Three Plays: The Fiddler's House, The Land, Thomas Muskerry Part 7

MAIRE Anne, never remind me of my foolishness, I'm heartsick of myself to-day.

ANNE I'll comb out your hair for you, and you'll look well enough.

MAIRE Then you're expecting Brian MacConnell?

ANNE It's likely he'll come in to see if there's anything to be done.

MAIRE I suppose he'll come in. Gracious, how did father get out?

He's coming up the path.

ANNE _(coming to Maire)_ Father's not up, surely? Maire, be easy with Brian MacConnell when he comes in.

MAIRE Father's coming up the path. Anne!

ANNE What is it, Maire?

MAIRE Father wasn't in at all, last night.

ANNE Then he went to Flynn's, after all.

MAIRE Ay, he went to Flynn's.

_She goes to Anne_.

ANNE O Maire, what will become of us all?

MAIRE I don't know.

_Maire goes to the settle, and sits down_.

ANNE What will we do with him at all?

_Conn Hourican comes in_.

CONN G.o.d save you! _(He looks around)_ Well, I came back to ye.

ANNE You did, G.o.d help us! And we depending on you. It's the bad way you always treated us.

CONN Did you hear what happened to me, before you attack me?

ANNE What happened to you? What always happens to you?

CONN I wonder that a man comes in at all! The complaints against him are like the Queen's Speech, prepared beforehand.

ANNE Ever since I can remember, you treated us like that. Bringing us into drinking-places and we little. It's well we got to know anything, or got into the way of being mannerly at all.

CONN You know too much. I always said that. Is James Moynihan coming here to-day?

ANNE No, he isn't coming here to-day.

CONN Well, we can do without him. There's something to be done to-day.

I said I'd do the bit of mowing, and I was thinking of that all along.

_(He looks at Maire)_ Did you hear what happened to me, Maire?

MAIRE It's no matter at all.

CONN I went over to Flynn's, I may tell you.

ANNE In troth we might have known that.

CONN But did you hear what happened to me?

ANNE How could we hear? It was Maire went to the door, and there you were coming up the path; and we thinking you were in bed, resting yourself.

CONN I went over to Flynn's, but I had good reason for going there.

_(He puts the fiddle down on the table)_ Didn't you hear there were Sligomen in the town, Maire? Well, one of them was in the way of rewarding the prizes. I told you about the Feis; well, it's no matter now, I'll say no more about that. At all events the man I mentioned wanted to know what music was in the country, so he sent a message to myself.

ANNE _(as satirical as she can be)_ That was kind of him.

CONN It was. I could do no less than go. I'll rest myself now, and then get ready for the mowing. _(He goes to the room door; he turns again and watches Maire)_ Maire, I'm sorry you weren't on the spot.

You might have advised me. I couldn't think of where you went or I'd have followed you. I had to make haste.

MAIRE It's no matter at all now.

CONN I'll stretch myself on the bed before I begin work. Anne, did you say you were leaving something in the room for me?

ANNE I suppose I'll have to leave the tea in the room for you.

_She gets the tea ready. Maire remains motionless_.

CONN Well, I have the pattern of daughters, anyway. I wouldn't give this house for the praise of Ireland, no, not if they carried me on their backs. _(Anne takes the tea up to the room)_ It's a pity you weren't there, Maire, though of course I wouldn't bring you into such a place. But they were decent fellows, decent, warm-hearted fellows. If you were to see their faces when I played _An Chaitin Donn_. I'll warrant they'll be whistling it, though they never heard the tune before. And the manners they have! I offered the fiddle to one of them. "No," says he, "not a string will I touch while the master of us is here." That's something like the spirit. _(Maire has turned to him and is attentive)_ But there, I won't fill myself up with false music telling you about it all.

_He turns to the room_.

MAIRE Bring up your fiddle.

CONN _(taking fiddle and going towards room again)_ It will be as good as sound sleeping for me. I'll never forget it. Flynn will never forget it. It will be the making of Flynn.

_Maire rises_.

MAIRE You've only your fiddle; we shouldn't forget that.

_Conn goes up to the room. Maire turns to the fire. Anne comes down_.

ANNE O Maire, what will become of us at all?

MAIRE He is very pleased with himself. He has only his fiddle, we shouldn't forget that.

ANNE It will be a long time till he does the like again.