playboy of the western world-第7章

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of　noted　misbehaviour　with　the　old　and　young。



GIRLS　　＇clustering　round　him；　serving　him。＇　　Glory　be。



WIDOW　QUIN。　　And　what　did　he　want　driving　you　to　wed　with　her？　＇She　takes　a

bit　of　the　chicken。＇



CHRISTY　　＇eating　with　growing　satisfaction。＇　　He　was　letting　on　I　was

wanting　a　protector　from　the　harshness　of　the　world；　and　he　without　a　thought

the　whole　while　but　how　he'd　have　her　hut　to　live　in　and　her　gold　to　drink。



WIDOW　QUIN。　　There's　maybe　worse　than　a　dry　hearth　and　a　widow　woman　and　your

glass　at　night。　　So　you　hit　him　then？



CHRISTY　　＇getting　almost　excited。＇　　I　did　not。　　〃I　won't　wed　her；〃　says　I；

〃when　all　know　she　did　suckle　me　for　six　weeks　when　I　came　into　the　world；　and

she　a　hag　this　day　with　a　tongue　on　her　has　the　crows　and　seabirds　scattered；

the　way　they　wouldn't　cast　a　shadow　on　her　garden　with　the　dread　of　her

curse。〃



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇teasingly。＇　　That　one　should　be　right　company。



SARA　　＇eagerly。＇　Don't　mind　her。　　Did　you　kill　him　then？



CHRISTY。　　〃She's　too　good　for　the　like　of　you；〃　says　he；　〃and　go　on　now　or

I'll　flatten　you　out　like　a　crawling　beast　has　passed　under　a　dray。〃　　〃You

will　not　if　I　can　help　it；〃　says　I。　　〃Go　on；〃　says　he；　〃or　I'll　have　the　divil

making　garters　of　your　limbs　tonight。〃　　〃You　will　not　if　I　can　help　it；〃　says

I。　　＇He　sits　up；　brandishing　his　mug。＇



SARA。　　You　were　right　surely。



CHRISTY　　＇impressively。＇　　With　that　the　sun　came　out　between　the　cloud　and

the　hill；　and　it　shining　green　in　my　face。　　〃God　have　mercy　on　your　soul；〃

says　he；　lifting　a　scythe；　〃or　on　your　own；〃　says　I；　raising　the　loy。　　　

SUSAN。　　That's　a　grand　story。



HONOR。　　He　tells　it　lovely。



CHRISTY　　＇flattered　and　confident；　waving　bone。＇　　He　gave　a　drive　with　the

scythe；　and　I　gave　a　lep　to　the　east。　　Then　I　turned　around　with　my　back　to

the　north；　and　I　hit　a　blow　on　the　ridge　of　his　skull；　laid　him　stretched　out；

and　he　split　to　the　knob　of　his　gullet。　＇He　raises　the　chicken　bone　to　his

Adam'sapple。



GIRLS　　＇together。＇　　Well；　you're　a　marvel！　　Oh；　God　bless　you！　　You're　the

lad　surely！



SUSAN。　　I'm　thinking　the　Lord　God　sent　him　this　road　to　make　a　second　husband

to　the　Widow　Quin；　and　she　with　a　great　yearning　to　be　wedded；　though　all

dread　her　here。　Lift　him　on　her　knee；　Sara　Tansey。



WIDOW　QUIN。　　Don't　tease　him。



SARA　　＇going　over　to　dresser　and　counter　very　quickly；　and　getting　two

glasses　and　porter。＇　　You're　heroes　surely；　and　let　you　drink　a　supeen　with

your　arms　linked　like　the　outlandish　lovers　in　the　sailor's　song。　　（She　links

their　arms　and　gives　them　the　glasses。）　There　now。　　Drink　a　health　to　the

wonders　of　the　western　world；　the　pirates；　preachers；　poteen…makers；　with　the

jobbing　jockies；　parching　peelers；　and　the　juries　fill　their　stomachs　selling

judgments　of　the　English　law。　　＇Brandishing　the　bottle。＇



WIDOW　QUIN。　　That's　a　right　toast；　Sara　Tansey。　　Now　Christy。　＇They　drink　with

their　arms　linked；　he　drinking　with　his　left　hand；　she　with　her　right。　　As

they　are　drinking；　Pegeen　Mike　comes　in　with　a　milk　can　and　stands　aghast。　

They　all　spring　away　from　Christy。　　He　goes　down　left。　　Widow　Quin　remains

seated。＇



PEGEEN　　＇angrily；　to　Sara。＇　　What　is　it　you're　wanting？



SARA　　＇twisting　her　apron。＇　　An　ounce　of　tobacco。



PEGEEN。　　Have　you　tuppence？



SARA。　　I've　forgotten　my　purse。



PEGEEN。　　Then　you'd　best　be　getting　it　and　not　fooling　us　here。　　（To　the　Widow

Quin；　with　more　elaborate　scorn。）　　And　what　is　it　you're　wanting；　Widow　Quin？



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇insolently。＇　　A　penn'orth　of　starch。



