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KING PELLINORE’S LITERARY MAGAZINE

to poach, God forgive me, (very naive- of that, though I'm twenty and more
ly) and I near got six months for go- years of age.
ing with a dung fork and stabbing a CHRISTY. Then you'd have curs-
fish. ed mine, I'm telling you, and he a
PEGEEN. And it's that you'd call man never gave peace to any, saving
sport, is it, to be abroad in the dark- when he'd get two months or three, or
ness with yourself alone? be locked in the asylums for battering
CHRISTY. I did, God help me, peelers or assaulting men (with de-
and there I'd be as happy as the sun- pression) the way it was a bitter life
shine of St. Martin's Day, watching he led me till I did up a Tuesday and
the light passing the north or the halve his skull.
patches of fog, till I'd hear a rabbit PEGEEN -- (putting her hand on
starting to screech and I'd go running his shoulder.) -- Well, you'll have
in the furze. Then when I'd my full peace in this place, Christy Mahon,
share I'd come walking down where and none to trouble you, and it's near
you'd see the ducks and geese time a fine lad like you should have
stretched sleeping on the highway of your good share of the earth.
the road, and before I'd pass the CHRISTY. It's time surely, and I
dunghill, I'd hear himself snoring a seemly fellow with great strength in
out, a loud lonesome snore he'd be me and bravery of... (Someone
making all times, the while he was knocks.)
sleeping, and he a man 'd be raging CHRISTY -- (clinging to Pegeen.)
all times, the while he was waking, -- Oh, glory! it's late for knocking,
like a gaudy officer you'd hear curs- and this last while I'm in terror of
ing and damning and swearing oaths. the peelers, and the walking dead.
PEGEEN. Providence and Mercy, (Knocking again.)
spare us all! PEGEEN. Who's there?
CHRISTY. It's that you'd say VOICE -- (outside.) Me.
surely if you seen him and he after PEGEEN. Who's me?
drinking for weeks, rising up in the VOICE. The Widow Quin.
red dawn, or before it maybe, and go- PEGEEN (jumping up and giving
ing out into the yard as naked as an him the bread and milk.) -- Go on
ash tree in the moon of May, and shy- now with your supper, and let on to be
ing clods against the visage of the sleepy, for if she found you were such
stars till he'd put the fear of death in- a warrant to talk, she'd be stringing
to the banbhs and the screeching sows. gabble till the dawn of day. (He takes
PEGEEN. I'd be well-night bread and sits shyly with his back to
afeard of that lad myself, I'm think- the door.)
ing. And there was no one in it but PEGEEN (opening door, with
the two of you alone? temper.) -- What ails you, or what is
CHRISTY. The divil a one, it you're wanting at this hour of the
though he'd sons and daughters walk- night?
ing all great states and territories of WIDOW QUIN -- (coming in a
the world, and not a one of them, to step and peering at Christy.) -- I'm
this day, but would say their seven after meeting Shawn Keogh and Fa-
curses on him, and they rousing up to ther Reilly below, who told me of
let a cough or sneeze, maybe, in the your curiosity man, and they fearing
deadness of the night. by this time he was maybe roaring,
PEGEEN (nodding her head.) -- romping on your hands with drink.
Well, you should have been a queer PEGEEN (pointing to Christy.) --
lot. I never cursed my father the like Look now is he roaring, and he
stretched away drowsy with his sup-

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