in the shadow of the glen-第3章

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｛He　puts　the　needle　under　the　collar　of　his　coat；　and　settles
himself　to　sleep　in　the　chimney…corner。　Nora　sits　down　at　the
table；　their　backs　are　turned　to　the　bed。｝

MICHEAL
｛Looking　at　her　with　a　queer　look。｝
I　heard　tell　this　day；　Nora　Burke；　that　it　was　on　the　path　below
Patch　Darcy　would　be　passing　up　and　passing　down；　and　I　heard
them　say　he'ld　never　past　it　night　or　morning　without　speaking
with　yourself。

NORA
｛In　a　low　voice。｝
It　was　no　lie　you　heard；　Micheal　Dara。

MICHEAL
I'm　thinking　it's　a　power　of　men　you're　after　knowing　if　it's　in
a　lonesome　place　you　live　itself。

NORA
｛Giving　him　his　tea。｝
It's　in　a　lonesome　place　you　do　have　to　be　talking　with　some　one；
and　looking　for　some　one；　in　the　evening　of　the　day；　and　if　it's
a　power　of　men　I'm　after　knowing　they　were　fine　men；　for　I　was　a
hard　child　to　please；　and　a　hard　girl　to　please　｛she　looks　at　him
a　little　sternly｝；　and　it's　a　hard　woman　I　am　to　please　this　day；
Micheal　Dara；　and　it's　no　lie　I'm　telling　you。

MICHEAL
｛Looking　over　to　see　that　the　tramp　is　asleep；　and　then　pointing
to　the　dead　man。｝
Was　it　a　hard　woman　to　please　you　were　when　you　took　himself　for
your　man？

NORA
What　way　would　I　live　and　I　an　old　woman　if　I　didn't　marry　a　man
with　a　bit　of　a　farm；　and　cows　on　it；　and　sheep　on　the　back
hills？

MICHEAL
｛Considering。｝
That's　true；　Nora；　and　maybe　it's　no　fool
you　were；　for　there's　good　grazing　on　it；　if
it　is　a　lonesome　place；　and　I'm　thinking　it's
a　good　sum　he's　left　behind。
28

NORA
｛Taking　the　stocking　with　money　from　her　pocket；　and　putting　it
on　the　table。｝
I　do　be　thinking　in　the　long　nights　it　was　a　big　fool　I　was　that
time；　Micheal　Dara；　for　what　good　is　a　bit　of　a　farm　with　cows　on　
it；　and　sheep　on　the　back　hills；　when　you　do　be　sitting　looking
out　from　a　door　the　like　of　that　door；　and　seeing　nothing　but　the
mists　rolling　down　the　bog；　and　the　mists　again；　and　they　rolling
up　the　bog；　and　hearing　nothing　but　the　wind　crying　out　in　the
bits　of　broken　trees　were　left　from　the　great　storm；　and　the
streams　roaring　with　the　rain。

MICHEAL
｛Looking　at　her　uneasily。｝
What　is　it　ails　you；　this　night；　Nora　Burke？　I've　heard　tell　it's
the　like　of　that　talk　you　do　hear　from　men；　and　they　after　being
a　great　while　on　the　back　hills。

NORA
｛Putting　out　the　money　on　the　table。｝
It's　a　bad　night；　and　a　wild　night；　Micheal　Dara；　and　isn't　it　a
great　while　I　am　at　the　foot　of　the　back　hills；　sitting　up　here
boiling　food　for　himself；　and　food　for　the　brood　sow；　and　baking
a　cake　when　the　night　falls？　　｛She　puts　up　the　money；　listlessly；
in　little　piles　on　the　table。｝　　Isn't　it　a　long　while　I　am
sitting　here　in　the　winter　and　the　summer；　and　the　fine　spring；
with　the　young　growing　behind　me　and　the　old　passing；　saying　to
myself　one　time；　to　look　on　Mary　Brien　who　wasn't　that　height
｛holding　out　her　hand｝；　and　I　a　fine　girl　growing　up；　and　there
she　is　now　with　two　children；　and　another　coming　on　her　in　three
months　or　four。　｛She　pauses。｝

MICHEAL
｛Moving　over　three　of　the　piles。｝
That's　three　pounds　we　have　now；　Nora　Burke。

NORA
｛Continuing　in　the　same　voice。｝
And　saying　to　myself　another　time；　to　look　on　Peggy　Cavanagh；　who
had　the　lightest　hand　at　milking　a　cow　that　wouldn't　be　easy；　or
turning　a　cake；　and　there　she　is　now　walking　round　on　the　roads；
or　sitting　in　a　dirty　old　house；　with　no　teeth　in　her　mouth；　and
no　sense　and　no　more　hair　than　you'ld　see　on　a　bit　of　a　hill　and
they　after　burning　the　furze　from　it。

MICHEAL
That's　five　pounds　and　ten　notes；　a　good　sum；　surely！　。　。　。　　It's
not　that　way　you'll　be　talking　when　you　marry　a　young　man；　Nora
Burke；　and　they　were　saying　in　the　fair　my　lambs　were　the　best
lambs；　and　I　got　a　grand　price；　for　I'm　no　fool　now　at　making　a
bargain　when　my　lambs　are　good。

NORA
What　was　it　you　got？

MICHEAL
Twenty　pound　for　the　lot；　Nora　Burke。　。　。　。　We'ld　do　right　to
wait　now　till　himself　will　be　quiet　awhile　in　the　Seven　Churches；
and　then　you'll　marry　me　in　the　chapel　of　Rathvanna；　and　I'll
bring　the　sheep　up　on　the　bit　of　a　hill　you　have　on　the　back
mountain；　and　we　won't　have　anything　we'ld　be　afeard　to　let　our
minds　on　when　the　mist　is　down。

