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the east。 Hold up your head； I'm saying； for it's soon you'll be
seeing me； and I not a bad one at all。 ＇He touches her and she
starts up。＇
MOLLY BYRNE。 Let you keep away from me； and not be soiling my
chin。 ＇People laugh heartily。＇
MARTIN DOUL ＇bewildered。＇ It's Molly's voice you have。
MOLLY BYRNE。 Why wouldn't I have my own voice？ Do you think I'm
a ghost？
MARTIN DOUL。 Which of you all is herself？ （He goes up to
Bride。） Is it you is Mary Doul？ I'm thinking you're more the
like of what they said （peering at her。） For you've yellow hair；
and white skin； and it's the smell of my own turf is rising from
your shawl。 ＇He catches her shawl。＇
BRIDE ＇pulling away her shawl。＇ I'm not your wife； and let
you get out of my way。 ＇The People laugh again。＇
MARTIN DOUL ＇with misgiving； to another Girl。＇ Is it
yourself it is？ You're not so fine…looking； but I'm thinking
you'd do； with the grand nose you have； and your nice hands and
your feet。
GIRL ＇scornfully。＇ I never seen any person that took me for
blind； and a seeing woman； I'm thinking； would never wed the like
of you。
＇She turns away； and the People laugh once more； drawing back a
little and leaving him on their left。＇
PEOPLE ＇jeeringly。＇ Try again； Martin； try again； and
you'll be finding her yet。
MARTIN DOUL ＇passionately。＇ Where is it you have her hidden
away？ Isn't it a black shame for a drove of pitiful beasts the
like of you to be making game of me； and putting a fool's head on
me the grand day of my life？ Ah； you're thinking you're a fine
lot； with your giggling； weeping eyes； a fine lot to be making
game of myself and the woman I've heard called the great wonder
of the west。
＇During this speech； which he gives with his back towards the
church； Mary Doul has come out with her sight cured； and come
down towards the right with a silly simpering smile； till she is
a little behind Martin Doul。＇
MARY DOUL ＇when he pauses。＇ Which of you is Martin Doul？
MARTIN DOUL ＇wheeling round。＇ It's her voice surely。 ＇They
stare at each other blankly。＇
MOLLY BYRNE ＇to Martin Doul。＇ Go up now and take her under
the chin and be speaking the way you spoke to myself。
MARTIN DOUL ＇in a low voice； with intensity。＇ If I speak
now； I'll speak hard to the two of you。
MOLLY BYRNE ＇to Mary Doul。＇ You're not saying a word； Mary。
What is it you think of himself； with the fat legs on him； and
the little neck like a ram？
MARY DOUL。 I'm thinking it's a poor thing when the Lord God
gives you sight and puts the like of that man in your way。
MARTIN DOUL。 It's on your two knees you should be thanking the
Lord God you're not looking on yourself； for if it was yourself
you seen you'd be running round in a short while like the old
screeching mad…woman is running round in the glen。
MARY DOUL ＇beginning to realize herself。＇ If I'm not so
fine as some of them said； I have my hair； and big eyes； and my
white skin。
MARTIN DOUL ＇breaking out into a passionate cry。＇ Your
hair； and your big eyes； is it？ 。 。 。 I'm telling you there
isn't a wisp on any gray mare on the ridge of the world isn't
finer than the dirty twist on your head。 There isn't two eyes in
any starving sow isn't finer than the eyes you were calling blue
like the sea。
MARY DOUL ＇interrupting him。＇ It's the devil cured you this
day with your talking of sows； it's the devil cured you this day；
I'm saying； and drove you crazy with lies。
MARTIN DOUL。 Isn't it yourself is after playing lies on me； ten
years； in the day and in the night； but what is that to you now
the Lord God has given eyes to me； the way I see you an old
wizendy hag； was never fit to rear a child to me itself。
MARY DOUL。 I wouldn't rear a crumpled whelp the like of you。
It's many a woman is married with finer than yourself should be
praising God if she's no child； and isn't loading the earth with
things would make the heavens lonesome above； and they scaring
the larks； and the crows； and the angels passing in the sky。
MARTIN DOUL。 Go on now to be seeking a lonesome place where the
earth can hide you away； go on now； I'm saying； or you'll be
having men and women with their knees bled； and they screaming to
God for a holy water would darken their sight； for there's no man
but would liefer be blind a hundred years； or a thousand itself；
