in the shadow of the glen-第1章

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In　the　Shadow　of　the　Glen

by　J。　M。　Synge







IN　THE　SHADOW　OF　THE　GLEN

A　PLAY　IN　ONE　ACT

First　performed　at　the　Molesworth　Hall；
Dublin；　October　8th；　1903。

PERSONS

DAN　BURKE　（farmer　and　herd）　。　George　Roberts
NORA　BURKE　（his　wife）　。　。　。　Maire　Nic　Shiubhlaigh
MICHEAL　DARA　（a　young　herd）　。　P。　J。　Kelly
A　TRAMP　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　W。　G。　Fay


IN　THE　SHADOW　OF　THE　GLEN

A　PLAY　IN　ONE　ACT


SCENE。　　｛The　last　cottage　at　the　head　of　a
long　glen　in　County　Wicklow。

Cottage　kitchen；　turf　fire　on　the　right；　a　bed　near　it　against
the　wall　with　a　body　lying　on　it　covered　with　a　sheet。　　A　door　is
at　the　other　end　of　the　room；　with　a　low　table　near　it；　and
stools；　or　wooden　chairs。　　There　are　a　couple　of　glasses　on　the
table；　and　a　bottle　of　whisky；　as　if　for　a　wake；　with　two　cups；　a
teapot；　and　a　home…made　cake。　　There　is　another　small　door　near
the　bed。　　Nora　Burke　is　moving　about　the　room；　settling　a　few
things；　and　lighting　candles　on　the　table；　looking　now　and
then　at　the　bed　with　an　uneasy　look。　　Some　one　knocks　softly　at
the　door。　　She　takes　up　a　stocking　with　money　from　the　table　and
puts　it　in　her　pocket。　　Then　she　opens　the　door。｝

TRAMP
｛Outside。｝
Good　evening　to　you；　lady　of　the　house。

NORA

Good　evening；　kindly　stranger；　it's　a　wild
night；　God　help　you；　to　be　out　in　the　rain　falling。

TRAMP
It　is；　surely；　and　I　walking　to　Brittas　from　the　Aughrim　fair。

NORA
Is　it　walking　on　your　feet；　stranger？

TRAMP
On　my　two　feet；　lady　of　the　house；　and　when　I　saw　the　light　below
I　thought　maybe　if　you'd　a　sup　of　new　milk　and　a　quiet　decent
corner　where　a　man　could　sleep　｛he　looks　in　past　her
and　sees　the　dead　man。｝　　The　Lord　have　mercy　on　us　all！

NORA
It　doesn't　matter　anyway；　stranger；　come　in　out　of　the　rain。

TRAMP
｛Coming　in　slowly　and　going　towards　the　bed。｝
Is　it　departed　he　is？

NORA
It　is；　stranger。　　He's　after　dying　on　me；　God　forgive　him；　and
there　I　am　now　with　a　hundred　sheep　beyond　on　the　hills；　and　no
turn　drawn　for　the　winter。

TRAMP
｛Looking　closely　at　the　dead　man。｝
It's　a　queer　look　is　on　him　for　a　man　that's　dead。

NORA
｛Half…humorously。｝
He　was　always　queer；　stranger；　and　I　suppose　them　that's　queer
and　they　living　men　will　be　queer　bodies　after。

TRAMP
Isn't　it　a　great　wonder　you're　letting　him　lie　there；　and　he　is
not　tidied；　or　laid　out　itself？

NORA
｛Coming　to　the　bed。｝
I　was　afeard；　stranger；　for　he　put　a　black　curse　on　me　this
morning　if　I'ld　touch　his　body　the　time　he'ld　die　sudden；　or　let
any　one　touch　it　except　his　sister　only；　and　it's　ten　miles　away
she　lives　in　the　big　glen　over　the　hill。

TRAMP
｛Looking　at　her　and　nodding　slowly。｝
It's　a　queer　story　he　wouldn't　let　his　own　wife　touch　him；　and　he
dying　quiet　in　his　bed。

NORA
He　was　an　old　man；　and　an　odd　man；　stranger；　and　it's　always　up
on　the　hills　he　was　thinking　thoughts　in　the　dark　mist。　　｛She
pulls　back　a　bit　of　the　sheet。｝　　Lay　your　hand　on　him　now；　and
tell　me　if　it's　cold　he　is　surely。

TRAMP
Is　it　getting　the　curse　on　me　you'ld　be；　woman　of　the　house？　　I
wouldn't　lay　my　hand　on　him　for　the　Lough　Nahanagan　and　it　filled
with　gold。

NORA
｛Looking　uneasily　at　the　body。｝
Maybe　cold　would　be　no　sign　of　death　with　the　like　of　him；　for　he
was　always　cold；　every　day　since　I　knew　him；　　and　every　night；
stranger；　　｛she　covers　up　his　face　and　comes　away　from　the
bed｝；　but　I'm　thinking　it's　dead　he　is　surely；　for　he's
complaining　a　while　back　of　a　pain　in　his　heart；　and　this
morning；　the　time　he　was　going　off　to　Brittas　for　three　days　or
four；　he　was　taken　with　a　sharp　turn。　Then　he　went　into　his　bed
and　he　was　saying　it　was　destroyed　he　was；　the　time　the　shadow
was　going　up　through　the　glen；　and　when　the　sun　set　on　the　bog
beyond　he　made　a　great　lep；　and　let　a　great　cry　out　of　him；　and
stiffened　himself　out　the　like　of　a　dead　sheep。

TRAMP
｛Crosses　himself。｝
God　rest　his　soul。

NORA
｛Pouring　him　out　a　glass　of　whisky。｝
Maybe　that　would　do　you　better　than　the　milk　of　the　sweetest　cow
in　County　Wicklow。

