in the shadow of the glen-第2章

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

TRAMP
A　piece　only。

｛She　fills　the　kettle　and　puts　it　on　the　fire。｝

NORA
Maybe；　if　you're　not　easy　afeard；　you'ld　stay　here　a　short　while
alone　with　himself。

TRAMP
I　would　surely。　　A　man　that's　dead　can　do　no　hurt。

NORA
｛Speaking　with　a　sort　of　constraint。｝
I'm　going　a　little　back　to　the　west；　stranger；　for　himself　would
go　there　one　night　and　another　and　whistle　at　that　place；　and
then　the　young　man　you're　after　seeing　　a　kind　of　a　farmer　has
come　up　from　the　sea　to　live　in　a　cottage　beyond　　would　walk
round　to　see　if　there　was　a　thing　we'ld　have　to　be　done；　and　I'm
wanting　him　this　night；　the　way　he　can　go　down　into　the　glen　when
the　sun　goes　up　and　tell　the　people　that　himself　is　dead。

TRAMP
｛Looking　at　the　body　in　the　sheet。｝
It's　myself　will　go　for　him；　lady　of　the　house；　and　let　you　not
be　destroying　yourself　with　the　great　rain。

NORA
You　wouldn't　find　your　way；　stranger；　for　there's　a　small　path
only；　and　it　running　up　between　two　sluigs　where　an　ass　and　cart
would　be　drowned。　｛She　puts　a　shawl　over　her　head。｝　　Let　you　be
making　yourself　easy；　and　saying　a　prayer　for　his　soul；　and　it's
not　long　I'll　be　coming　again。

TRAMP
｛Moving　uneasily。｝
Maybe　if　you'd　a　piece　of　a　grey　thread　and　a　sharp　needle　
there's　great　safety　in　a　needle；　lady　of　the　house　　I'ld　be
putting　a　little　stitch　here　and　there　in　my　old　coat；　the　time
I'll　be　praying　for　his　soul；　and　it　going　up　naked　to　the　saints
of　God。

NORA
｛Takes　a　needle　and　thread　from　the　front　of　her　dress　and　gives
it　to　him。｝
There's　the　needle；　stranger；　and　I'm　thinking　you　won't　be
lonesome；　and　you　used　to　the　back　hills；　for　isn't　a　dead　man
itself　more　company　than　to　be　sitting　alone；　and　hearing　the
winds　crying；　and　you　not　knowing　on　what　thing　your　mind　would
stay？

TRAMP
｛Slowly。｝
It's　true；　surely；　and　the　Lord　have　mercy　on　us　all！

｛Nora　goes　out。　　The　Tramp　begins　stitching　one　of　the　tags　in
his　coat；　saying　the　〃De　Profundis〃　under　his　breath。　　In　an
instant　the　sheet　is　drawn　slowly　down；　and　Dan　Burke　looks　out。　
The　Tramp　moves　uneasily；　then　looks　up；　and　springs　to　his　feet
with　a　movement　of　terror。｝

DAN
｛With　a　hoarse　voice。｝
Don't　be　afeard；　stranger；　a　man　that's　dead　can　do　no　hurt。

TRAMP
｛Trembling。｝
I　meant　no　harm；　your　honour；　and　won't　you　leave　me　easy　to　be
saying　a　little　prayer　for　your　soul？

｛A　long　whistle　is　heard　outside。｝

DAN
｛Sitting　up　in　his　bed　and　speaking　fiercely。｝
Ah；　the　devil　mend　her。　。　。　。　　Do　you　hear　that；　stranger？　　Did
ever　you　hear　another　woman　could　whistle　the　like　of　that　with
two　fingers　in　her　mouth？　　｛He　looks　at　the　table　hurriedly。｝　
I'm　destroyed　with　the　drouth；　and　let　you　bring　me　a　drop
quickly　before　herself　will　come　back。

TRAMP
｛Doubtfully。｝
Is　it　not　dead　you　are？

DAN
How　would　I　be　dead；　and　I　as　dry　as　a　baked　bone；　stranger？

TRAMP
｛Pouring　out　the　whisky。｝
What　will　herself　say　if　she　smells　the　stuff　on　you；　for　I'm
thinking　it's　not　for　nothing　you're　letting　on　to　be　dead？

DAN
It　is　not；　stranger；　but　she　won't　be　coming　near　me　at　all；　and
it's　not　long　now　I'll　be　letting　on；　for　I've　a　cramp　in　my
back；　and　my　hip's　asleep　on　me；　and　there's　been　the　devil's　own
fly　itching　my　nose。　　It's　near　dead　I　was　wanting　to　sneeze；　and
you　blathering　about　the　rain；　and　Darcy　｛bitterly｝　　the　devil
choke　him　　and　the　towering　church。　｛Crying　out　impatiently。｝　
Give　me　that　whisky。　　Would　you　have　herself　come　back　before　I
taste　a　drop　at　all？　

｛Tramp　gives　him　the　glass。｝

DAN
｛After　drinking。｝
Go　over　now　to　that　cupboard；　and　bring　me　a　black　stick　you'll
see　in　the　west　corner　by　the　wall。

TRAMP
｛Taking　a　stick　from　the　cupboard｝
Is　it　that？

DAN
It　is；　stranger；　it's　a　long　time　I'm　keeping　that　stick　for　I've
a　bad　wife　in　the　house。

TRAMP
｛With　a　queer　look。｝
Is　it　herself；　master　of　the　house；　and　she　a　grand　woman　to
talk？

