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young lad than a girl； the like of you； who'd go helter…skeltering after any
man would let you a wink upon the road。
PEGEEN ＇breaking out into wild rage。＇ And you'll say that； Widow Quin；
and you gasping with the rage you had racing the hill beyond to look on his
face。
WIDOW QUIN ＇laughing derisively。＇ Me； is it？ Well； Father Reilly has
cuteness to divide you now。 （She pulls Christy up。） There's great temptation
in a man did slay his da； and we'd best be going； young fellow； so rise up and
come with me。
PEGEEN ＇seizing his arm。＇ He'll not stir。 He's pot…boy in this place；
and I'll not have him stolen off and kidnabbed while himself's abroad。
WIDOW QUIN。 It'd be a crazy pot…boy'd lodge him in the shebeen where he works
by day； so you'd have a right to come on； young fellow； till you see my little
houseen； a perch off on the rising hill。
PEGEEN。 Wait till morning； Christy Mahon。 Wait till you lay eyes on her
leaky thatch is growing more pasture for her buck goat than her square of
fields； and she without a tramp itself to keep in order her place at all。
WIDOW QUIN。 When you see me contriving in my little gardens； Christy Mahon；
you'll swear the Lord God formed me to be living lone； and that there isn't my
match in Mayo for thatching； or mowing； or shearing a sheep。
PEGEEN ＇with noisy scorn。＇ It's true the Lord God formed you to contrive
indeed。 Doesn't the world know you reared a black lamb at your own breast； so
that the Lord Bishop of Connaught felt the elements of a Christian； and he
eating it after in a kidney stew？ Doesn't the world know you've been seen
shaving the foxy skipper from France for a threepenny bit and a sop of grass
tobacco would wring the liver from a mountain goat you'd meet leaping the
hills？
WIDOW QUIN ＇with amusement。＇ Do you hear her now； young fellow？ Do you
hear the way she'll be rating at your own self when a week is by？
PEGEEN ＇to Christy。＇ Don't heed her。 Tell her to go into her pigsty and
not plague us here。
WIDOW QUIN。 I'm going； but he'll come with me。
PEGEEN ＇shaking him。＇ Are you dumb； young fellow？
CHRISTY ＇timidly； to Widow Quin。＇ God increase you； but I'm pot…boy in
this place； and it's here I'd liefer stay。
PEGEEN ＇triumphantly。＇ Now you have heard him； and go on from this。
WIDOW QUIN ＇looking round the room。＇ It's lonesome this hour crossing
the hill； and if he won't come along with me； I'd have a right maybe to stop
this night with yourselves。 Let me stretch out on the settle； Pegeen Mike；
and himself can lie by the hearth。
PEGEEN ＇short and fiercely。＇ Faith； I won't。 Quit off or I will send
you now。
WIDOW QUIN ＇gathering her shawl up。＇ Well； it's a terror to be aged a
score。 （To Christy。） God bless you now； young fellow； and let you be wary；
or there's right torment will await you here if you go romancing with her
like； and she waiting only； as they bade me say； on a sheepskin parchment to
be wed with Shawn Keogh of Killakeen。
CHRISTY ＇going to Pegeen as she bolts the door。＇ What's that she's after
saying？
PEGEEN。 Lies and blather； you've no call to mind。 Well； isn't Shawn Keogh an
impudent fellow to send up spying on me？ Wait till I lay hands on him。 Let
him wait； I'm saying。
CHRISTY。 And you're not wedding him at all？
PEGEEN。 I wouldn't wed him if a bishop came walking for to join us here。
CHRISTY。 That God in glory may be thanked for that。
PEGEEN。 There's your bed now。 I've put a quilt upon you I'm after quilting a
while since with my own two hands； and you'd best stretch out now for your
sleep； and may God give you a good rest till I call you in the morning when
the cocks will crow。
CHRISTY ＇as she goes to inner room。＇ May God and Mary and St。 Patrick
bless you and reward you； for your kindly talk。 （She shuts the door behind
her。 He settles his bed slowly； feeling the quilt with immense satisfaction。＇
Well； it's a clean bed and soft with it； and it's great luck and company
I've won me in the end of time two fine women fighting for the likes of me
till I'm thinking this night wasn't I a foolish fellow not to kill my
father in the years gone by。
CURTAIN
ACT II。
SCENE； ＇as before。 Brilliant morning light。 Christy； looking bright and
cheerful； is cleaning a girl's boots。＇
CHRISTY ＇to himself； counting jugs on dresser。＇ Half a hundred beyond。
