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great and weighty size。
SUSAN。 And I run up with a pat of butter； for it'd be a poor thing to have
you eating your spuds dry； and you after running a great way since you did
destroy your da。
CHRISTY。 Thank you kindly。
HONOR。 And I brought you a little cut of cake； for you should have a thin
stomach on you； and you that length walking the world。
NELLY。 And I brought you a little laying pullet boiled and all she is
was crushed at the fall of night by the curate's car。 Feel the fat of that
breast； Mister。
CHRISTY。 It's bursting； surely。 ＇He feels it with the back of his hand；in
which he holds the presents。＇
SARA。 Will you pinch it？ Is your right hand too sacred for to use at all？
（She slips round behind him。） It's a glass he has。 Well； I never seen to
this day a man with a looking…glass held to his back。 Them that kills their
fathers is a vain lot surely。 ＇Girls giggle。＇
CHRISTY ＇smiling innocently and piling presents on glass。＇ I'm very
thankful to you all to…day 。 。 。
WIDOW QUIN ＇coming in quickly； at door。＇ Sara Tansey； Susan Brady； Honor
Blake！ What in glory has you here at this hour of day？
GIRLS ＇giggling。＇ That's the man killed his father。
WIDOW QUIN ＇coming to them。＇ I know well it's the man； and I'm after
putting him down in the sports below for racing； leaping； pitching； and the
Lord knows what。
SARA ＇exuberantly。＇ That's right； Widow Quin。 I'll bet my dowry that
he'll lick the world。
WIDOW QUIN。 If you will； you'd have a right to have him fresh and nourished
in place of nursing a feast。 （Taking presents。） Are you fasting or fed； young
fellow？
CHRISTY。 Fasting； if you please。
WIDOW QUIN ＇loudly。＇ Well； you're the lot。 Stir up now and give him his
breakfast。 （To Christy。） Come here to me （she puts him on bench beside her
while the girls make tea and get his breakfast） and let you tell us your story
before Pegeen will come； in place of grinning your ears off like the moon of
May。
CHRISTY ＇beginning to be pleased。＇ It's a long story； you'd be destroyed
listening。
WIDOW QUIN。 Don't be letting on to be shy； a fine； gamey； treacherous lad the
like of you。 Was it in your house beyond you cracked his skull？
CHRISTY ＇shy but flattered。＇ It was not。 We were digging spuds in his
cold； sloping； stony； divil's patch of a field。
WIDOW QUIN。 And you went asking money of him； or making talk of getting a
wife would drive him from his farm？
CHRISTY。 I did not； then； but there I was； digging and digging； and 〃You
squinting idiot；〃 says he； 〃let you walk down now and tell the priest you'll
wed the Widow Casey in a score of days。〃
WIDOW QUIN。 And what kind was she？
CHRISTY ＇with horror。＇ A walking terror from beyond the hills； and she
two score and five years； and two hundredweights and five pounds in the
weighing scales； with a limping leg on her； and a blinded eye； and she a woman
of noted misbehaviour with the old and young。
GIRLS ＇clustering round him； serving him。＇ Glory be。
WIDOW QUIN。 And what did he want driving you to wed with her？ ＇She takes a
bit of the chicken。＇
CHRISTY ＇eating with growing satisfaction。＇ He was letting on I was
wanting a protector from the harshness of the world； and he without a thought
the whole while but how he'd have her hut to live in and her gold to drink。
WIDOW QUIN。 There's maybe worse than a dry hearth and a widow woman and your
glass at night。 So you hit him then？
CHRISTY ＇getting almost excited。＇ I did not。 〃I won't wed her；〃 says I；
〃when all know she did suckle me for six weeks when I came into the world； and
she a hag this day with a tongue on her has the crows and seabirds scattered；
the way they wouldn't cast a shadow on her garden with the dread of her
curse。〃
WIDOW QUIN ＇teasingly。＇ That one should be right company。
SARA ＇eagerly。＇ Don't mind her。 Did you kill him then？
CHRISTY。 〃She's too good for the like of you；〃 says he； 〃and go on now or
I'll flatten you out like a crawling beast has passed under a dray。〃 〃You
will not if I can help it；〃 says I。 〃Go on；〃 says he； 〃or I'll have the divil
making garters of your limbs tonight。〃 〃You will not if I can help it；〃 says
I。 ＇He sits up； brandishing his mug。＇
SARA。 You were right surely。
CHRISTY ＇impressively。＇ With that the sun came out between the cloud and