NORA
｛Pouring　him　out　some　whisky。｝
Why　would　I　marry　you；　Mike　Dara？　You'll　be　getting　old　and　I'll
be　getting　old；　and　in　a　little　while　I'm　telling　you；　you'll　be
sitting　up　in　your　bed　　the　way　himself　was　sitting　　with　a
shake　in　your　face；　and　your　teeth　falling；　and　the　white　hair
sticking　out　round　you　like　an　old　bush　where　sheep　do　be
leaping　a　gap。

｛Dan　Burke　sits　up　noiselessly　from　under　the　sheet；　with　his
hand　to　his　face。　　His　white　hair　is　sticking　out　round　his
head。｝

NORA
｛Goes　on　slowly　without　hearing　him。｝
It's　a　pitiful　thing　to　be　getting　old；　but　it's　a　queer　thing
surely。　　It's　a　queer　thing　to　see　an　old　man　sitting　up　there　in
his　bed　with　no　teeth　in　him；　and　a　rough　word　in　his　mouth；
and　his　chin　the　way　it　would　take　the　bark　from　the　edge　of　an
oak　board　you'ld　have　building　a　door。　。　。　。　　God　forgive　me；
Micheal　Dara；　we'll　all　be　getting　old；　but　it's　a　queer　thing
surely。

MICHEAL
It's　too　lonesome　you　are　from　living　a　long　time　with　an　old
man；　Nora；　and　you're　talking　again　like　a　herd　that　would　be
coming　down　from　the　thick　mist　｛he　puts　his　arm　round　her｝；　but
it's　a　fine　life　you'll　have　now　with　a　young　man；　a　fine　life
surely。　。　。　。

｛Dan　sneezes　violently。　　Micheal　tries　to　get　to　the　door；　but
before　he　can　do　so；　Dan　jumps　out　of　the　bed　in　queer　white
clothes；　with　his　stick　in　his　hand；　and　goes　over　and　puts　his
back　against　it。｝

MICHEAL
Son　of　God　deliver　us。

｛Crosses　himself；　and　goes　backward　across　the　room。｝

DAN
｛Holding　up　his　hand　at　him。｝
Now　you'll　not　marry　her　the　time　I'm　rotting　below　in　the　Seven
Churches；　and　you'll　see　the　thing　I'll　give　you　will　follow　you
on　the　back　mountains　when　the　wind　is　high。

MICHEAL
｛To　Nora。｝
Get　me　out　of　it；　Nora；　for　the　love　of　God。　He　always　did　what
you　bid　him；　and　I'm　thinking　he　would　do　it　now。

NORA
｛Looking　at　the　Tramp。｝
Is　it　dead　he　is　or　living？

DAN
｛Turning　towards　her。｝
It's　little　you　care　if　it's　dead　or　living　I　am；　but　there'll　be
an　end　now　of　your　fine　times；　and　all　the　talk　you　have　of　young
men　and　old　men；　and　of　the　mist　coming　up　or　going　down。　　｛He
opens　the　door。｝　　You'll　walk　out　now　from　that　door；　Nora　Burke；
and　it's　not　to…morrow；　or　the　next　day；　or　any　day　of　your　life；
that　you'll　put　in　your　foot　through　it　again。

TRAMP
｛Standing　up。｝
It's　a　hard　thing　you're　saying　for　an　old　man；　master　of　the
house；　and　what　would　the　like　of　her　do　if　you　put　her　out　on
the　roads？

DAN
Let　her　walk　round　the　like　of　Peggy　Cavanagh　below；　and　be
begging　money　at　the　cross…road；　or　selling　songs　to　the　men。　
｛To　Nora。｝　　Walk　out　now；　Nora　Burke；　and　it's　soon　you'll　be
getting　old　with　that　life；　I'm　telling　you；　it's　soon　your
teeth'll　be　falling　and　your　head'll　be　the　like　of　a　bush　where
sheep　do　be　leaping　a　gap。

｛He　pauses：　she　looks　round　at　Micheal。｝

MICHEAL
｛Timidly。｝
There's　a　fine　Union　below　in　Rathdrum。

DAN
The　like　of　her　would　never　go　there。　。　。　。　It's　lonesome　roads
she'll　be　going　and　hiding　herself　away　till　the　end　will　come；
and　they　find　her　stretched　like　a　dead　sheep　with　the　frost　on
her；　or　the　big　spiders；　maybe；　and　they　putting　their　webs　on
her；　in　the　butt　of　a　ditch。

NORA
｛Angrily。｝
What　way　will　yourself　be　that　day；　Daniel　Burke？　　What　way　will
you　be　that　day　and　you　lying　down　a　long　while　in　your　grave？
For　it's　bad　you　are　living；　and　it's　bad　you'll　be　when　you're
dead。　　｛She　looks　at　him　a　moment　fiercely；　then　half　turns　away
and　speaks　plaintively　again。｝　　Yet；　if　it　is　itself；　Daniel
Burke；　who　can　help　it　at　all；　and　let　you　be　getting　up　into
your　bed；　and　not　be　taking　your　death　with　the　wind　blowing　on
you；　and　the　rain　with　it；　and　you　half　in　your　skin。

DAN
It's　proud　and　happy　you'ld　be　if　I　was　getting　my　death　the　day
I　was　shut　of　yourself。　｛Pointing　to　the　door。｝　　Let　you　walk　out
through　that　door；　I'm　telling　you；　and　let　you　not　be　passing
this　way　if　it's　hungry　you　are；　or