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noble brow？
CHRISTY ＇with a flash of delighted surprise。＇ Is it me？
PEGEEN。 Aye。 Did you never hear that from the young girls where you come
from in the west or south？
CHRISTY ＇with venom。＇ I did not then。 Oh； they're bloody liars in the
naked parish where I grew a man。
PEGEEN。 If they are itself； you've heard it these days； I'm thinking； and you
walking the world telling out your story to young girls or old。
CHRISTY。 I've told my story no place till this night； Pegeen Mike； and it's
foolish I was here； maybe； to be talking free； but you're decent people； I'm
thinking； and yourself a kindly woman； the way I wasn't fearing you at all。
PEGEEN ＇filling a sack with straw。＇ You've said the like of that； maybe；
in every cot and cabin where you've met a young girl on your way。
CHRISTY ＇going over to her； gradually raising his voice。＇ I've said it
nowhere till this night； I'm telling you； for I've seen none the like of you
the eleven long days I am walking the world； looking over a low ditch or a
high ditch on my north or my south； into stony scattered fields； or scribes of
bog； where you'd see young； limber girls； and fine prancing women making
laughter with the men。
PEGEEN。 If you weren't destroyed travelling； you'd have as much talk and
streeleen； I'm thinking； as Owen Roe O'Sullivan or the poets of the Dingle
Bay； and I've heard all times it's the poets are your like； fine fiery fellows
with great rages when their temper's roused。
CHRISTY ＇drawing a little nearer to her。＇ You've a power of rings； God
bless you； and would there be any offence if I was asking are you single now？
PEGEEN。 What would I want wedding so young？
CHRISTY ＇with relief。＇ We're alike； so。
PEGEEN ＇she puts sack on settle and beats it up。＇ I never killed my
father。 I'd be afeard to do that； except I was the like of yourself with
blind rages tearing me within； for I'm thinking you should have had great
tussling when the end was come。
CHRISTY ＇expanding with delight at the first confidential talk he has ever
had with a woman。＇ We had not then。 It was a hard woman was come over the
hill； and if he was always a crusty kind when he'd a hard woman setting him
on； not the divil himself or his four fathers could put up with him at all。
PEGEEN ＇with curiosity。＇ And isn't it a great wonder that one wasn't
fearing you？
CHRISTY ＇very confidentially。＇ Up to the day I killed my father； there
wasn't a person in Ireland knew the kind I was； and I there drinking； waking；
eating； sleeping； a quiet； simple poor fellow with no man giving me heed。
PEGEEN ＇getting a quilt out of the cupboard and putting it on the sack。＇
It was the girls were giving you heed maybe； and I'm thinking it's most
conceit you'd have to be gaming with their like。
CHRISTY ＇shaking his head； with simplicity。＇ Not the girls itself； and I
won't tell you a lie。 There wasn't anyone heeding me in that place saving
only the dumb beasts of the field。 ＇He sits down at fire。＇
PEGEEN ＇with disappointment。＇ And I thinking you should have been living
the like of a king of Norway or the Eastern world。 ＇She comes and sits beside
him after placing bread and mug of milk on the table。＇
CHRISTY ＇laughing piteously。＇ The like of a king； is it？ And I after
toiling； moiling； digging； dodging from the dawn till dusk with never a sight
of joy or sport saving only when I'd be abroad in the dark night poaching
rabbits on hills； for I was a devil to poach； God forgive me； （very naively）
and I near got six months for going with a dung fork and stabbing a fish。
PEGEEN。 And it's that you'd call sport； is it； to be abroad in the darkness
with yourself alone？
CHRISTY。 I did； God help me； and there I'd be as happy as the sunshine of St。
Martin's Day； watching the light passing the north or the patches of fog； till
I'd hear a rabbit starting to screech and I'd go running in the furze。 Then
when I'd my full share I'd come walking down where you'd see the ducks and
geese stretched sleeping on the highway of the road； and before I'd pass the
dunghill； I'd hear himself snoring out； a loud lonesome snore he'd be making
all times； the while he was sleeping； and he a man 'd be raging all times； the
while he was waking； like a gaudy officer you'd hear cursing and damning and
swearing oaths。
PEGEEN。 Providence and Mercy； spare us all！
