the well of the saints-第8章

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MOLLY　BYRNE。　　Keep　him　off　from　me；　Timmy！



TIMMY　　＇pushing　Martin　Doul　aside。＇　　Would　you　have　me　strike

you；　Martin　Doul？　Go　along　now　after　your　wife；　who's　a　fit　match

for　you；　and　leave　Molly　with　myself。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇despairingly。＇　　Won't　you　raise　your　voice；

Molly；　and　lay　hell's　long　curse　on　his　tongue？



MOLLY　BYRNE　　＇on　Timmy's　left。＇　　I'll　be　telling　him　it's

destroyed　I　am　with　the　sight　of　you　and　the　sound　of　your　voice。　

Go　off　now　after　your　wife；　and　if　she　beats　you　again；　let　you

go　after　the　tinker　girls　is　above　running　the　hills；　or　down

among　the　sluts　of　the　town；　and　you'll　learn　one　day；　maybe；　the

way　a　man　should　speak　with　a　well…reared；　civil　girl　the　like　of

me。　　（She　takes　Timmy　by　the　arm。）　　Come　up　now　into　the　forge

till　he'll　be　gone　down　a　bit　on　the　road；　for　it's　near　afeard　I

am　of　the　wild　look　he　has　come　in　his　eyes。



＇She　goes　into　the　forge。　　Timmy　stops　in　the　doorway。＇



TIMMY。　　Let　me　not　find　you　out　here　again；　Martin　Doul。　　（He

bares　his　arm。）　It's　well　you　know　Timmy　the　smith　has　great

strength　in　his　arm；　and　it's　a　power　of　things　it　has　broken　a

sight　harder　than　the　old　bone　of　your　skull。



＇He　goes　into　the　forge　and　pulls　the　door　after　him。＇



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇stands　a　moment　with　his　hand　to　his　eyes。＇　

And　that's　the　last　thing　I'm　to　set　my　sight　on　in　the　life　of

the　world　　the　villainy　of　a　woman　and　the　bloody　strength　of　a

man。　　Oh；　God；　pity　a　poor；　blind　fellow；　the　way　I　am　this　day

with　no　strength　in　me　to　do　hurt　to　them　at　all。　（He　begins

groping　about　for　a　moment；　then　stops。）　　Yet　if　I've　no　strength

in　me　I've　a　voice　left　for　my　prayers；　and　may　God　blight　them

this　day；　and　my　own　soul　the　same　hour　with　them；　the　way　I'll

see　them　after；　Molly　Byrne　and　Timmy　the　smith；　the　two　of　them

on　a　high　bed；　and　they　screeching　in　hell。　。　。　。　　It'll　be　a

grand　thing　that　time　to　look　on　the　two　of　them；　and　they

twisting　and　roaring　out；　and　twisting　and　roaring　again；　one　day

and　the　next　day；　and　each　day　always　and　ever。　　It's　not　blind

I'll　be　that　time；　and　it　won't　be　hell　to　me；　I'm　thinking；　but

the　like　of　heaven　itself；　and　it's　fine　care　I'll　be　taking　the

Lord　Almighty　doesn't　know。　＇He　turns　to　grope　out。＇



CURTAIN







　ACT　III



＇The　same　Scene　as　in　first　Act；　but　gap　in　centre　has　been

filled　with　briars；　or　branches　of　some　sort。　　Mary　Doul；　blind

again；　gropes　her　way　in　on　left；　and　sits　as　before。　　She　has　a

few　rushes　with　her。　　It　is　an　early　spring　day。



MARY　DOUL　　＇mournfully。＇　　Ah；　God　help　me　。　。　。　God　help　me；

the　blackness　wasn't　so　black　at　all　the　other　time　as　it　is　this

time；　and　it's　destroyed　I'll　be　now；　and　hard　set　to　get　my

living　working　alone；　when　it's　few　are　passing　and　the　winds　are

cold。　（She　begins　shredding　rushes。）　　I'm　thinking　short　days

will　be　long　days　to　me　from　this　time；　and　I　sitting　here；　not

seeing　a　blink；　or　hearing　a　word；　and　no　thought　in　my　mind　but

long　prayers　that　Martin　Doul'll　get　his　reward　in　a　short　while

for　the　villainy　of　his　heart。　　It's　great　jokes　the　people'll　be

making　now；　I'm　thinking；　and　they　pass　me　by；　pointing　their

fingers　maybe；　and　asking　what　place　is　himself；　the　way　it's　no

quiet　or　decency　I'll　have　from　this　day　till　I'm　an　old　woman

with　long　white　hair　and　it　twisting　from　my　brow。　　（She　fumbles

with　her　hair；　and　then　seems　to　hear　something。　　Listens　for　a

moment。）　　There's　a　queer；　slouching　step　coming　on　the　road。　。　。

。　　God　help　me；　he's　coming　surely。



＇She　stays　perfectly　quiet。　　Martin　Doul　gropes　in　on　right；

blind　also。＇



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇gloomily。＇　　The　devil　mend　Mary　Doul　for

