the well of the saints-第2章

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walking　up　before　the　turn　of　day；　and　not　waiting　below　to　look

on　them　lepping；　or　dancing；　or　playing　shows　on　the　green　of

Clash。



TIMMY　　＇huffed。＇　　I　was　coming　to　tell　you　it's　in　this　place

there'd　be　a　bigger　wonder　done　in　a　short　while　（Martin　Doul

stops　working）　than　was　ever　done　on　the　green　of　Clash；　or　the

width　of　Leinster　itself；　but　you're　thinking；　maybe；　you're　too

cute　a　little　fellow　to　be　minding　me　at　all。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇amused；　but　incredulous。＇　　There'll　be　wonders

in　this　place；　is　it？



TIMMY。　　Here　at　the　crossing　of　the　roads。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　I　never　heard　tell　of　anything　to　happen　in　this

place　since　the　night　they　killed　the　old　fellow　going　home　with

his　gold；　the　Lord　have　mercy　on　him；　and　threw　down　his　corpse

into　the　bog。　　Let　them　not　be　doing　the　like　of　that　this　night；

for　it's　ourselves　have　a　right　to　the　crossing　roads；　and　we

don't　want　any　of　your　bad　tricks；　or　your　wonders　either；　for

it's　wonder　enough　we　are　ourselves。



TIMMY。　　If　I'd　a　mind　I'd　be　telling　you　of　a　real　wonder　this

day；　and　the　way　you'll　be　having　a　great　joy；　maybe；　you're　not

thinking　on　at　all。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇interested。＇　　Are　they　putting　up　a　still

behind　in　the　rocks？　　It'd　be　a　grand　thing　if　I'd　sup　handy　the

way　I　wouldn't　be　destroying　myself　groping　up　across　the　bogs　in

the　rain　falling。



TIMMY　　＇still　moodily。＇　　It's　not　a　still　they're　bringing；

or　the　like　of　it　either。



MARY　DOUL　　＇persuasively；　to　Timmy。＇　　Maybe　they're　hanging　a

thief；　above　at　the　bit　of　a　tree。　　I'm　told　it's　a　great　sight

to　see　a　man　hanging　by　his　neck；　but　what　joy　would　that　be　to

ourselves；　and　we　not　seeing　it　at　all？



TIMMY　　＇more　pleasantly。＇　　They're　hanging　no　one　this　day；

Mary　Doul；　and　yet；　with　the　help　of　God；　you'll　see　a　power

hanged　before　you　die。



MARY　DOUL。　　Well　you've　queer　hum…bugging　talk。　。　。　。　　What　way

would　I　see　a　power　hanged；　and　I　a　dark　woman　since　the　seventh

year　of　my　age？



TIMMY。　　Did　ever　you　hear　tell　of　a　place　across　a　bit　of　the

sea；　where　there　is　an　island；　and　the　grave　of　the　four

beautiful　saints？



MARY　DOUL。　　I've　heard　people　have　walked　round　from　the　west　and

they　speaking　of　that。



TIMMY　　＇impressively。＇　　There's　a　green　ferny　well；　I'm　told；

behind　of　that　place；　and　if　you　put　a　drop　of　the　water　out　of

it　on　the　eyes　of　a　blind　man；　you'll　make　him　see　as　well　as　any

person　is　walking　the　world。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇with　excitement。＇　　Is　that　the　truth；　Timmy？　

I'm　thinking　you're　telling　a　lie。



TIMMY　　＇gruffly。＇　　That's　the　truth；　Martin　Doul；　and　you　may

believe　it　now；　for　you're　after　believing　a　power　of　things

weren't　as　likely　at　all。



MARY　DOUL。　　Maybe　we　could　send　us　a　young　lad　to　bring　us　the

water。　　I　could　wash　a　naggin　bottle　in　the　morning；　and　I'm

thinking　Patch　Ruadh　would　go　for　it；　if　we　gave　him　a　good

drink；　and　the　bit　of　money　we　have　hid　in　the　thatch。



TIMMY。　　It'd　be　no　good　to　be　sending　a　sinful　man　the　like　of

ourselves；　for　I'm　told　the　holiness　of　the　water　does　be　getting

soiled　with　the　villainy　of　your　heart；　the　time　you'd　be

carrying　it；　and　you　looking　round　on　the　girls；　maybe；　or

drinking　a　small　sup　at　a　still。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇with　disappointment。＇　　It'd　be　a　long　terrible

way　to　be　walking　ourselves；　and　I'm　thinking　that's　a　wonder

will　bring　small　joy　to　us　at　all。



TIMMY　　＇turning　on　him　impatiently。＇　　What　is　it　you　want

with　your　walking？　　It's　as　deaf　as　blind　you're　growing　if

you're　not　after　hearing　me　say　it's　in　this　place　the　wonder

would　be　done。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇with　a　flash　of　anger。＇　　If　it　is　can't　you

