Three Plays: The Fiddler's House, The Land, Thomas Muskerry Part 22

ELLEN You're a good girl, Sally. If I was Matt's wife, do you think you'd be fond of me?

SALLY I'd like you as well as another, Ellen.

_Cornelius comes down from room_.

CORNELIUS I suppose they'll be here soon.

ELLEN I have tea ready for them.

SALLY Who's coming at all?

CORNELIUS Some of the boys and girls that are for America. They are going to Gilroy's to-night, and are leaving from that in the morning.

They are coming in to see Ellen on their way down.

SALLY There are a good many going this flight. The land never troubles them in America, and they can wear fine clothes, and be as free as the larks over the bogs. It's a wonder you never thought of going, Ellen.

ELLEN Father wouldn't like me to be far from him, and so I went in for the school instead.

SALLY And now you've got a fine boy like Matt. It was lucky for you to be staying here.

ELLEN Hush, Sally.

SALLY Oh, I knew all about it before you talked to me at all. Matt always goes to the place where he thinks you'd be.

ELLEN _(rising)_ I'll be in the room when the girls come, Cornelius.

_She goes into room left_.

SALLY _(going to Cornelius)_ G.o.d help us, but she's the silent creature. Isn't it a wonder she's not filled with talk of him after seeing him to-day? But Ellen's right. We shouldn't be talking about men, nor thinking about them either; and that's the way to keep them on our hands on the long run. I'll be going myself.

_She goes towards door_.

CORNELIUS _(going to her)_ Don't be minding Ellen at all, Sally.

SALLY Well, as high as she is, and as mighty as she is, she came into his own house to see Matt. G.o.d between us and harm, Cornelius, maybe they'll be saying I came into your house to see you.

CORNELIUS Who'll know you came at all? And what isn't seen won't be spoken of.

SALLY Would you like me to stay, Cornelius?

CORNELIUS Ay, I would.

SALLY Divil mind the sow,

_They sit down together_.

SALLY _(after a pause)_ Would you like me to knit you a pair of socks, Cornelius?

CORNELIUS Oh, I would, Sally; I'd love to wear them.

SALLY I'll knit them. We'll be getting rid of the sow tonight, maybe, and I'll have time after that.

CORNELIUS And you come along the road when I'm herding. I don't want to be going near your father's house.

SALLY O Cornelius, it won't be lucky for us when father hears about Ellen and Matt.

CORNELIUS That's true. No man sees his house afire but looks to his rick.

SALLY Come down a bit of the road with me, Cornelius. The sow will be grunting and grunting, reminding father that I'm away. Och, a minute ago I was as contented as if there was no land or pigs, or harsh words to trouble one. _(She goes to the door)_ The boys and girls for America are coming here.

CORNELIUS Give me your hands to hold, Sally. _(She gives him her hands)_ We are as young as any of them after all.

_They hold each other's hands, then stand apart_.

SALLY It's a fine time for them to be going when the leaves are opening on the trees.

_Three boys and three girls enter. They are dressed for going away_.

SALLY G.o.d save you, girls. Good-bye, Cornelius. I'll have to run like a redshank.

_Sally goes out_.

CORNELIUS I'll call Ellen down to you. _(He goes to the room door and calls)_ I'm going herding myself. Herding is pleasant when you have thoughts with you.

_He takes up the rod and goes out. The girls begin whispering, then chattering_.

FIRST GIRL Sure I know. Every night I'm dreaming of the sea and the great towns. Streets and streets of houses and every street as crowded as the road outside the chapel when the people do be coming from Ma.s.s. I could watch the crowd in the street; I would think it better than any sight I ever knew.

SECOND GIRL And the shops and the great houses.

SECOND BOY There's no stir here. There's no fine clothes, nor fine manners, nor fine things to be seen.

THIRD BOY There's no money. One could never get a shilling together here. In America there's money to have and to spend and to send home.

THIRD GIRL Every girl gets married in America.

_Ellen comes down_.

ELLEN I'm glad you came. I have tea ready for you. I can't go to Gilroy's to-night.

_Some come to the table and some remain near the door_.

A GIRL _(at table, to Ellen)_ They say that a peat fire like that will seem very strange to us after America. Bridget wondered at it when she came back. "Do civilized people really cook at the like of them?" said she.

A BOY It's the little houses with only three rooms in them that will seem strange. I'm beginning to wonder myself at their thatch and their mud walls.

ANOTHER GIRL Houses in bogs and fields. It was a heart-break trying to keep them as we'd like to keep them. A GIRL _(at door)_ Ah, but I'll never forget Gortan and the little road to Aughnalee.