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the like of him。
PEGEEN。 Well； you're a daring fellow； and if they find his corpse stretched
above in the dews of dawn； what'll you say then to the peelers； or the Justice
of the Peace？
SHAWN ＇thunderstruck。＇ I wasn't thinking of that。 For the love of God；
Pegeen Mike； don't let on I was speaking of him。 Don't tell your father and
the men is coming above； for if they heard that story； they'd have great
blabbing this night at the wake。
PEGEEN。 I'll maybe tell them； and I'll maybe not。
SHAWN。 They are coming at the door； Will you whisht； I'm saying？
PEGEEN。 Whisht yourself。
＇She goes behind counter。 Michael James； fat jovial publican； comes in
followed by Philly Cullen； who is thin and mistrusting； and Jimmy Farrell； who
is fat and amorous； about forty…five。＇
MEN ＇together。＇ God bless you。 The blessing of God on this place。
PEGEEN。 God bless you kindly。
MICHAEL ＇to men who go to the counter。＇ Sit down now； and take your
rest。 （Crosses to Shawn at the fire。） And how is it you are； Shawn Keogh？
Are you coming over the sands to Kate Cassidy's wake？
SHAWN。 I am not； Michael James。 I'm going home the short cut to my bed。
PEGEEN ＇speaking across the counter。＇ He's right too； and have you no
shame； Michael James； to be quitting off for the whole night； and leaving
myself lonesome in the shop？
MICHAEL ＇good…humouredly。＇ Isn't it the same whether I go for the whole
night or a part only？ and I'm thinking it's a queer daughter you are if you'd
have me crossing backward through the Stooks of the Dead Women； with a drop
taken。
PEGEEN。 If I am a queer daughter； it's a queer father'd be leaving me
lonesome these twelve hours of dark； and I piling the turf with the dogs
barking； and the calves mooing； and my own teeth rattling with the fear。
JIMMY ＇flatteringly。＇ What is there to hurt you； and you a fine； hardy
girl would knock the head of any two men in the place？
PEGEEN ＇working herself up。＇ Isn't there the harvest boys with their
tongues red for drink； and the ten tinkers is camped in the east glen； and the
thousand militia bad cess to them！ walking idle through the land。
There's lots surely to hurt me； and I won't stop alone in it； let himself do
what he will。
MICHAEL。 If you're that afeard； let Shawn Keogh stop along with you。 It's
the will of God； I'm thinking； himself should be seeing to you now。 ＇They all
turn on Shawn。＇
SHAWN ＇in horrified confusion。＇ I would and welcome； Michael James； but
I'm afeard of Father Reilly； and what at all would the Holy Father and the
Cardinals of Rome be saying if they heard I did the like of that？
MICHAEL ＇with contempt。＇ God help you！ Can't you sit in by the hearth
with the light lit and herself beyond in the room？ You'll do that surely； for
I've heard tell there's a queer fellow above； going mad or getting his death；
maybe； in the gripe of the ditch； so she'd be safer this night with a person
here。
SHAWN ＇with plaintive despair。＇ I'm afeard of Father Reilly； I'm saying。
Let you not be tempting me； and we near married itself。
PHILLY ＇with cold contempt。＇ Lock him in the west room。 He'll stay then
and have no sin to be telling to the priest。
MICHAEL ＇to Shawn； getting between him and the door。＇ Go up now。
SHAWN ＇at the top of his voice。＇ Don't stop me； Michael James。 Let me
out of the door； I'm saying； for the love of the Almighty God。 Let me out
（trying to dodge past him）。 Let me out of it； and may God grant you His
indulgence in the hour of need。
MICHAEL ＇loudly。＇ Stop your noising； and sit down by the hearth。 ＇Gives
him a push and goes to counter laughing。＇
SHAWN ＇turning back； wringing his hands。＇ Oh； Father Reilly and the
saints of God； where will I hide myself to…day？ Oh； St。 Joseph and St。
Patrick and St。 Brigid； and St。 James； have mercy on me now！ ＇Shawn turns
round； sees door clear； and makes a rush for it。＇
MICHAEL ＇catching him by the coattail。＇ You'd be going； is it？
SHAWN ＇screaming。＇ Leave me go； Michael James； leave me go； you old Pagan；
leave me go； or I'll get the curse of the priests on you； and of the
scarlet…coated bishops of the courts of Rome。 ＇With a sudden movement he pulls
himself out of his coat； and disappears out of the door； leaving his coat in
Michael's hands。＇