putting　lies　on　me；　and　letting　on　she　was　grand。　　The　devil　mend

the　old　Saint　for　letting　me　see　it　was　lies。　　（He　sits　down　near

her。）　　The　devil　mend　Timmy　the　smith　for　killing　me　with　hard

work；　and　keeping　me　with　an　empty；　windy　stomach　in　me；　in　the

day　and　in　the　night。　　Ten　thousand　devils　mend　the　soul　of　Molly

Byrne　　（Mary　Doul　nods　her　head　with　approval。）　　and　the　bad；

wicked　souls　is　hidden　in　all　the　women　of　the　world。　　（He　rocks

himself；　with　his　hand　over　his　face。）　　It's　lonesome　I'll　be

from　this　day；　and　if　living　people　is　a　bad　lot；　yet　Mary　Doul；

herself；　and　she　a　dirty；　wrinkled…looking　hag；　was　better　maybe

to　be　sitting　along　with　than　no　one　at　all。　I'll　be　getting　my

death　now；　I'm　thinking；　sitting　alone　in　the　cold　air；　hearing

the　night　coming；　and　the　blackbirds　flying　round　in　the　briars

crying　to　themselves；　the　time　you'll　hear　one　cart　getting　off　a

long　way　in　the　east；　and　another　cart　getting　off　a　long　way　in

the　west；　and　a　dog　barking　maybe；　and　a　little　wind　turning　the

sticks。　　（He　listens　and　sighs　heavily。）　　I'll　be　destroyed

sitting　alone　and　losing　my　senses　this　time　the　way　I'm　after

losing　my　sight；　for　it'd　make　any　person　afeard　to　be　sitting　up

hearing　the　sound　of　his　breath　　（he　moves　his　feet　on　the

stones）　　and　the　noise　of　his　feet；　when　it's　a　power　of　queer

things　do　be　stirring；　little　sticks　breaking；　and　the　grass

moving　　（Mary　Doul　half　sighs；　and　he　turns　on　her　in　horror）

　till　you'd　take　your　dying　oath　on　sun　and　moon　a　thing　was

breathing　on　the　stones。　　（He　listens　towards　her　for　a　moment；

then　starts　up　nervously；　and　gropes　about　for　his　stick。）　　I'll

be　going　now；　I'm　thinking；　but　I'm　not　sure　what　place　my

stick's　in；　and　I'm　destroyed　with　terror　and　dread。　　（He　touches

her　face　as　he　is　groping　about　and　cries　out。）　　There's　a　thing

with　a　cold；　living　face　on　it　sitting　up　at　my　side。　（He　turns

to　run　away；　but　misses　his　path　and　stumbles　in　against　the

wall。）　　My　road　is　lost　on　me　now！　　Oh；　merciful　God；　set　my　foot

on　the　path　this　day；　and　I'll　be　saying　prayers　morning　and

night；　and　not　straining　my　ear　after　young　girls；　or　doing　any

bad　thing　till　I　die。



MARY　DOUL　　＇indignantly。＇　　Let　you　not　be　telling　lies　to　the

Almighty　God。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　Mary　Doul；　is　it？　（Recovering　himself　with　immense

relief。）　Is　it　Mary　Doul；　I'm　saying？



MARY　DOUL。　　There's　a　sweet　tone　in　your　voice　I've　not　heard　for

a　space。　　You're　taking　me　for　Molly　Byrne；　I'm　thinking。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇coming　towards　her；　wiping　sweat　from　his　face。＇

　Well；　sight's　a　queer　thing　for　upsetting　a　man。　　It's　a　queer

thing　to　think　I'd　live　to　this　day　to　be　fearing　the　like　of

you；　but　if　it's　shaken　I　am　for　a　short　while；　I'll　soon　be

coming　to　myself。



MARY　DOUL。　　You'll　be　grand　then；　and　it's　no　lie。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇sitting　down　shyly；　some　way　off。＇　　You've　no

call　to　be　talking；　for　I've　heard　tell　you're　as　blind　as

myself。



MARY　DOUL。　　If　I　am　I'm　bearing　in　mind　I'm　married　to　a　little

dark　stump　of　a　fellow　looks　the　fool　of　the　world；　and　I'll　be

bearing　in　mind　from　this　day　the　great　hullabuloo　he's　after

making　from　hearing　a　poor　woman　breathing　quiet　in　her　place。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　And　you'll　be　bearing　in　mind；　I'm　thinking；　what

you　seen　a　while　back　when　you　looked　down　into　a　well；　or　a

clear　pool；　maybe；　when　there　was　no　wind　stirring　and　a　good

light　in　the　sky。



MARY　DOUL。　　I'm　minding　that　surely；　for　if　I'm　not　the　way　the

liars　were　saying　below　I　seen　a　thing　in　them　pools　put　joy　and

blessing　in　my　heart。　＇She　puts　her　hand　to　her　hair　again。＇



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇laughing　ironically。＇　　Well；　they　were　saying

below　I　was　losing　my　senses；　but　I　never　went　any　day　the　length

of　that。　。　。　。　　God　help　you；　Mary　Doul；　if　you're　not　a　wonder

for　looks；　you're　the　maddest　female　woman　is　walking　the

counties　of　the　east。



MARY　DOUL　　＇scornfully。＇　　You　were　saying　all　times　you'd　a

great　ear　for　hearing　the　lies　of　the　world。　　A　great　ear；　God

help　you；　and　you　think　you're　using　it　now。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　If　it's　not　lies　you're　telling　would　you　have　me

think　you're　not　a　wrinkled　poor　woman　is　looking　like　three

scores；　or　two　scores　and　a　half！