than to be looking on your like。
MARY DOUL ＇raising her stick。＇ Maybe if I hit you a strong
blow you'd be blind again； and having what you want。
＇The Saint is seen in the church door with his head bent in
prayer。＇
MARTIN DOUL ＇raising his stick and driving Mary Doul back
towards left。＇ Let you keep off from me now if you wouldn't
have me strike out the little handful of brains you have about on
the road。
＇He is going to strike her； but Timmy catches him by the arm。＇
TIMMY。 Have you no shame to be making a great row； and the Saint
above saying his prayers？
MARTIN DOUL。 What is it I care for the like of him？ （Struggling
to free himself）。 Let me hit her one good one； for the love of
the Almighty God； and I'll be quiet after till I die。
TIMMY ＇shaking him。＇ Will you whisht； I'm saying。
SAINT ＇coming forward； centre。＇ Are their minds troubled
with joy； or is their sight uncertain； the way it does often be
the day a person is restored？
TIMMY。 It's too certain their sight is； holy father； and they're
after making a great fight； because they're a pair of pitiful
shows。
SAINT ＇coming between them。＇ May the Lord who has given you
sight send a little sense into your heads； the way it won't be on
your two selves you'll be looking on two pitiful sinners of
the earth but on the splendour of the Spirit of God； you'll
see an odd time shining out through the big hills； and steep
streams falling to the sea。 For if it's on the like of that you
do be thinking； you'll not be minding the faces of men； but
you'll be saying prayers and great praises； till you'll be living
the way the great saints do be living； with little but old sacks；
and skin covering their bones。 （To Timmy。） Leave him go now；
you're seeing he's quiet again。 （He frees Martin Doul。） And let
you （he turns to Mary Doul） not be raising your voice； a bad
thing in a woman； but let the lot of you； who have seen the power
of the Lord； be thinking on it in the dark night； and be saying
to yourselves it's great pity and love He has for the poor；
starving people of Ireland。 （He gathers his cloak about him。）
And now the Lord send blessing to you all； for I am going on to
Annagolan； where there is a deaf woman； and to Laragh； where
there are two men without sense； and to Glenassil； where there
are children blind from their birth； and then I'm going to sleep
this night in the bed of the holy Kevin； and to be prais… ing
God； and asking great blessing on you all。 ＇He bends his head。＇
CURTAIN
ACT II
＇Village roadside； on left the door of a forge； with broken
wheels； etc。； lying about。 A well near centre； with board above
it； and room to pass behind it。 Martin Doul is sitting near
forge； cutting sticks。＇
TIMMY ＇heard hammering inside forge； then calls。＇ Let you
make haste out there。 。 。 。 I'll be putting up new fires at the
turn of day； and you haven't the half of them cut yet。
MARTIN DOUL ＇gloomily。＇ It's destroyed I'll be whacking
your old thorns till the turn of day； and I with no food in my
stomach would keep the life in a pig。 （He turns towards the
door。） Let you come out here and cut them yourself if you want
them cut； for there's an hour every day when a man has a right to
his rest。
TIMMY ＇coming out； with a hammer； impatiently。＇ Do you want
me to be driving you off again to be walking the roads？ There
you are now； and I giving you your food； and a corner to sleep；
and money with it； and； to hear the talk of you； you'd think I
was after beating you； or stealing your gold。
MARTIN DOUL。 You'd do it handy； maybe； if I'd gold to steal。
TIMMY ＇throws down hammer； picks up some of the sticks already
cut； and throws them into door。） There's no fear of your having
gold a lazy； basking fool the like of you。
MARTIN DOUL。 No fear； maybe； and I here with yourself； for it's
more I got a while since and I sitting blinded in Grianan； than I
get in this place working hard； and destroying myself； the length
of the day。
TIMMY ＇stopping with amazement。＇ Working hard？ （He goes
over to him。） I'll teach you to work hard； Martin Doul。 Strip
off your coat now； and put a tuck in your sleeves； and cut the
lot of them； while I'd rake the ashes from the forge； or I'll not
put up with you another hour itself。
MARTIN DOUL ＇horrified。＇ Would you have me getting my death
sitting out in the black wintry air with no coat on me at all？