open　the　big　slobbering　mouth　you　have　and　say　what　way　it'll　be

done；　and　not　be　making　blather　till　the　fall　of　night。



TIMMY　　＇jumping　up。＇　　I'll　be　going　on　now　（Mary　Doul　rises）；

and　not　wasting　time　talking　civil　talk　with　the　like　of　you。



MARY　DOUL　　＇standing　up；　disguising　her　impatience。＇　　Let　you

come　here　to　me；　Timmy；　and　not　be　minding　him　at　all。　（Timmy

stops；　and　she　gropes　up　to　him　and　takes　him　by　the　coat）。＇　

You're　not　huffy　with　myself；　and　let　you　tell　me　the　whole　story

and　don't　be　fooling　me　more。　。　。　。　　Is　it　yourself　has　brought

us　the　water？



TIMMY。　　It　is　not；　surely。



MARY　DOUL。　　Then　tell　us　your　wonder；　Timmy。　。　。　。　　What

person'll　bring　it　at　all？



TIMMY　　＇relenting。＇　　It's　a　fine　holy　man　will　bring　it；　a

saint　of　the　Almighty　God。



MARY　DOUL　　＇overawed。＇　　A　saint　is　it？



TIMMY。　　Ay；　a　fine　saint；　who's　going　round　through　the　churches

of　Ireland；　with　a　long　cloak　on　him；　and　naked　feet；　for　he's

brought　a　sup　of　the　water　slung　at　his　side；　and；　with　the　like

of　him；　any　little　drop　is　enough　to　cure　the　dying；　or　to　make

the　blind　see　as　clear　as　the　gray　hawks　do　be　high　up；　on　a

still　day；　sailing　the　sky。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇feeling　for　his　stick。＇　　What　place　is　he；

Timmy？　　I'll　be　walking　to　him　now。



TIMMY。　　Let　you　stay　quiet；　Martin。　He's　straying　around　saying

prayers　at　the　churches　and　high　crosses；　between　this　place　and

the　hills；　and　he　with　a　great　crowd　go…　ing　behind　　for　it's

fine　prayers　he　does　be　saying；　and　fasting　with　it；　till　he's　as

thin　as　one　of　the　empty　rushes　you　have　there　on　your　knee；　then

he'll　be　coming　after　to　this　place　to　cure　the　two　of　you　

we're　after　telling　him　the　way　you　are　　and　to　say　his　prayers

in　the　church。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇turning　suddenly　to　Mary　Doul。＇　　And　we'll　be

seeing　ourselves　this　day。　　Oh；　glory　be　to　God；　is　it　true

surely？



MARY　DOUL　　＇very　pleased；　to　Timmy。＇　　Maybe　I'd　have　time　to

walk　down　and　get　the　big　shawl　I　have　below；　for　I　do　look　my

best；　I've　heard　them　say；　when　I'm　dressed　up　with　that　thing　on

my　head。



TIMMY。　　You'd　have　time　surely。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇listening。＇　　Whisht　now。　。　。　。　　I　hear　people

again　coming　by　the　stream。



TIMMY　　＇looking　out　left；　puzzled。＇　　It's　the　young　girls　I

left　walking　after　the　Saint。　。　。　。　　They're　coming　now　（goes　up

to　entrance）　carrying　things　in　their　hands；　and　they　walking　as

easy　as　you'd　see　a　child　walk　who'd　have　a　dozen　eggs　hid　in　her

bib。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇listening。＇　　That's　Molly　Byrne；　I'm　thinking。



＇Molly　Byrne　and　Bride　come　on　left　and　cross　to　Martin　Doul；

carrying　water…can；　Saint's　bell；　and　cloak。＇



MOLLY　　＇volubly。＇　　God　bless　you；　Martin。　　I've　holy　water

here；　from　the　grave　of　the　four　saints　of　the　west；　will　have

you　cured　in　a　short　while　and　seeing　like　ourselves。



TIMMY　　＇crosses　to　Molly；　interrupting　her。＇　　He's　heard

that。　　God　help　you。　　But　where　at　all　is　the　Saint；　and　what　way

is　he　after　trusting　the　holy　water　with　the　likes　of　you？



MOLLY　BYRNE。　　He　was　afeard　to　go　a　far　way　with　the　clouds　is

coming　beyond；　so　he's　gone　up　now　through　the　thick　woods　to　say

a　prayer　at　the　crosses　of　Grianan；　and　he's　coming　on　this　road

to　the　church。



TIMMY　　＇still　astonished。＇　　And　he's　after　leaving　the　holy

water　with　the　two　of　you？　　It's　a　wonder；　surely。　＇Comes　down

left　a　little。＇



MOLLY　BYRNE。　　The　lads　told　him　no　person　could　carry　them　things

through　the　briars；　and　steep；　slippy…feeling　rocks　he'll　be

climbing　above；　so　he　looked　round　then；　and　gave　the　water；　and

his　big　cloak；　and　his　bell　to　the　two　of　us；　for　young　girls；

says　he；　are　the　cleanest　holy　people　you'd　see　walking　the

world。　＇Mary　Doul　goes　near　seat。＇



MARY　DOUL　　＇sits　down；　laughing　to　herself。＇　　Well；　the

Saint's　a　simple　fellow；　and　it's　no　lie。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇leaning　forward；　holding　out　his　hands。＇　　Let

you　give　me　the　water　in　my　hand；　Molly　Byrne；　the　way　I'll　know

you　have　it　surely。



MOLLY　BYRNE　　＇giving　it　to　him。＇　　Wonders　is　queer　things；

and　maybe　it'd　cure　you；　and　you　holding　it　alone。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇looking　round。＇　　It　does　not；　Molly。　　I'm　not

seeing　at　all。　　（He　shakes　the　can。）　　There's　a　small　sup　on