MICHAEL ＇turning round； and holding up coat。＇ Well； there's the coat of
a Christian man。 Oh； there's sainted glory this day in the lonesome west； and
by the will of God I've got you a decent man； Pegeen； you'll have no call to
be spying after if you've a score of young girls； maybe； weeding in your
fields。
PEGEEN ＇taking up the defence of her property。＇ What right have you to be
making game of a poor fellow for minding the priest； when it's your own the
fault is； not paying a penny pot…boy to stand along with me and give me
courage in the doing of my work？ ＇She snaps the coat away from him； and goes
behind counter with it。＇
MICHAEL ＇taken aback。＇ Where would I get a pot…boy？ Would you have me
send the bell…man screaming in the streets of Castlebar？
SHAWN ＇opening the door a chink and putting in his head； in a small voice。＇
Michael James！
MICHAEL ＇imitating him。＇ What ails you？
SHAWN。 The queer dying fellow's beyond looking over the ditch。 He's come up；
I'm thinking； stealing your hens。 （Looks over his shoulder。） God help me；
he's following me now （he runs into room）； and if he's heard what I said；
he'll be having my life； and I going home lonesome in the darkness of the
night。 ＇For a perceptible moment they watch the door with curiosity。 Some one
coughs outside。 Then Christy Mahon； a slight young man； comes in very tired
and frightened and dirty。＇
CHRISTY ＇in a small voice。＇ God save all here！
MEN。 God save you kindly。
CHRISTY ＇going to the counter。＇ I'd trouble you for a glass of porter；
woman of the house。 ＇He puts down coin。＇
PEGEEN ＇serving him。＇ You're one of the tinkers； young fellow； is beyond
camped in the glen？
CHRISTY。 I am not； but I'm destroyed walking。
MICHAEL ＇patronizingly。＇ Let you come up then to the fire。 You're looking
famished with the cold。
CHRISTY。 God reward you。 （He takes up his glass and goes a little way across
to the left； then stops and looks about him。） Is it often the police do be
coming into this place； master of the house？
MICHAEL。 If you'd come in better hours； you'd have seen 〃Licensed for the
sale of Beer and Spirits； to be consumed on the premises；〃 written in white
letters above the door； and what would the polis want spying on me； and not a
decent house within four miles； the way every living Christian is a bona fide；
saving one widow alone？
CHRISTY ＇with relief。＇ It's a safe house； so。 ＇He goes over to the fire；
sighing and moaning。 Then he sits down； putting his glass beside him and
begins gnawing a turnip； too miserable to feel the others staring at him with
curiosity。＇
MICHAEL ＇going after him。＇ Is it yourself fearing the polis？ You're
wanting； maybe？
CHRISTY。 There's many wanting。
MICHAEL。 Many surely； with the broken harvest and the ended wars。 （He picks
up some stockings； etc。； that are near the fire； and carries them away
furtively。） It should be larceny； I'm thinking？
CHRISTY ＇dolefully。＇ I had it in my mind it was a different word and a
bigger。
PEGEEN。 There's a queer lad。 Were you never slapped in school； young fellow；
that you don't know the name of your deed？
CHRISTY ＇bashfully。＇ I'm slow at learning； a middling scholar only。
MICHAEL。 If you're a dunce itself； you'd have a right to know that larceny's
robbing and stealing。 Is it for the like of that you're wanting？
CHRISTY ＇with a flash of family pride。＇ And I the son of a strong farmer
（with a sudden qualm）； God rest his soul； could have bought up the whole of
your old house a while since； from the butt of his tailpocket； and not have
missed the weight of it gone。
MICHAEL ＇impressed。＇ If it's not stealing； it's maybe something big。
CHRISTY ＇flattered。＇ Aye； it's maybe something big。
JIMMY。 He's a wicked…looking young fellow。 Maybe he followed after a young
woman on a lonesome night。
CHRISTY ＇shocked。＇ Oh； the saints forbid； mister； I was all times a decent
lad。
PHILLY ＇turning on Jimmy。＇ You're a silly man； Jimmy Farrell。 He said
his father was a farmer a while since； and there's himself now in a poor
state。 Maybe the land was grabbed from him； and he did what any decent man
would do。
MICHAEL ＇to Christy； mysteriously。＇ Was it bailiffs？
CHRISTY。 The divil a one。
MICHAEL。 Agents？
CHRISTY。 The divil a one。
MICHAEL。 Landlords？
CHRISTY ＇peevishly。＇ Ah； not at all； I'm saying。 You'd see the like of
them stories on any little paper of