playboy of the western world-第8章

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

voice　kissing　and　talking　deep　love　in　every　shadow　of　the　ditch；　and　you

passing　on　with　an　empty；　hungry　stomach　failing　from　your　heart。



PEGEEN。　　I'm　thinking　you're　an　odd　man；　Christy　Mahon。　　The　oddest　walking

fellow　I　ever　set　my　eyes　on　to　this　hour　to…day。



CHRISTY。　　What　would　any　be　but　odd　men　and　they　living　lonesome　in　the　world？



PEGEEN。　　I'm　not　odd；　and　I'm　my　whole　life　with　my　father　only。



CHRISTY　　＇with　infinite　admiration。＇　　How　would　a　lovely　handsome　woman

the　like　of　you　be　lonesome　when　all　men　should　be　thronging　around　to　hear

the　sweetness　of　your　voice；　and　the　little　infant　children　should　be

pestering　your　steps　I'm　thinking；　and　you　walking　the　roads。



PEGEEN。　　I'm　hard　set　to　know　what　way　a　coaxing　fellow　the　like　of　yourself

should　be　lonesome　either。



CHRISTY。　　Coaxing？



PEGEEN。　　Would　you　have　me　think　a　man　never　talked　with　the　girls　would　have

the　words　you've　spoken　to…day？　　It's　only　letting　on　you　are　to　be　lonesome；

the　way　you'd　get　around　me　now。



CHRISTY。　　I　wish　to　God　I　was　letting　on；　but　I　was　lonesome　all　times；　and

born　lonesome；　I'm　thinking；　as　the　moon　of　dawn。　　＇Going　to　door。＇



PEGEEN　　＇puzzled　by　his　talk。＇　　Well；　it's　a　story　I'm　not　understanding

at　all　why　you'd　be　worse　than　another；　Christy　Mahon；　and　you　a　fine　lad　with

the　great　savagery　to　destroy　your　da。



CHRISTY。　　It's　little　I'm　understanding　myself；　saving　only　that　my　heart's

scalded　this　day；　and　I　going　off　stretching　out　the　earth　between　us；　the　way

I'll　not　be　waking　near　you　another　dawn　of　the　year　till　the　two　of　us　do

arise　to　hope　or　judgment　with　the　saints　of　God；　and　now　I'd　best　be　going

with　my　wattle　in　my　hand；　for　hanging　is　a　poor　thing　（turning　to　go）；　and

it's　little　welcome　only　is　left　me　in　this　house　to…day。



PEGEEN　　＇sharply。＇　　Christy！　　（He　turns　round。）　　Come　here　to　me。　　（He　goes

towards　her。）　　Lay　down　that　switch　and　throw　some　sods　on　the　fire。　　You're

pot…boy　in　this　place；　and　I'll　not　have　you　mitch　off　from　us　now。



CHRISTY。　　You　were　saying　I'd　be　hanged　if　I　stay。



PEGEEN　　＇quite　kindly　at　last。＇　　I'm　after　going　down　and　reading　the

fearful　crimes　of　Ireland　for　two　weeks　or　three；　and　there　wasn't　a　word　of

your　murder。　　（Getting　up　and　going　over　to　the　counter。）　　They've　likely　not

found　the　body。　　You're　safe　so　with　ourselves。



CHRISTY　　＇astonished；　slowly。＇　　It's　making　game　of　me　you　were　（following

her　with　fearful　joy）；　and　I　can　stay　so；　working　at　your　side；　and　I　not

lonesome　from　this　mortal　day。



PEGEEN。　　What's　to　hinder　you　from　staying；　except　the　widow　woman　or　the

young　girls　would　inveigle　you　off？



CHRISTY　　＇with　rapture。＇　　And　I'll　have　your　words　from　this　day　filling

my　ears；　and　that　look　is　come　upon　you　meeting　my　two　eyes；　and　I　watching

you　loafing　around　in　the　warm　sun；　or　rinsing　your　ankles　when　the　night　is

come。



PEGEEN　　＇kindly；　but　a　little　embarrassed。＇　　I'm　thinking　you'll　be　a　loyal

young　lad　to　have　working　around；　and　if　you　vexed　me　a　while　since　with　your

leaguing　with　the　girls；　I　wouldn't　give　a　thraneen　for　a　lad　hadn't　a　mighty

spirit　in　him　and　a　gamey　heart。　＇Shawn　Keogh　runs　in　carrying　a　cleeve　on　his

back；　followed　by　the　WidowQuin。＇



SHAWN　　＇to　Pegeen。＇　　I　was　passing　below；　and　I　seen　your　mountainy　sheep

eating　cabbages　in　Jimmy's　field。　　Run　up　or　they'll　be　bursting　surely。



PEGEEN。　　Oh；　God　mend　them！　＇She　puts　a　shawl　over　her　head　and　runs　out。＇



CHRISTY　　＇looking　from　one　to　the　other。　　Still　in　high　spirits。＇　　I'd

best　go　to　her　aid　maybe。　　I'm　handy　with　ewes。



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇closing　the　door。＇　　She　can　do　that　much；　and　there　is