Ten there。 A score that's above。 Eighty jugs。 Six cups and a broken one。
Two plates。 A power of glasses。 Bottles； a school…master'd be hard set to
count； and enough in them； I'm thinking； to drunken all the wealth and wisdom
of the County Clare。 （He puts down the boot carefully。） There's her boots
now； nice and decent for her evening use； and isn't it grand brushes she has？
（He puts them down and goes by degrees to the looking…glass。） Well； this'd be
a fine place to be my whole life talking out with swearing Christians； in
place of my old dogs and cat； and I stalking around； smoking my pipe and
drinking my fill； and never a day's work but drawing a cork an odd time； or
wiping a glass； or rinsing out a shiny tumbler for a decent man。 （He takes
the looking…glass from the wall and puts it on the back of a chair； then sits
down in front of it and begins washing his face。） Didn't I know rightly I was
handsome； though it was the divil's own mirror we had beyond； would twist a
squint across an angel's brow； and I'll be growing fine from this day； the way
I'll have a soft lovely skin on me and won't be the like of the clumsy young
fellows do be ploughing all times in the earth and dung。 （He starts。） Is she
coming again？ （He looks out。） Stranger girls。 God help me； where'll I hide
myself away and my long neck nacked to the world？ （He looks out。） I'd best
go to the room maybe till I'm dressed again。 ＇He gathers up his coat and the
looking…glass； and runs into the inner room。 The door is pushed open； and
Susan Brady looks in； and knocks on door。＇
SUSAN。 There's nobody in it。 ＇Knocks again。＇
NELLY ＇pushing her in and following her； with Honor Blake and Sara Tansey。＇
It'd be early for them both to be out walking the hill。
SUSAN。 I'm thinking Shawn Keogh was making game of us and there's no such man
in it at all。
HONOR ＇pointing to straw and quilt。＇ Look at that。 He's been sleeping
there in the night。 Well； it'll be a hard case if he's gone off now； the way
we'll never set our eyes on a man killed his father； and we after rising early
and destroying ourselves running fast on the hill。
NELLY。 Are you thinking them's his boots？
SARA ＇taking them up。＇ If they are； there should be his father's track
on them。 Did you never read in the papers the way murdered men do bleed and
drip？
SUSAN。 Is that blood there； Sara Tansey？
SARAH ＇smelling it。＇ That's bog water； I'm thinking； but it's his own
they are surely； for I never seen the like of them for whity mud； and red mud；
and turf on them； and the fine sands of the sea。 That man's been walking； I'm
telling you。 ＇She goes down right； putting on one of his boots。＇
SUSAN ＇going to window。＇ Maybe he's stolen off to Belmullet with the
boots of Michael James； and you'd have a right so to follow after him； Sara
Tansey； and you the one yoked the ass cart and drove ten miles to set your
eyes on the man bit the yellow lady's nostril on the northern shore。 ＇She
looks out。＇
SARA ＇running to window with one boot on。＇ Don't be talking； and we
fooled to…day。 （Putting on other boot。） There's a pair do fit me well； and
I'll be keeping them for walking to the priest； when you'd be ashamed this
place； going up winter and summer with nothing worth while to confess at all。
HONOR ＇who has been listening at the door。＇ Whisht！ there's someone
inside the room。 （She pushes door a chink open。） It's a man。 ＇Sara kicks off
boots and puts them where they were。 They all stand in a line looking through
chink。＇
SARA。 I'll call him。 Mister！ Mister！ （He puts in his head。） Is Pegeen
within？
CHRISTY ＇coming in as meek as a mouse； with the looking…glass held behind
his back。＇ She's above on the cnuceen； seeking the nanny goats； the way
she'd have a sup of goat's milk for to colour my tea。
SARA。 And asking your pardon； is it you's the man killed his father？
CHRISTY ＇sidling toward the nail where the glass was hanging。＇ I am； God
help me！
SARA ＇taking eggs she has brought。＇ Then my thousand welcomes to you；
and I've run up with a brace of duck's eggs for your food today。 Pegeen's
ducks is no use； but these are the real rich sort。 Hold out your hand and
you'll see it's no lie I'm telling you。
CHRISTY ＇coming forward shyly； and holding out his left hand。＇ They're a
great and weighty size。
SUSAN。 And I run up with a pat of butter； for it'd be a poor thing to have