing nearer； like the stars of God。
CHRISTY。 And to think I'm long years hearing women talking that talk； to all
bloody fools； and this the first time I've heard the like of your voice
talking sweetly for my own delight。
PEGEEN。 And to think it's me is talking sweetly； Christy Mahon； and I the
fright of seven townlands for my biting tongue。 Well； the heart's a wonder；
and； I'm thinking； there won't be our like in Mayo； for gallant lovers； from
this hour； to…day。 （Drunken singing is heard outside。） There's my father
coming from the wake； and when he's had his sleep we'll tell him； for he's
peaceful then。 ＇They separate。＇
MICHAEL ＇singing outside＇
The jailor and the turnkey
They quickly ran us down；
And brought us back as prisoners
Once more to Cavan town。 ＇He comes in supported by Shawn。＇
There we lay bewailing
All in a prison bound。 。 。 。 ＇He sees Christy。 Goes and shakes him drunkenly
by the hand； while Pegeen and Shawn talk on the left。＇
MICHAEL ＇to Christy。＇ The blessing of God and the holy angels on your
head； young fellow。 I hear tell you're after winning all in the sports below；
and wasn't it a shame I didn't bear you along with me to Kate Cassidy's wake；
a fine； stout lad； the like of you； for you'd never see the match of it for
flows of drink； the way when we sunk her bones at noonday in her narrow grave；
there were five men； aye； and six men； stretched out retching speechless on
the holy stones。
CHRISTY ＇uneasily； watching Pegeen。＇ Is that the truth？
MICHAEL。 It is then； and aren't you a louty schemer to go burying your poor
father unbeknownst when you'd a right to throw him on the crupper of a Kerry
mule and drive him westwards； like holy Joseph in the days gone by； the way we
could have given him a decent burial； and not have him rotting beyond； and not
a Christian drinking a smart drop to the glory of his soul？
CHRISTY ＇gruffly。＇ It's well enough he's lying； for the likes of him。
MICHAEL ＇slapping him on the back。＇ Well； aren't you a hardened slayer？
It'll be a poor thing for the household man where you go sniffing for a female
wife； and （pointing to Shawn） look beyond at that shy and decent Christian I
have chosen for my daughter's hand； and I after getting the gilded
dispensation this day for to wed them now。
CHRISTY。 And you'll be wedding them this day； is it？
MICHAEL ＇drawing himself up。＇ Aye。 Are you thinking； if I'm drunk
itself； I'd leave my daughter living single with a little frisky rascal is the
like of you？
PEGEEN ＇breaking away from Shawn。＇ Is it the truth the dispensation's
come？
MICHAEL ＇triumphantly。＇ Father Reilly's after reading it in gallous Latin；
and 〃It's come in the nick of time；〃 says he； 〃so I'll wed them in a hurry；
dreading that young gaffer who'd capsize the stars。〃
PEGEEN ＇fiercely。＇ He's missed his nick of time； for it's that lad；
Christy Mahon； that I'm wedding now。
MICHAEL ＇loudly with horror。＇ You'd be making him a son to me； and he
wet and crusted with his father's blood？
PEGEEN。 Aye。 Wouldn't it be a bitter thing for a girl to go marrying the
like of Shaneen； and he a middling kind of a scarecrow； with no savagery or
fine words in him at all？
MICHAEL ＇gasping and sinking on a chair。＇ Oh； aren't you a heathen
daughter to go shaking the fat of my heart； and I swamped and drownded with
the weight of drink？ Would you have them turning on me the way that I'd be
roaring to the dawn of day with the wind upon my heart？ Have you not a word
to aid me； Shaneen？ Are you not jealous at all？
SHANEEN ＇In great misery。＇ I'd be afeard to be jealous of a man did slay
his da。
PEGEEN。 Well； it'd be a poor thing to go marrying your like。 I'm seeing
there's a world of peril for an orphan girl； and isn't it a great blessing I
didn't wed you； before himself came walking from the west or south？
SHAWN。 It's a queer story you'd go picking a dirty tramp up from the highways
of the world。
PEGEEN ＇playfully。＇ And you think you're a likely beau to go straying
along with； the shiny Sundays of the opening year； when it's sooner on a
bullock's liver you'd put a poor girl thinking than on the lily or the rose？
SHAWN。 And have you no mind of my weight of passion； and the holy
dispensation； and the drift of heifers I am giving； and the golden ring？
PEGEEN。 I'm thinking you're too fine for the like of me； Shawn Keogh of
Killakeen； and let you go off till you'd find a radiant lady with droves of
bullocks on the plains of Meath； and herself bedizened in the diamond
jewelleries of Pharaoh'