PEGEEN　　＇breaking　out。＇　　And　you　without　a　white　shift　or　a　shirt　in　your

whole　family　since　the　drying　of　the　flood。　　I've　no　starch　for　the　like　of

you；　and　let　you　walk　on　now　to　Killamuck。



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇turning　to　Christy；　as　she　goes　out　with　the　girls。＇　　Well；

you're　mighty　huffy　this　day；　Pegeen　Mike；　and；　you　young　fellow；　let　you　not

forget　the　sports　and　racing　when　the　noon　is　by。　　＇They　go　out。＇



PEGEEN　　＇imperiously。＇　　Fling　out　that　rubbish　and　put　them　cups　away。　

（Christy　tidies　away　in　great　haste）。　　Shove　in　the　bench　by　the　wall。　　（He

does　so。）　　And　hang　that　glass　on　the　nail。　　What　disturbed　it　at　all？



CHRISTY　　＇very　meekly。＇　　I　was　making　myself　decent　only；　and　this　a　fine

country　for　young　lovely　girls。



PEGEEN　　＇sharply。＇　　Whisht　your　talking　of　girls。　　＇Goes　to　counter　right。＇



CHRISTY。　　Wouldn't　any　wish　to　be　decent　in　a　place　。　。　。



PEGEEN。　　Whisht　I'm　saying。



CHRISTY　　＇looks　at　her　face　for　a　moment　with　great　misgivings；　then　as　a

last　effort；　takes　up　a　loy；　and　goes　towards　her；　with　feigned　assurance）。　

It　was　with　a　loy　the　like　of　that　I　killed　my　father。



PEGEEN　　＇still　sharply。＇　　You've　told　me　that　story　six　times　since　the

dawn　of　day。



CHRISTY　　＇reproachfully。＇　　It's　a　queer　thing　you　wouldn't　care　to　be

hearing　it　and　them　girls　after　walking　four　miles　to　be　listening　to　me　now。



PEGEEN　　＇turning　round　astonished。＇　　Four　miles。



CHRISTY　　＇apologetically。＇　　Didn't　himself　say　there　were　only　four　bona

fides　living　in　the　place？



PEGEEN。　　It's　bona　fides　by　the　road　they　are；　but　that　lot　came　over　the

river　lepping　the　stones。　　It's　not　three　perches　when　you　go　like　that；　and　I

was　down　this　morning　looking　on　the　papers　the　post…boy　does　have　in　his　bag。

（With　meaning　and　emphasis。）　　For　there　was　great　news　this　day；　Christopher

Mahon。　　＇She　goes　into　room　left。＇



CHRISTY　　＇suspiciously。＇　　Is　it　news　of　my　murder？



PEGEEN　　＇inside。＇　　Murder；　indeed。



CHRISTY　　＇loudly。＇　　A　murdered　da？



PEGEEN　　＇coming　in　again　and　crossing　right。＇　　There　was　not；　but　a　story

filled　half　a　page　of　the　hanging　of　a　man。　　Ah；　that　should　be　a　fearful　end；

young　fellow；　and　it　worst　of　all　for　a　man　who　destroyed　his　da；　for　the　like

of　him　would　get　small　mercies；　and　when　it's　dead　he　is；　they'd　put　him　in　a

narrow　grave；　with　cheap　sacking　wrapping　him　round；　and　pour　down　quicklime

on　his　head；　the　way　you'd　see　a　woman　pouring　any　frish…frash　from　a　cup。



CHRISTY　　＇very　miserably。＇　　Oh；　God　help　me。　　Are　you　thinking　I'm　safe？　

You　were　saying　at　the　fall　of　night；　I　was　shut　of　jeopardy　and　I　here　with

yourselves。



PEGEEN　　＇severely。＇　　You'll　be　shut　of　jeopardy　no　place　if　you　go　talking

with　a　pack　of　wild　girls　the　like　of　them　do　be　walking　abroad　with　the

peelers；　talking　whispers　at　the　fall　of　night。



CHRISTY　　＇with　terror。＇　　And　you're　thinking　they'd　tell？



PEGEEN　　＇with　mock　sympathy。＇　　Who　knows；　God　help　you。



CHRISTY　　＇loudly。＇　　What　joy　would　they　have　to　bring　hanging　to　the　likes

of　me？



PEGEEN。　　It's　queer　joys　they　have；　and　who　knows　the　thing　they'd　do；　if　it'd

make　the　green　stones　cry　itself　to　think　of　you　swaying　and　swiggling　at　the

butt　of　a　rope；　and　you　with　a　fine；　stout　neck；　God　bless　you！　the　way　you'd

be　a　half　an　hour；　in　great　anguish；　getting　your　death。



CHRISTY　　＇getting　his　boots　and　putting　them　on。＇　　If　there's　that　terror

of　them；　it'd　be　best；　maybe；　I　went　on　wandering　like　Esau　or　Cain　and　Abel

on　the　sides　of　Neifin　or　the　Erris　plain。



PEGEEN　　＇beginning　to　play　with　him。＇　　It　would；　maybe；　for　I've　heard　the

Circuit　Judges　this　place　is　a　heartless　crew。



CHRISTY　　＇bitterly。＇　　It's　more　than　Judges　this　place　is　a　heartless　crew。　

（Looking　up　at　her。）　　And　isn't　it　a　poor　thing　to　be　starting　again　and　I　a

lonesome　fellow　will　be　looking　out　on　women　and　girls　the　way　the　needy

fallen　spirits　do　be　looking　on　the　Lord？



PEGEEN。　　What　call　have　you　to　be　that　lonesome　when　there's　poor　girls

walking　Mayo　in　their　thousands　now？



CHRISTY　　＇grimly。＇　　It's　well　you　know　what　call　I　have。　　It's　well　you　know

it's　a　lonesome　thing　to　be　passing　small　towns　with　the　lights　shining

sideways　when　the　night　is　down；　or　going　in　strange　places　with　a　dog　nosing

before　you　and　a　dog　nosing　behind；　or　drawn　to　the　cities　where　you'd　hear