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CHRISTY。 I'll not leave Pegeen Mike。
WIDOW QUIN ＇impatiently。＇ Isn't there the match of her in every parish
public； from Binghamstown unto the plain of Meath？ Come on； I tell you； and
I'll find you finer sweethearts at each waning moon。
CHRISTY。 It's Pegeen I'm seeking only； and what'd I care if you brought me a
drift of chosen females； standing in their shifts itself； maybe； from this
place to the Eastern World？
SARA ＇runs in； pulling off one of her petticoats。＇ They're going to hang
him。 （Holding out petticoat and shawl。） Fit these upon him； and let him run
off to the east。
WIDOW QUIN。 He's raving now； but we'll fit them on him； and I'll take him； in
the ferry； to the Achill boat。
CHRISTY ＇struggling feebly。＇ Leave me go； will you？ when I'm thinking of
my luck to…day； for she will wed me surely； and I a proven hero in the end of
all。 ＇They try to fasten petticoat round him。＇
WIDOW QUIN。 Take his left hand； and we'll pull him now。 Come on； young
fellow。
CHRISTY ＇suddenly starting up。＇ You'll be taking me from her？ You're
jealous； is it； of her wedding me？ Go on from this。 ＇He snatches up a stool；
and threatens them with it。＇
WIDOW QUIN ＇going。＇ It's in the mad…house they should put him； not in
jail； at all。 We'll go by the back…door； to call the doctor； and we'll save
him so。 ＇She goes out； with Sara； through inner room。 Men crowd in the
doorway。 Christy sits down again by the fire。＇
MICHAEL ＇in a terrified whisper。＇ Is the old lad killed surely？
PHILLY。 I'm after feeling the last gasps quitting his heart。 ＇They peer in
at Christy。＇
MICHAEL ＇with a rope。＇ Look at the way he is。 Twist a hangman's knot on
it； and slip it over his head； while he's not minding at all。
PHILLY。 Let you take it； Shaneen。 You're the soberest of all that's here。
SHAWN。 Is it me to go near him； and he the wickedest and worst with me？ Let
you take it； Pegeen Mike。
PEGEEN。 Come on； so。 ＇She goes forward with the others； and they drop the
double hitch over his head。＇
CHRISTY。 What ails you？
SHAWN ＇triumphantly； as they pull the rope tight on his arms。＇ Come on
to the peelers； till they stretch you now。
CHRISTY。 Me！
MICHAEL。 If we took pity on you； the Lord God would； maybe； bring us ruin
from the law to…day； so you'd best come easy； for hanging is an easy and a
speedy end。
CHRISTY。 I'll not stir。 （To Pegeen。） And what is it you'll say to me； and I
after doing it this time in the face of all？
PEGEEN。 I'll say； a strange man is a marvel； with his mighty talk； but what's
a squabble in your back…yard； and the blow of a loy； have taught me that
there's a great gap between a gallous story and a dirty deed。 （To Men。） Take
him on from this； or the lot of us will be likely put on trial for his deed
to…day。
CHRISTY ＇with horror in his voice。＇ And it's yourself will send me off；
to have a horny…fingered hangman hitching his bloody slip…knots at the butt of
my ear。
MEN ＇pulling rope。＇ Come on； will you？ ＇He is pulled down on the floor。＇
CHRISTY ＇twisting his legs round the table。＇ Cut the rope； Pegeen； and
I'll quit the lot of you； and live from this out； like the madmen of Keel；
eating muck and green weeds； on the faces of the cliffs。
PEGEEN。 And leave us to hang； is it； for a saucy liar； the like of you？ （To
men。） Take him on； out from this。
SHAWN。 Pull a twist on his neck； and squeeze him so。
PHILLY。 Twist yourself。 Sure he cannot hurt you； if you keep your distance
from his teeth alone。
SHAWN。 I'm afeard of him。 （To Pegeen。） Lift a lighted sod； will you； and
scorch his leg。
PEGEEN ＇blowing the fire； with a bellows。＇ Leave go now； young fellow； or
I'll scorch your shins。
CHRISTY。 You're blowing for to torture me （His voice rising and growing
stronger。） That's your kind； is it？ Then let the lot of you be wary； for； if
I've to face the gallows； I'll have a gay march down； I tell you； and shed the
blood of some of you before I die。
SHAWN ＇in terror。＇ Keep a good hold； Philly。 Be wary； for the love of
God。 For I'm thinking he would liefest wreak his pains on me。
CHRISTY ＇almost gaily。＇ If I do lay my hands on you； it's the way you'll