the hill； and it shining green in my face。 〃God have mercy on your soul；〃
says he； lifting a scythe； 〃or on your own；〃 says I； raising the loy。
SUSAN。 That's a grand story。
HONOR。 He tells it lovely。
CHRISTY ＇flattered and confident； waving bone。＇ He gave a drive with the
scythe； and I gave a lep to the east。 Then I turned around with my back to
the north； and I hit a blow on the ridge of his skull； laid him stretched out；
and he split to the knob of his gullet。 ＇He raises the chicken bone to his
Adam'sapple。
GIRLS ＇together。＇ Well； you're a marvel！ Oh； God bless you！ You're the
lad surely！
SUSAN。 I'm thinking the Lord God sent him this road to make a second husband
to the Widow Quin； and she with a great yearning to be wedded； though all
dread her here。 Lift him on her knee； Sara Tansey。
WIDOW QUIN。 Don't tease him。
SARA ＇going over to dresser and counter very quickly； and getting two
glasses and porter。＇ You're heroes surely； and let you drink a supeen with
your arms linked like the outlandish lovers in the sailor's song。 （She links
their arms and gives them the glasses。） There now。 Drink a health to the
wonders of the western world； the pirates； preachers； poteen…makers； with the
jobbing jockies； parching peelers； and the juries fill their stomachs selling
judgments of the English law。 ＇Brandishing the bottle。＇
WIDOW QUIN。 That's a right toast； Sara Tansey。 Now Christy。 ＇They drink with
their arms linked； he drinking with his left hand； she with her right。 As
they are drinking； Pegeen Mike comes in with a milk can and stands aghast。
They all spring away from Christy。 He goes down left。 Widow Quin remains
seated。＇
PEGEEN ＇angrily； to Sara。＇ What is it you're wanting？
SARA ＇twisting her apron。＇ An ounce of tobacco。
PEGEEN。 Have you tuppence？
SARA。 I've forgotten my purse。
PEGEEN。 Then you'd best be getting it and not fooling us here。 （To the Widow
Quin； with more elaborate scorn。） And what is it you're wanting； Widow Quin？
WIDOW QUIN ＇insolently。＇ A penn'orth of starch。
PEGEEN ＇breaking out。＇ And you without a white shift or a shirt in your
whole family since the drying of the flood。 I've no starch for the like of
you； and let you walk on now to Killamuck。
WIDOW QUIN ＇turning to Christy； as she goes out with the girls。＇ Well；
you're mighty huffy this day； Pegeen Mike； and； you young fellow； let you not
forget the sports and racing when the noon is by。 ＇They go out。＇
PEGEEN ＇imperiously。＇ Fling out that rubbish and put them cups away。
（Christy tidies away in great haste）。 Shove in the bench by the wall。 （He
does so。） And hang that glass on the nail。 What disturbed it at all？
CHRISTY ＇very meekly。＇ I was making myself decent only； and this a fine
country for young lovely girls。
PEGEEN ＇sharply。＇ Whisht your talking of girls。 ＇Goes to counter right。＇
CHRISTY。 Wouldn't any wish to be decent in a place 。 。 。
PEGEEN。 Whisht I'm saying。
CHRISTY ＇looks at her face for a moment with great misgivings； then as a
last effort； takes up a loy； and goes towards her； with feigned assurance）。
It was with a loy the like of that I killed my father。
PEGEEN ＇still sharply。＇ You've told me that story six times since the
dawn of day。
CHRISTY ＇reproachfully。＇ It's a queer thing you wouldn't care to be
hearing it and them girls after walking four miles to be listening to me now。
PEGEEN ＇turning round astonished。＇ Four miles。
CHRISTY ＇apologetically。＇ Didn't himself say there were only four bona
fides living in the place？
PEGEEN。 It's bona fides by the road they are； but that lot came over the
river lepping the stones。 It's not three perches when you go like that； and I
was down this morning looking on the papers the post…boy does have in his bag。
（With meaning and emphasis。） For there was great news this day； Christopher
Mahon。 ＇She goes into room left。＇
CHRISTY ＇suspiciously。＇ Is it news of my murder？
PEGEEN ＇inside。＇ Murder； indeed。
CHRISTY ＇loudly。＇ A murdered da？
PEGEEN ＇coming in again and crossing right。＇ There was not； but a story
filled half a page of the hanging of a man。 Ah； that should be a fearful end；
young fellow； and it worst of all for a man who destroyed his da； for the like
of him would get small mercies； and when it's dead he is； they'd put him in a
narrow grave； with cheap sacking wrapping him round； an