Three Plays: The Fiddler's House, The Land, Thomas Muskerry Part 30

GORMAN Oh, sure the roads of Ireland are before me when I leave this; I'll be playing my bit of music. _(He moves to the door)_

MUSKERRY Tell me; have you any family yourself?

GORMAN Ne'er a chick nor child belonging to me. Ne'er a woman lay by me. I went the road by myself. Will you think of what I asked you, Master?

MUSKERRY I'll consider it.

GORMAN Good night to your honour. Remember my name, Master--Gorman, Myles Gorman.

_Muskerry stands looking after Gorman_.

MUSKERRY Now, Christy Clarke, I consider that the man gone out is a very exceptional man.

CHRISTY Is it Myles Gorman?

MUSKERRY Yes. I'd even say that, considering his station in life, Myles Gorman is a very superior man.

CHRISTY They say he's not a good musician.

MUSKERRY And maybe he's not. I consider, however, that there's great intelligence in his face. He stands before you, and you feel that he has the life of a young colt, and then you're bound to think that, in spite of the fact that he's blind and a wanderer, the man has not wasted his life. _(Muskerry settles himself in the armchair)_

CHRISTY Will you give leave for to-morrow?

MUSKERRY No, Christy, I will not.

CHRISTY Why not, Mister Muskerry?

MUSKERRY That man would break bounds and stay away.

CHRISTY Do you think he would?

MUSKERRY He'd fly off, like the woodquest flying away from the tame pigeons.

CHRISTY He and his brother had a farm between them. His brother was married, and one day the brother told Myles to go to Dublin to see a comrade of his who was sick. Myles was home in a week, and when he came back he found that his brother had sold the place and was gone out of the country.

MUSKERRY His brother did wrong, but he didn't do so much wrong to Myles Gorman.

CHRISTY How is that, Mister Muskerry?

MUSKERRY He sent Myles Gorman to his own life. He's a man who went his own way always; a man who never had any family nor any affairs; a man far different from me, Christy Clarke. I was always in the middle of affairs. Then, too, I busied myself about other people. It was for the best, I think; but that's finished. On the desk under your hand is a letter, and I want you to bring it to me.

CHRISTY _(going through papers idly)_ "I am much obliged for your favour--"

MUSKERRY That's not it.

CHRISTY _(reading another letter)_ "I am about to add to the obligations under which I stand to you, by recommending to your notice my grandson, Albert Crilly--"

MUSKERRY That's the letter. It's the last of its kind. Bring it to me.

_(Christy Clarke brings over the letter)_ There comes a turn in the blood and a turn in the mind, Christy. This while back I've been going out to the country instead of into the town, and coming back here in the evenings I've seen the workhouse with the big wall around it, and the big gate going into it, and I've said to myself that Thomas Muskerry ought to be as secure and contented here as if he was in his own castle.

CHRISTY And so you ought, Mister Muskerry.

MUSKERRY Look round at the office, Christy. I've made it as fit for me as the nest for the wren. I'll spend a few more years here, and then I'll go out on pension. I won't live in the town, I've seen a place in the country I'd like, and the people will be leaving it in a year or two.

CHRISTY Where is it, Mister Muskerry?

MUSKERRY I'll say no more about it now, but it's not far from this, and its near the place, where I was reared.

CHRISTY And so you'll go back to your own place?

MUSKERRY As Oliver Goldsmith my fellow county man, and I might almost say, my fellow parishioner, says--What's this the lines are about the hare, Christy?

CHRISTY "And like the Hare whom Hounds and Horns pursue Pants to the place from whence at first he flew."

MUSKERRY Aye. "And like the Hare whom Hounds and Horns pursue"-- _(The clock strikes nine)_

CHRISTY You weren't on the rounds yet?

MUSKERRY _(startled)_ Would you believe it, now, it was nearly pa.s.sing my mind to go on the rounds? _(He rises, putting the letter in his pocket)_ Where's that fellow, Albert Crilly? He was to have been in here to give me a hand with the abstracts. Christy Clarke, go down to Miss Coghlan's and get me two novelettes. Bring me up two nice love stories, and be here when I come back.

_Christy Clarke takes his cap off rack and goes out. Thomas Muskerry puts on his scarf, goes to the rack and takes down the bunch of keys. As he is going out Felix Tournour enters with a bucket of coal. He carries it over to the stove_.

MUSKERRY Now, Tournour, sweep up this place.

_Thomas Muskerry goes out by corridor door. Felix Tournour takes brush from under desk, left, and begins to sweep in the direction of corridor door_.

TOURNOUR Sweeping, sweeping! I'll run out of the house some day on account of the work I've to do for Master Thomas Muskerry. _(He leans on his brush in front of stove)_ I know why you're going for walks in the country, my oul' cod. There's them in town that you've got enough of. You don't want to go bail for Madam Daughter, nor for Count Crofton Crilly, your son-in-law, nor for the Masters and Mistresses; all right, my oul' cod-fish. That I may see them laying you out on the flags of h.e.l.l. _(He puts the brush standing upright, and speaks to it)_:

"The Devil went out for a ramble at night, Through Garrisowen Union to see every sight.

The ould men were dreaming of meat to come near them, And the Devil c.o.c.ked ears at the words for to hear them.

'Twice a year we get meat,' said the toothless oul' men, 'Oh, Lord send the meat won't be too tough again.'

To clear away dishes Mick Fogarty goes, May the Devil burn the nails off his toes.

Deep dreaming that night of fast days before, Sagging the walls with the pull of his snore, In his chamber above Thomas Muskerry lay snug, When the Devil this summons roared in his lug--"

_The door of the Master's apartments is opened and Albert Crilly enters. Albert Crilly is a young man, who might be a bank clerk or a medical student. He is something of a dude, but has a certain insight and wit_.

ALBERT _(lighting a cigarette)_ Is the grandparent here, Tournour?

TOURNOUR He's gone on the rounds, Mister Albert.

ALBERT What time was he up this morning?

TOURNOUR He was late enough. He wasn't up in time to come to Ma.s.s with us.

ALBERT The old man will get into trouble.

TOURNOUR If the nuns hear about it.