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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
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