TRAMP
The　Almighty　God　reward　you；　and　may　it　be　to　your　good　health。
｛He　drinks。｝

NORA
｛Giving　him　a　pipe　and　tobacco。｝
I've　no　pipes　saving　his　own；　stranger；　but　they're　sweet　pipes
to　smoke。

TRAMP
Thank　you　kindly；　lady　of　the　house。

NORA
Sit　down　now；　stranger；　and　be　taking　your　rest。

TRAMP
｛Filling　a　pipe　and　looking　about　the　room。｝
I've　walked　a　great　way　through　the　world；　lady　of　the　house；　and
seen　great　wonders；　but　I　never　seen　a　wake　till　this　day　with
fine　spirits；　and　good　tobacco；　and　the　best　of　pipes；　and　no　one
to　taste　them　but　a　woman　only。

NORA
Didn't　you　hear　me　say　it　was　only　after　dying　on　me　he　was　when
the　sun　went　down；　and　how　would　I　go　out　into　the　glen　and　tell
the　neighbours；　and　I　a　lone　woman　with　no　house　near　me？

TRAMP
｛Drinking。｝
There's　no　offence；　lady　of　the　house？

NORA
No　offence　in　life；　stranger。　　How　would　the　like　of　you；　passing
in　the　dark　night；　know　the　lonesome　way　I　was　with　no　house　near
me　at　all？

TRAMP
｛Sitting　down。｝
I　knew　rightly。　　｛He　lights　his　pipe　so　that　there　is　a　sharp
light　beneath　his　haggard　face。｝　　And　I　was　thinking；　and　I
coming　in　through　the　door；　that　it's　many　a　lone　woman
would　be　afeard　of　the　like　of　me　in　the　dark　night；　in　a　place
wouldn't　be　so　lonesome　as　this　place；　where　there　aren't　two
living　souls　would　see　the　little　light　you　have　shining　from
the　glass。

NORA
｛Slowly。｝
I'm　thinking　many　would　be　afeard；　but　I　never　knew　what　way　I'd
be　afeard　of　beggar　or　bishop　or　any　man　of　you　at　all。　　｛She
looks　towards　the　window　and　lowers　her　voice。｝　It's　other　things
than　the　like　of　you；　stranger；　would　make　a　person　afeard。

TRAMP
｛Looking　round　with　a　half…shudder。｝
It　is　surely；　God　help　us　all！

NORA
｛Looking　at　him　for　a　moment　with　curiosity。｝
You're　saying　that；　stranger；　as　if　you　were　easy　afeard。

TRAMP
｛Speaking　mournfully。｝
Is　it　myself；　lady　of　the　house；　that　does　be　walking　round　in
the　long　nights；　and　crossing　the　hills　when　the　fog　is　on　them；
the　time　a　little　stick　would　seem　as　big　as　your　arm；　and　a
rabbit　as　big　as　a　bay　horse；　and　a　stack　of　turf　as　big　as　a
towering　church　in　the　city　of　Dublin？　　If　myself　was　easily
afeard；　I'm　telling　you；　it's　long　ago　I'ld　have　been　locked
into　the　Richmond　Asylum；　or　maybe　have　run　up　into　the　back
hills　with　nothing　on　me　but　an　old　shirt；　and　been　eaten　with
crows　the　like　of　Patch　Darcy　　the　Lord　have　mercy　on　him　　in
the　year　that's　gone。

NORA
｛With　interest。｝
You　knew　Darcy？

TRAMP
Wasn't　I　the　last　one　heard　his　living　voice　in　the　whole　world？

NORA
There　were　great　stories　of　what　was　heard　at　that　time；　but
would　any　one　believe　the　things　they　do　be　saying　in　the　glen？

TRAMP
It　was　no　lie；　lady　of　the　house。　。　。　。　　I　was　passing　below　on　a
dark　night　the　like　of　this　night；　and　the　sheep　were　lying　under
the　ditch　and　every　one　of　them　coughing；　and　choking；　like　an
old　man；　with　the　great　rain　and　the　fog。　　Then　I　heard　a　thing
talking　　queer　talk；　you　wouldn't　believe　at　all；　and　you　out
of　your　dreams；　　and　〃Merciful　God；〃　says　I；　〃if　I　begin
hearing　the　like　of　that　voice　out　of　the　thick　mist；　I'm
destroyed　surely。〃　Then　I　run；　and　I　run；　and　I　run；　till　I　was
below　in　Rathvanna。　　I　got　drunk　that　night；　I　got　drunk　in　the
morning；　and　drunk　the　day　after；　　I　was　coming　from　the　races
beyond　　and　the　third　day　they　found　Darcy。　。　。　。　Then　I　knew
it　was　himself　I　was　after　hearing；　and　I　wasn't　afeard　any　more。

NORA
｛Speaking　sorrowfully　and　slowly。｝
God　spare　Darcy；　he'ld　always　look　in　here　and　he　passing　up　or
passing　down；　and　it's　very　lonesome　I　was　after　him　a　long　while
｛she　looks　over　at　the　bed　and　lowers　her　voice；　speaking　very
clearly；｝　and　then　I　got　happy　again　　if　it's　ever　happy　we
are；　stranger；　　for　I　got　used　to　being　lonesome。　
｛A　short　pause；　then　she　stands　up。｝

NORA
Was　there　any　one　on　the　last　bit　of　the　road；　stranger；　and　you
coming　from　Aughrim？

TRAMP
There　was　a　young　man　with　a　drift　of　mountain　ewes；　and　he
running　after　them　this　way　and　that。

NORA
｛With　a　half…smile。｝
Far　down；　stranger？

TRAMP
A　p