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THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD

PHILLY -- (retreating with Jim- kind of a murderer them lads would
my.) -- There's a daring fellow. be trusting their carcase, and that
JIMMY. Oh, glory be to God! man should be a great terror when his
MICHAEL -- (with great respect.) temper's roused.
-- That was a hanging crime, mister MICHAEL. He should then. (To
honey. You should have had good rea- Christy.) And where was it, mister
son for doing the like of that. honey, that you did the deed?
CHRISTY -- (in a very reasonable CHRISTY -- (looking at him with
tone.) -- He was a dirty man, God for- suspicion.) -- Oh, a distant place, mas-
give him, and he getting old and ter of the house, a windy corner of
crusty, the way I couldn't put up with high, distant hills.
him at all. PHILLY -- (nodding with ap-
PEGEEN. And you shot him proval.) -- He's a close man, and he's
dead? right, surely.
CHRISTY -- (shaking his head.) - PEGEEN. That'd be a lad with
- I never used weapons. I've no li- the sense of Solomon to have for a pot
cense, and I'm a law-fearing man. -boy, Michael James, if it's the truth
MICHAEL. It was with a hilted you're seeking one at all.
knife maybe? I'm told, in the big PHILLY. The peelers is fearing
world it's bloody knives they use. him, and if you'd that lad in the
CHRISTY -- (loudly, scandal- house there isn't one of them would
ized.) -- Do you take me for a slaugh- come smelling around if the dogs it-
ter-boy? self were lapping poteen from the
PEGEEN. You never hanged him, dungpit of the yard.
the way Jimmy Farrell hanged his JIMMY. Bravery's a treasure in a
dog from the license, and had it lonesome place, and a lad would kill
screeching and wriggling three hours his father, I'm thinking, would face a
at the butt of a string, and himself foxy divil with a pitchpike on the
swearing it was a dead dog, and the flags of hell.
peelers swearing it had life? PEGEEN. It's the truth they're
CHRISTY. I did not then. I just saying, and if I'd that lad in the
riz the loy and let fall the edge of it house, I wouldn't be fearing the
on the ridge of his skull, and he went loosed kharki cut-throats, or the
down at my feet like an empty sack, walking dead.
and never let a grunt or groan from CHRISTY -- (swelling with sur-
him at all. prise and triumph.) -- Well, glory be
MICHAEL -- (making a sign to to God!
Pegeen to fill Christy's glass.) -- And MICHAEL -- (with deference.) --
what way weren't you hanged, mister? Would you think well to stop here
Did you bury him then? and be pot-boy, mister honey, if we
CHRISTY -- (considering.) Aye. I gave you good wages, and didn't de-
buried him then. Wasn't I digging stroy you with the weight of work?
spuds in the field? SHAWN -- (coming forward un-
MICHAEL. And the peelers never easily.) -- That'd be a queer kind to
followed after you the eleven days bring into a decent quiet household
that you're out? with the like of Pegeen Mike.
CHRISTY -- (shaking his head.) - PEGEEN -- (very sharply.) --
- Never a one of them, and I walking Will you whisht? Who's speaking to
forward facing hog, dog, or divil on you?
the highway of the road. SHAWN -- (retreating.) A bloody-
PHILLY -- (nodding wisely.) -- handed murderer the like of...
It's only with a common week-day

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