CHRISTY。 It's that you'd say surely if you seen him and he after drinking for
weeks； rising up in the red dawn； or before it maybe； and going out into the
yard as naked as an ash tree in the moon of May； and shying clods against the
visage of the stars till he'd put the fear of death into the banbhs and the
screeching sows。
PEGEEN。 I'd be well…night afeard of that lad myself； I'm thinking。 And there
was no one in it but the two of you alone？
CHRISTY。 The divil a one； though he'd sons and daughters walking all great
states and territories of the world； and not a one of them； to this day； but
would say their seven curses on him； and they rousing up to let a cough or
sneeze； maybe； in the deadness of the night。
PEGEEN ＇nodding her head。＇ Well； you should have been a queer lot。 I
never cursed my father the like of that； though I'm twenty and more years of
age。
CHRISTY。 Then you'd have cursed mine； I'm telling you； and he a man never
gave peace to any； saving when he'd get two months or three； or be locked in
the asylums for battering peelers or assaulting men （with depression） the way
it was a bitter life he led me till I did up a Tuesday and halve his skull。
PEGEEN ＇putting her hand on his shoulder。＇ Well； you'll have peace in
this place； Christy Mahon； and none to trouble you； and it's near time a fine
lad like you should have your good share of the earth。
CHRISTY。 It's time surely； and I a seemly fellow with great strength in me
and bravery of 。 。 。 ＇Someone knocks。＇
CHRISTY ＇clinging to Pegeen。＇ Oh； glory！ it's late for knocking； and
this last while I'm in terror of the peelers； and the walking dead。 ＇Knocking
again。＇
PEGEEN。 Who's there？
VOICE ＇outside。＇ Me。
PEGEEN。 Who's me？
VOICE。 The Widow Quin。
PEGEEN ＇jumping up and giving him the bread and milk。＇ Go on now with your
supper； and let on to be sleepy； for if she found you were such a warrant to
talk； she'd be stringing gabble till the dawn of day。 （He takes bread and
sits shyly with his back to the door。）
PEGEEN ＇opening door； with temper。＇ What ails you； or what is it you're
wanting at this hour of the night？
WIDOW QUIN ＇coming in a step and peering at Christy。＇ I'm after meeting
Shawn Keogh and Father Reilly below； who told me of your curiosity man； and
they fearing by this time he was maybe roaring； romping on your hands with
drink。
PEGEEN ＇pointing to Christy。＇ Look now is he roaring； and he stretched
away drowsy with his supper and his mug of milk。 Walk down and tell that to
Father Reilly and to Shaneen Keogh。
WIDOW QUIN ＇coming forward。＇ I'll not see them again； for I've their
word to lead that lad forward for to lodge with me。
PEGEEN ＇in blank amazement。＇ This night； is it？
WIDOW QUIN ＇going over。＇ This night。 〃It isn't fitting；〃 says the
priesteen； 〃to have his likeness lodging with an orphaned girl。〃 （To
Christy。） God save you； mister！
CHRISTY ＇shyly。＇ God save you kindly。
WIDOW QUIN ＇looking at him with half…amazed curiosity。＇ Well； aren't you
a little smiling fellow？ It should have been great and bitter torments did
rouse your spirits to a deed of blood。
CHRISTY ＇doubtfully。＇ It should； maybe。
WIDOW QUIN。 It's more than 〃maybe〃 I'm saying； and it'd soften my heart to
see you sitting so simple with your cup and cake； and you fitter to be saying
your catechism than slaying your da。
PEGEEN ＇at counter； washing glasses。＇ There's talking when any'd see
he's fit to be holding his head high with the wonders of the world。 Walk on
from this； for I'll not have him tormented and he destroyed travelling since
Tuesday was a week。
WIDOW QUIN ＇peaceably。＇ We'll be walking surely when his supper's done；
and you'll find we're great company； young fellow； when it's of the like of
you and me you'd hear the penny poets singing in an August Fair。
CHRISTY ＇innocently。＇ Did you kill your father？
PEGEEN ＇contemptuously。＇ She did not。 She hit himself with a worn pick；
and the rusted poison did corrode his blood the way he never overed it； and
died after。 That was a sneaky kind of murder did win small glory with the
boys itself。 ＇She crosses to Christy's left。＇
WIDOW QUIN ＇with good…humour。＇ If it didn't； maybe all knows a widow
woman has buried her children and destroyed her man is a wiser comrade for a
young lad than a girl； the like of you； who'd go helter…skeltering after any
man wou