the well of the saints-第6章

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it　a　queer　thing　she　can't　keep　herself　two　days　without　looking

on　my　face？



TIMMY　　＇jeeringly。＇　　Looking　on　your　face　is　it？　　And　she

after　going　by　with　her　head　turned　the　way　you'd　see　a　priest

going　where　there'd　be　a　drunken　man　in　the　side　ditch　talking

with　a　girl。　　（Martin　Doul　gets　up　and　goes　to　corner　of　forge；

and　looks　out　left。）　　Come　back　here　and　don't　mind　her　at　all。　

Come　back　here；　I'm　saying；　you've　no　call　to　be　spying　behind

her　since　she　went　off；　and　left　you；　in　place　of　breaking　her

heart；　trying　to　keep　you　in　the　decency　of　clothes　and　food。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇crying　out　indignantly。＇　　You　know　rightly；

Timmy；　it　was　myself　drove　her　away。



TIMMY。　　That's　a　lie　you're　telling；　yet　it's　little　I　care　which

one　of　you　was　driving　the　other；　and　let　you　walk　back　here；　I'm

saying；　to　your　work。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇turning　round。＇　　I'm　coming；　surely。



＇He　stops　and　looks　out　right；　going　a　step　or　two　towards

centre。＇



TIMMY。　　On　what　is　it　you're　gaping；　Martin　Doul？



MARTIN　DOUL。　　There's　a　person　walking　above。　。　。　。　　It's　Molly

Byrne；　I'm　thinking；　coming　down　with　her　can。



TIMMY。　　If　she　is　itself　let　you　not　be　idling　this　day；　or

minding　her　at　all；　and　let　you　hurry　with　them　sticks；　for　I'll

want　you　in　a　short　while　to　be　blowing　in　the　forge。　＇He　throws

down　pot…hooks。＇



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇crying　out。＇　　Is　it　roasting　me　now　you'd　be？　

（Turns　back　and　sees　pot…hooks；　he　takes　them　up。）　　Pot…hooks？　

Is　it　over　them　you've　been　inside　sneezing　and　sweating　since

the　dawn　of　day？



TIMMY　　＇resting　himself　on　anvil；　with　satisfaction。＇　　I'm

making　a　power　of　things　you　do　have　when　you're　settling　with　a

wife；　Martin　Doul；　for　I　heard　tell　last　night　the　Saint'll　be

passing　again　in　a　short　while；　and　I'd　have　him　wed　Molly　with

myself。　。　。　。　He'd　do　it；　I've　heard　them　say；　for　not　a　penny　at

all。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇lays　down　hooks　and　looks　at　him　steadily。＇　

Molly'll　be　saying　great　praises　now　to　the　Almighty　God　and　He

giving　her　a　fine；　stout；　hardy　man　the　like　of　you。



TIMMY　　＇uneasily。＇　　And　why　wouldn't　she；　if　she's　a　fine

woman　itself？



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇looking　up　right。＇　　Why　wouldn't　she；　indeed；

Timmy？　。　。　。　。　The　Almighty　God's　made　a　fine　match　in　the　two　of

you；　for　if　you　went　marrying　a　woman　was　the　like　of　yourself

you'd　be　having　the　fearfullest　little　children；　I'm　thinking；

was　ever　seen　in　the　world。



TIMMY　　＇seriously　offended。＇　　God　forgive　you！　if　you're　an

ugly　man　to　be　looking　at；　I'm　thinking　your　tongue's　worse　than

your　view。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇hurt　also。＇　　Isn't　it　destroyed　with　the　cold　I

am；　and　if　I'm　ugly　itself　I　never　seen　anyone　the　like　of　you

for　dreepiness　this　day；　Timmy　the　smith；　and　I'm　thinking　now

herself's　coming　above　you'd　have　a　right　to　step　up　into　your

old　shanty；　and　give　a　rub　to　your　face；　and　not　be　sitting　there

with　your　bleary　eyes；　and　your　big　nose；　the　like　of　an　old

scarecrow　stuck　down　upon　the　road。



TIMMY　　＇looking　up　the　road　uneasily。＇　She's　no　call　to　mind

what　way　I　look；　and　I　after　building　a　house　with　four　rooms　in

it　above　on　the　hill。　　（He　stands　up。）　　But　it's　a　queer　thing

the　way　yourself　and　Mary　Doul　are　after　setting　every　person　in

this　place；　and　up　beyond　to　Rathvanna；　talking　of　nothing；　and

thinking　of　nothing；　but　the　way　they　do　be　looking　in　the　face。　

（Going　towards　forge。）　　It's　the　devil's　work　you're　after　doing

with　your　talk　of　fine　looks；　and　I'd　do　right；　maybe；　to　step　in

and　wash　the　blackness　from　my　eyes。



＇He　goes　into　forge。　　Martin　Doul　rubs　his　face　furtively　with

the　tail　of　his　coat。　　Molly　Byrne　comes　on　right　with　a

water…can；　and　begins　to　fill　it　at　the　well。＇



MARTIN　DOUL。　　God　save　you；　Molly　Byrne。



MOLLY　BYRNE　　＇indifferently。＇　　God　save　you。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　That's　a　dark；　gloomy　day；　and　the　Lord　have　mercy

