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bullocks on the plains of Meath； and herself bedizened in the diamond
jewelleries of Pharaoh's ma。 That'd be your match； Shaneen。 So God save you
now！ ＇She retreats behind Christy。＇
SHAWN。 Won't you hear me telling you。 。 。 ？
CHRISTY ＇with ferocity。＇ Take yourself from this； young fellow； or I'll
maybe add a murder to my deeds to…day。
MICHAEL ＇springing up with a shriek。＇ Murder is it？ Is it mad yous are？
Would you go making murder in this place； and it piled with poteen for our
drink to…night？ Go on to the foreshore if it's fighting you want； where the
rising tide will wash all traces from the memory of man。 ＇Pushing Shawn
towards Christy。＇
SHAWN ＇shaking himself free； and getting behind Michael。＇ I'll not fight
him； Michael James。 I'd liefer live a bachelor； simmering in passions to the
end of time； than face a lepping savage the like of him has descended from the
Lord knows where。 Strike him yourself； Michael James； or you'll lose my drift
of heifers and my blue bull from Sneem。
MICHAEL。 Is it me fight him； when it's father…slaying he's bred to now？
（Pushing Shawn。） Go on you fool and fight him now。
SHAWN ＇coming forward a little。＇ Will I strike him with my hand？
MICHAEL。 Take the loy is on your western side。
SHAWN。 I'd be afeard of the gallows if I struck him with that。
CHRISTY ＇taking up the loy。＇ Then I'll make you face the gallows or quit
off from this。 ＇Shawn flies out of the door。＇
CHRISTY。 Well； fine weather be after him； （going to Michael； coaxingly） and
I'm thinking you wouldn't wish to have that quaking blackguard in your house
at all。 Let you give us your blessing and hear her swear her faith to me； for
I'm mounted on the spring…tide of the stars of luck； the way it'll be good for
any to have me in the house。
PEGEEN ＇at the other side of Michael。＇ Bless us now； for I swear to God
I'll wed him； and I'll not renege。
MICHAEL ＇standing up in the centre； holding on to both of them。＇ It's
the will of God； I'm thinking； that all should win an easy or a cruel end； and
it's the will of God that all should rear up lengthy families for the nurture
of the earth。 What's a single man； I ask you； eating a bit in one house and
drinking a sup in another； and he with no place of his own； like an old
braying jackass strayed upon the rocks？ （To Christy。） It's many would be in
dread to bring your like into their house for to end them； maybe； with a
sudden end； but I'm a decent man of Ireland； and I liefer face the grave
untimely and I seeing a score of grandsons growing up little gallant swearers
by the name of God； than go peopling my bedside with puny weeds the like of
what you'd breed； I'm thinking； out of Shaneen Keogh。 （He joins their hands。）
A daring fellow is the jewel of the world； and a man did split his father's
middle with a single clout； should have the bravery of ten； so may God and
Mary and St。 Patrick bless you； and increase you from this mortal day。
CHRISTY AND PEGEEN。 Amen； O Lord！
＇Hubbub outside。＇
＇Old Mahon rushes in； followed by all the crowd； and Widow Quin。 He makesa
rush at Christy； knocks him down；and begins to beat him。＇
PEGEEN ＇dragging back his arm。＇ Stop that； will you。 Who are you at
all？
MAHON。 His father； God forgive me！
PEGEEN ＇drawing back。＇ Is it rose from the dead？
MAHON。 Do you think I look so easy quenched with the tap of a loy？ ＇Beats
Christy again。＇
PEGEEN ＇glaring at Christy。＇ And it's lies you told； letting on you had
him slitted； and you nothing at all。
CHRISTY ＇clutching Mahon's stick。＇ He's not my father。 He's a raving
maniac would scare the world。 （Pointing to Widow Quin。） Herself knows it is
true。
CROWD。 You're fooling Pegeen！ The Widow Quin seen him this day； and you
likely knew！ You're a liar！
CHRISTY ＇dumbfounded。＇ It's himself was a liar； lying stretched out with
an open head on him； letting on he was dead。
MAHON。 Weren't you off racing the hills before I got my breath with the start
I had seeing you turn on me at all？
PEGEEN。 And to think of the coaxing glory we had given him； and he after
doing nothing but hitting a soft blow and chasing northward in a sweat of
fear。 Quit off from this。
CHRISTY ＇piteously。＇ You've seen my doings this day； and let you save me
from the old man； for why would you be in such a scorch of haste to spur me to