Shaneen　has　long　speeches　for　to　tell　you　now。　＇She　sits　down　with　an　amused

smile。＇



SHAWN　　＇taking　something　from　his　pocket　and　offering　it　to　Christy。＇　　Do

you　see　that；　mister？



CHRISTY　　＇looking　at　it。＇　　The　half　of　a　ticket　to　the　Western　States！



SHAWN　　＇trembling　with　anxiety。＇　　I'll　give　it　to　you　and　my　new　hat

（pulling　it　out　of　hamper）；　and　my　breeches　with　the　double　seat　（pulling　it

off）；　and　my　new　coat　is　woven　from　the　blackest　shearings　for　three　miles

around　（giving　him　the　coat）；　I'll　give　you　the　whole　of　them；　and　my

blessing；　and　the　blessing　of　Father　Reilly　itself；　maybe；　if　you'll　quit　from

this　and　leave　us　in　the　peace　we　had　till　last　night　at　the　fall　of　dark。



CHRISTY　　＇with　a　new　arrogance。＇　　And　for　what　is　it　you're　wanting　to　get

shut　of　me？



SHAWN　　＇looking　to　the　Widow　for　help。＇　　I'm　a　poor　scholar　with　middling

faculties　to　coin　a　lie；　so　I'll　tell　you　the　truth；　Christy　Mahon。　　I'm

wedding　with　Pegeen　beyond；　and　I　don't　think　well　of　having　a　clever　fearless

man　the　like　of　you　dwelling　in　her　house。



CHRISTY　　＇almost　pugnaciously。＇　　And　you'd　be　using　bribery　for　to　banish

me？



SHAWN　　＇in　an　imploring　voice。＇　　Let　you　not　take　it　badly；　mister　honey；

isn't　beyond　the　best　place　for　you　where　you'll　have　golden　chains　and　shiny

coats　and　you　riding　upon　hunters　with　the　ladies　of　the　land。　＇He　makes　an

eager　sign　to　the　Widow　Quin　to　come　to　help　him。＇



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇coming　over。＇　　It's　true　for　him；　and　you'd　best　quit　off　and

not　have　that　poor　girl　setting　her　mind　on　you；　for　there's　Shaneen　thinks

she　wouldn't　suit　you　though　all　is　saying　that　she'll　wed　you　now。　　　

＇Christy　beams　with　delight。＇



SHAWN　　＇in　terrified　earnest。＇　　She　wouldn't　suit　you；　and　she　with　the

divil's　own　temper　the　way　you'd　be　strangling　one　another　in　a　score　of　days。　

（He　makes　the　movement　of　strangling　with　his　hands。）　　It's　the　like　of　me

only　that　she's　fit　for；　a　quiet　simple　fellow　wouldn't　raise　a　hand　upon　her

if　she　scratched　itself。



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇putting　Shawn's　hat　on　Christy。＇　　Fit　them　clothes　on　you

anyhow；　young　fellow；　and　he'd　maybe　loan　them　to　you　for　the　sports。　

（Pushing　him　towards　inner　door。）　　Fit　them　on　and　you　can　give　your　answer

when　you　have　them　tried。



CHRISTY　　＇beaming；　delighted　with　the　clothes。＇　　I　will　then。　　I'd　like

herself　to　see　me　in　them　tweeds　and　hat。　＇He　goes　into　room　and　shuts　the

door。＇



SHAWN　　＇in　great　anxiety。＇　　He'd　like　herself　to　see　them。　　He'll　not

leave　us；　Widow　Quin。　　He's　a　score　of　divils　in　him　the　way　it's　well　nigh

certain　he　will　wed　Pegeen。



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇jeeringly。＇　　It's　true　all　girls　are　fond　of　courage　and　do

hate　the　like　of　you。



SHAWN　　＇walking　about　in　desperation。＇　　Oh；　Widow　Quin；　what'll　I　be　doing

now？　I'd　inform　again　him；　but　he'd　burst　from　Kilmainham　and　he'd　be　sure　and

certain　to　destroy　me。　　If　I　wasn't　so　God…fearing；　I'd　near　have　courage　to

come　behind　him　and　run　a　pike　into　his　side。　　Oh；　it's　a　hard　case　to　be　an

orphan　and　not　to　have　your　father　that　you're　used　to；　and　you'd　easy　kill

and　make　yourself　a　hero　in　the　sight　of　all。　（Coming　up　to　her。）　　Oh；　Widow

Quin；　will　you　find　me　some　contrivance　when　I've　promised　you　a　ewe？



WIDOW　QUIN。　　A　ewe's　a　small　thing；　but　what　would　you　give　me　if　I　did　wed

him　and　did　save　you　so？



SHAWN　　＇with　astonishment。＇　　You？



WIDOW　QUIN。　　Aye。　　Would　you　give　me　the　red　cow　you　have　and　the　mountainy

ram；　and　the　right　of　way　across　your　rye　path；　and　a　load　of　dung　at

Michaelmas；　and　turbary　upon　the　western　hill？



SHAWN　　＇radiant　with　hope。＇　　I　would　surely；　and　I'd　give　you　the

wedding…ring　I　have；　and　the　loan　of　a　new　suit；　the　way　you'd　have　him　decent

on　the　wedding…day。　　I'd　give　you　two　kids　for　your　dinner；　and　a　gallon　of

poteen；　and　I'd　call　the　piper　on　the　long　car　to　your　wedding　from

Crossmolina　or　from　Ballina。　　I'd　give　you　。　。　。



WIDOW　QUIN。　　That'll　do　so；　and　let　you　whisht；　for　he's　coming　now　again。

＇Christy　comes　in　very　natty　in　the　new　clothes。　　Widow　Quin　goes　to　him　ad　　　

miringly。＇



WIDOW　QUIN。　　If　you　seen　yourself　now；　I'm　thinking　you'd　be　too　p