be at the fall of night； hanging as a scarecrow for the fowls of hell。 Ah；
you'll have a gallous jaunt I'm saying； coaching out through Limbo with my
father's ghost。
SHAWN ＇to Pegeen。＇ Make haste； will you？ Oh； isn't he a holy terror；
and isn't it true for Father Reilly； that all drink's a curse that has the lot
of you so shaky and uncertain now？
CHRISTY。 If I can wring a neck among you； I'll have a royal judgment looking
on the trembling jury in the courts of law。 And won't there be crying out in
Mayo the day I'm stretched upon the rope with ladies in their silks and satins
snivelling in their lacy kerchiefs； and they rhyming songs and ballads on the
terror of my fate？ ＇He squirms round on the floor and bitesShawn's leg。＇
SHAWN ＇shrieking。＇ My leg's bit on me。 He's the like of a mad dog； I'm
thinking； the way that I will surely die。
CHRISTY ＇delighted with himself。＇ You will then； the way you can shake
out hell's flags of welcome for my coming in two weeks or three； for I'm
thinking Satan hasn't many have killed their da in Kerry； and in Mayo too。
＇Old Mahon comes in behind on all fours and looks on unnoticed。＇
MEN ＇to Pegeen。＇ Bring the sod； will you？
PEGEEN ＇coming over。＇ God help him so。 （Burns his leg。）
CHRISTY ＇kicking and screaming。＇ O； glory be to God！ ＇He kicks loose
from the table； and they all drag him towards the door。＇
JIMMY ＇seeing old Mahon。＇ Will you look what's come in？ ＇They all drop
Christy and run left。＇
CHRISTY ＇scrambling on his knees face to face with old Mahon。＇ Are you
coming to be killed a third time； or what ails you now？
MAHON。 For what is it they have you tied？
CHRISTY。 They're taking me to the peelers to have me hanged for slaying you。
MICHAEL ＇apologetically。＇ It is the will of God that all should guard
their little cabins from the treachery of law； and what would my daughter be
doing if I was ruined or was hanged itself？
MAHON ＇grimly； loosening Christy。＇ It's little I care if you put a bag
on her back； and went picking cockles till the hour of death； but my son and
myself will be going our own way； and we'll have great times from this out
telling stories of the villainy of Mayo； and the fools is here。 （To Christy；
who is freed。） Come on now。
CHRISTY。 Go with you； is it？ I will then； like a gallant captain with his
heathen slave。 Go on now and I'll see you from this day stewing my oatmeal
and washing my spuds； for I'm master of all fights from now。 （Pushing Mahon。）
Go on； I'm saying。
MAHON。 Is it me？
CHRISTY。 Not a word out of you。 Go on from this。
MAHON ＇walking out and looking back at Christy over his shoulder。＇ Glory
be to God！ （With a broad smile。） I am crazy again！ ＇Goes。＇
CHRISTY。 Ten thousand blessings upon all that's here； for you've turned me a
likely gaffer in the end of all； the way I'll go romancing through a romping
lifetime from this hour to the dawning of the judgment day。 ＇He goes out。＇
MICHAEL。 By the will of God； we'll have peace now for our drinks。 Will you
draw the porter； Pegeen？
SHAWN ＇going up to her。＇ It's a miracle Father Reilly can wed us in the
end of all； and we'll have none to trouble us when his vicious bite is healed。
PEGEEN ＇hitting him a box on the ear。＇ Quit my sight。 （Putting her
shawl over her head and breaking out into wild lamentations。） Oh my grief；
I've lost him surely。 I've lost the only Playboy of the Western World。
CURTAIN
THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD was first produced by the National Theatre
Society； Ltd。； at the Abbey Theatre； on Saturday； 26th January； 1907； under
the direction of W。 G。 Fay。
Christopher Mahon； W。 G。 FAY
Old Mahon； his father； a squatter； A。 POWER。
Michael James Flaherty （called 〃Michael James〃）； a publican； ARTHUR SINCLAIR。
Margaret Flaherty （called 〃Pegeen Mike〃）； his daughter； MARIE O'NEILL。
Shawn Keogh； her second cousin； a young farmer； F。 J。 FAY。
small farmers；
Philly O'Cullen； J。 A。 O'ROURKE。
Jimmy Farrell； J。 M。 KERRIGAN。
Widow Quin； SARA ALLGOOD
village girls；
Sara Tansey； BRIGIT O'DEMPSEY
Susan Brady； ALICE O'SULLIVAN
Honor Blake； MARY CRAIG。
Peasants； HARRY YOUNG。
U。 WRIGHT。
End