destruction now？
PEGEEN。 It's there your treachery is spurring me； till I'm hard set to think
you're the one I'm after lacing in my heart…strings half…an…hour gone by。 （To
Mahon。） Take him on from this； for I think bad the world should see me raging
for a Munster liar； and the fool of men。
MAHON。 Rise up now to retribution； and come on with me。
CROWD ＇jeeringly。＇ There's the playboy！ There's the lad thought he'd rule
the roost in Mayo。 Slate him now； mister。
CHRISTY ＇getting up in shy terror。＇ What is it drives you to torment me
here； when I'd asked the thunders of the might of God to blast me if I ever
did hurt to any saving only that one single blow。
MAHON ＇loudly。＇ If you didn't； you're a poor good…for…nothing； and isn't
it by the like of you the sins of the whole world are committed？
CHRISTY ＇raising his hands。＇ In the name of the Almighty God。 。 。 。
MAHON。 Leave troubling the Lord God。 Would you have him sending down
droughts； and fevers； and the old hen and the cholera morbus？
CHRISTY ＇to Widow Quin。＇ Will you come between us and protect me now？
WIDOW QUIN。 I've tried a lot； God help me； and my share is done。
CHRISTY ＇looking round in desperation。＇ And I must go back into my
torment is it； or run off like a vagabond straying through the Unions with the
dusts of August making mudstains in the gullet of my throat； or the winds of
March blowing on me till I'd take an oath I felt them making whistles of my
ribs within？
SARA。 Ask Pegeen to aid you。 Her like does often change。
CHRISTY。 I will not then； for there's torment in the splendour of her like；
and she a girl any moon of midnight would take pride to meet； facing
southwards on the heaths of Keel。 But what did I want crawling forward to
scorch my understanding at her flaming brow？
PEGEEN ＇to Mahon； vehemently； fearing she will break into tears。＇ Take
him on from this or I'll set the young lads to destroy him here。
MAHON ＇going to him； shaking his stick。＇ Come on now if you wouldn't
have the company to see you skelped。
PEGEEN ＇half laughing； through her tears。＇ That's it； now the world will
see him pandied； and he an ugly liar was playing off the hero； and the fright
of men。
CHRISTY ＇to Mahon； very sharply。＇ Leave me go！
CROWD。 That's it。 Now Christy。 If them two set fighting； it will lick the
world。
MAHON ＇making a grab at Christy。＇ Come here to me。
CHRISTY ＇more threateningly。＇ Leave me go； I'm saying。
MAHON。 I will maybe； when your legs is limping； and your back is blue。
CROWD。 Keep it up； the two of you。 I'll back the old one。 Now the playboy。
CHRISTY ＇in low and intense voice。＇ Shut your yelling； for if you're
after making a mighty man of me this day by the power of a lie； you're setting
me now to think if it's a poor thing to be lonesome； it's worse maybe to go
mixing with the fools of earth。 ＇Mahon makes a movement towards him。＇
CHRISTY ＇almost shouting。＇ Keep off 。 。 。 lest I do show a blow unto the
lot of you would set the guardian angels winking in the clouds above。 ＇He
swings round with a sudden rapid movement and picks up a loy。＇
CROWD ＇half frightened； half amused。＇ He's going mad！ Mind yourselves！
Run from the idiot！
CHRISTY。 If I am an idiot； I'm after hearing my voice this day saying words
would raise the topknot on a poet in a merchant's town。 I've won your racing；
and your lepping； and 。 。 。
MAHON。 Shut your gullet and come on with me。
CHRISTY。 I'm going； but I'll stretch you first。 ＇He runs at old Mahon with
the loy； chases him out of the door； followed by crowd and Widow Quin。 There
is a great noise outside； then a yell； and dead silence for a moment。 Christy
comes in； half dazed； and goes to fire。＇
WIDOW QUIN ＇coming in； hurriedly； and going to him。＇ They're turning
again you。 Come on； or you'll be hanged； indeed。
CHRISTY。 I'm thinking； from this out； Pegeen'll be giving me praises the same
as in the hours gone by。
WIDOW QUIN ＇impatiently。＇ Come by the back…door。 I'd think bad to have
you stifled on the gallows tree。
CHRISTY ＇indignantly。＇ I will not； then。 What good'd be my life…time； if
I left Pegeen？
WIDOW QUIN。 Come on； and you'll be no worse than you were last night； and you
with a double murder this time to be telling to the girls。
CHRISTY。 I'll not leave Pegeen Mike。
WIDOW QUIN ＇impatiently。＇ Isn't th