DAN
It's　herself；　surely；　it's　a　bad　wife　she　is　　a　bad　wife　for　an
old　man；　and　I'm　getting　old；　God　help　me；　though　I've　an　arm　to
me　still。　｛He　takes　the　stick　in　his　hand。｝　　Let　you　wait　now　a
short　while；　and　it's　a　great　sight　you'll　see　in　this　room　in
two　hours　or　three。　　｛He　stops　to　listen。｝　　Is　that　somebody
above？

TRAMP
｛Listening。｝
There's　a　voice　speaking　on　the　path。

DAN
Put　that　stick　here　in　the　bed　and　smooth　the　sheet　the　way　it
was　lying。　　｛He　covers　himself　up　hastily。｝　　Be　falling　to　sleep
now　and　don't　let　on　you　know　anything；　or　I'll　be　having　your
life。　　I　wouldn't　have　told　you　at　all　but　it's　destroyed　with
the　drouth　I　was。

TRAMP
｛Covering　his　head。｝
Have　no　fear；　master　of　the　house。　　What　is　it　I　know　of　the　like
of　you　that　I'ld　be　saying　a　word　or　putting　out　my　hand　to　stay
you　at　all？

｛He　goes　back　to　the　fire；　sits　down　on　a　stool　with　his　back　to
the　bed　and　goes　on　stitching　his　coat。｝

DAN
｛Under　the　sheet；　querulously。｝
Stranger。

TRAMP
｛Quickly。｝
Whisht；　whisht。　　Be　quiet　I'm　telling　you；　they're　coming　now　at
the　door。

｛Nora　comes　in　with　Micheal　Dara；　a　tall；　innocent　young　man
behind　her。｝

NORA
I　wasn't　long　at　all；　stranger；　for　I　met　himself　on　the　path。

TRAMP
You　were　middling　long；　lady　of　the　house。

NORA
There　was　no　sign　from　himself？

TRAMP
No　sign　at　all；　lady　of　the　house。

NORA
｛To　Micheal。｝
Go　over　now　and　pull　down　the　sheet；　and　look　on　himself；　Micheal
Dara；　and　you'll　see　it's　the　truth　I'm　telling　you。

MICHEAL
I　will　not；　Nora；　I　do　be　afeard　of　the　dead。

｛He　sits　down　on　a　stool　next　the　table　facing　the　tramp。　　Nora
puts　the　kettle　on　a　lower　hook　of　the　pot　hooks；　and　piles　turf
under　it。｝

NORA
｛Turning　to　Tramp。｝
Will　you　drink　a　sup　of　tea　with　myself　and　the　young　man；
stranger；　or　｛speaking　more　persuasively｝　will　you　go　into　the
little　room　and　stretch　yourself　a　short　while　on　the　bed；　I'm
thinking　it's　destroyed　you　are　walking　the　length　of　that　way　in
the　great　rain。

TRAMP
Is　it　to　go　away　and　leave　you；　and　you　having　a　wake；　lady　of
the　house？　　I　will　not　surely。　　｛He　takes　a　drink　from　his　glass
which　he　has　beside　him。｝　　And　it's　none　of　your　tea　I'm　asking
either。

｛He　goes　on　stitching。　Nora　makes　the　tea。｝

MICHEAL
｛After　looking　at　the　tramp　rather　scornfully　for　a　moment。｝
That's　a　poor　coat　you　have；　God　help　you；　and　I'm　thinking　it's
a　poor　tailor　you　are　with　it。

TRAMP
If　it's　a　poor　tailor　I　am；　I'm　thinking　it's　a　poor　herd　does　be
running　back　and　forward　after　a　little　handful　of　ewes　the　way　I
seen　yourself　running　this　day；　young　fellow；　and　you　coming　from
the　fair。

｛Nora　comes　back　to　the　table。｝

NORA
｛To　Micheal　in　a　low　voice。｝
Let　you　not　mind　him　at　all；　Micheal　Dara；　he　has　a　drop　taken
and　it's　soon　he'll　be　falling　asleep。

MICHEAL
It's　no　lie　he's　telling；　I　was　destroyed　surely。　　They　were　that
wilful　they　were　running　off　into　one　man's　bit　of　oats；　and
another　man's　bit　of　hay；　and　tumbling　into　the　red　bogs　till
it's　more　like　a　pack　of　old　goats　than　sheep　they　were。　
Mountain　ewes　is　a　queer　breed；　Nora　Burke；　and　I'm　not　used　to
them　at　all。

NORA
｛Settling　the　tea　things。｝
There's　no　one　can　drive　a　mountain　ewe　but　the　men　do　be　reared
in　the　Glen　Malure；　I've　heard　them　say；　and　above　by　Rathvanna；
and　the　Glen　Imaal；　men　the　like　of　Patch　Darcy；　God　spare　his
soul；　who　would　walk　through　five　hundred　sheep　and　miss　one　of
them；　and　he　not　reckoning　them　at　all。

MICHEAL
｛Uneasily。｝
Is　it　the　man　went　queer　in　his　head　the　year　that's　gone？

NORA
It　is　surely。

TRAMP
｛Plaintively。｝
That　was　a　great　man；　young　fellow；　a　great　man　I'm　telling　you。　
There　was　never　a　lamb　from　his　own　ewes　he　wouldn't　know　before
it　was　marked；　and　he'ld　run　from　this　to　the　city　of　Dublin　and
never　catch　for　his　breath。

NORA
｛Turning　round　quickly。｝
He　was　a　great　man　surely；　stranger；　and　isn't　it　a　grand　thing
when　you　hear　a　living　man　saying　a　good　word　of　a　dead　man；　and
he　mad　dying？

TRAMP
It's　the　truth　I'm　saying；　God　spare　his　soul。

｛He　puts　the　needle　under　the　collar　of　his　coat；　and　settles
himself　to　sleep　in　the　chimney…corner。