on　us　all。



MOLLY　BYRNE。　　Middling　dark。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　It's　a　power　of　dirty　days；　and　dark　mornings；　and

shabby…looking　fellows　（he　makes　a　gesture　over　his　shoulder）　we

do　have　to　be　looking　on　when　we　have　our　sight；　God　help　us；　but

there's　one　fine　thing　we　have；　to　be　looking　on　a　grand；　white；

handsome　girl；　the　like　of　you　。　。　。　。　and　every　time　I　set　my

eyes　on　you　I　do　be　blessing　the　saints；　and　the　holy　water；　and

the　power　of　the　Lord　Almighty　in　the　heavens　above。



MOLLY　BYRNE。　　I've　heard　the　priests　say　it　isn't　looking　on　a

young　girl　would　teach　many　to　be　saying　their　prayers。　＇Bailing

water　into　her　can　with　a　cup。＇



MARTIN　DOUL。　　It　isn't　many　have　been　the　way　I　was；　hearing　your

voice　speaking；　and　not　seeing　you　at　all。



MOLLY　BYRNE。　　That　should　have　been　a　queer　time　for　an　old；

wicked；　coaxing　fool　to　be　sitting　there　with　your　eyes　shut；　and

not　seeing　a　sight　of　girl　or　woman　passing　the　road。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　If　it　was　a　queer　time　itself　it　was　great　joy　and

pride　I　had　the　time　I'd　hear　your　voice　speaking　and　you　passing

to　Grianan　（beginning　to　speak　with　plaintive　intensity）；　for

it's　of　many　a　fine　thing　your　voice　would　put　a　poor　dark　fellow

in　mind；　and　the　day　I'd　hear　it　it's　of　little　else　at　all　I

would　be　thinking。



MOLLY　BYRNE。　　I'll　tell　your　wife　if　you　talk　to　me　the　like　of

that。　。　。　。　　You've　heard；　maybe；　she's　below　picking　nettles　for

the　widow　O'Flinn；　who　took　great　pity　on　her　when　she　seen　the

two　of　you　fighting；　and　yourself　putting　shame　on　her　at　the

crossing　of　the　roads。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇impatiently。＇　　Is　there　no　living　person　can

speak　a　score　of　words　to　me；　or　say　〃God　speed　you；〃　itself；

without　putting　me　in　mind　of　the　old　woman；　or　that　day　either

at　Grianan？



MOLLY　BYRNE　　＇maliciously。＇　　I　was　thinking　it　should　be　a

fine　thing　to　put　you　in　mind　of　the　day　you　called　the　grand　day

of　your　life。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　Grand　day；　is　it？　（Plaintively　again；　throwing

aside　his　work；　and　leaning　towards　her。）　　Or　a　bad　black　day

when　I　was　roused　up　and　found　I　was　the　like　of　the　little

children　do　be　listening　to　the　stories　of　an　old　woman；　and　do

be　dreaming　after　in　the　dark　night　that　it's　in　grand　houses　of

gold　they　are；　with　speckled　horses　to　ride；　and　do　be　waking

again；　in　a　short　while；　and　they　destroyed　with　the　cold；　and

the　thatch　dripping；　maybe；　and　the　starved　ass　braying　in　the

yard？



MOLLY　BYRNE　　＇working　indifferently。＇　　You've　great　romancing

this　day；　Martin　Doul。　　Was　it　up　at　the　still　you　were　at　the

fall　of　night？



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇stands　up；　comes　towards　her；　but　stands　at　far

（right）　side　of　well。＇　　It　was　not；　Molly　Byrne；　but　lying　down

in　a　little　rickety　shed。　。　。　。　　Lying　down　across　a　sop　of

straw；　and　I　thinking　I　was　seeing　you　walk；　and　hearing　the

sound　of　your　step　on　a　dry　road；　and　hearing　you　again；　and　you

laughing　and　making　great　talk　in　a　high　room　with　dry　timber

lining　the　roof。　　For　it's　a　fine　sound　your　voice　has　that　time；

and　it's　better　I　am；　I'm　thinking；　lying　down；　the　way　a　blind

man　does　be　lying；　than　to　be　sitting　here　in　the　gray　light

taking　hard　words　of　Timmy　the　smith。



MOLLY　BYRNE　　＇looking　at　him　with　interest。＇　　It's　queer　talk

you　have　if　it's　a　little；　old；　shabby　stump　of　a　man　you　are

itself。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　I'm　not　so　old　as　you　do　hear　them　say。



MOLLY　BYRNE。　　You're　old；　I'm　thinking；　to　be　talking　that　talk

with　a　girl。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇despondingly。＇　　It's　not　a　lie　you're　telling；

maybe；　for　it's　long　years　I'm　after　losing　from　the　world；

feeling　love　and　talking　love；　with　the　old　woman；　and　I　fooled

the　whole　while　with　the　lies　of　Timmy　the　smith。



MOLLY　BYRNE　　＇half　invitingly。＇　　It's　a　fine　way　you're

wanting　to　pay　Timmy　the　smith。　。　。　。　　And　it's　not　his　LIES

you're　making　love　to　this　day；　Martin　Doul。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　It　is　not；　Molly；　and　the　Lord　forgive　us　all。　　（He

passes　behind　her　and　comes　near　her　left。）　　For　I've　heard　tell