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THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD

per and his mug of milk. Walk down glory with the boys itself. (She crosses
and tell that to Father Reilly and to to Christy's left.)
Shaneen Keogh. WIDOW QUIN -- (with good-
WIDOW QUIN -- (coming for- humour.) -- If it didn't, maybe all
ward.) -- I'll not see them again, for knows a widow woman has buried her
I've their word to lead that lad for- children and destroyed her man is a
ward for to lodge with me. wiser comrade for a young lad than a
PEGEEN -- (in blank amaze- girl, the like of you, who'd go helter-
ment.) -- This night, is it? skeltering after any man would let
WIDOW QUIN -- (going over.) -- you a wink upon the road.
This night. "It isn't fitting," says the PEGEEN -- (breaking out into
priesteen, "to have his likeness lodg- wild rage.) -- And you'll say that,
ing with an orphaned girl." (To Widow Quin, and you gasping with
Christy.) God save you, mister! the rage you had racing the hill be-
CHRISTY -- (shyly.) -- God save yond to look on his face.
you kindly. WIDOW QUIN -- (laughing deri-
WIDOW QUIN -- (looking at him sively.) -- Me, is it? Well, Father
with half-amazed curiosity.) -- Well, Reilly has cuteness to divide you now.
aren't you a little smiling fellow? It (She pulls Christy up.) There's great
should have been great and bitter tor- temptation in a man did slay his da,
ments did rouse your spirits to a deed and we'd best be going, young fellow;
of blood. so rise up and come with me.
CHRISTY -- (doubtfully.) It PEGEEN -- (seizing his arm.) --
should, maybe. He'll not stir. He's pot-boy in this
WIDOW QUIN. It's more than place, and I'll not have him stolen off
"maybe" I'm saying, and it'd soften and kidnabbed while himself's
my heart to see you sitting so simple abroad.
with your cup and cake, and you fitter WIDOW QUIN. It'd be a crazy pot
to be saying your catechism than slay- -boy'd lodge him in the shebeen where
ing your da. he works by day, so you'd have a right
PEGEEN -- (at counter, washing to come on, young fellow, till you see
glasses.) -- There's talking when any'd my little houseen, a perch off on the
see he's fit to be holding his head rising hill.
high with the wonders of the world. PEGEEN. Wait till morning,
Walk on from this, for I'll not have Christy Mahon. Wait till you lay eyes
him tormented and he destroyed trav- on her leaky thatch is growing more
elling since Tuesday was a week. pasture for her buck goat than her
WIDOW QUIN -- (peaceably.) square of fields, and she without a
We'll be walking surely when his sup- tramp itself to keep in order her place
per's done, and you'll find we're great at all.
company, young fellow, when it's of WIDOW QUIN. When you see me
the like of you and me you'd hear the contriving in my little gardens, Chris-
penny poets singing in an August ty Mahon, you'll swear the Lord God
Fair. formed me to be living lone, and that
CHRISTY -- (innocently.) Did there isn't my match in Mayo for
you kill your father? thatching, or mowing, or shearing a
PEGEEN -- (contemptuously.) sheep.
She did not. She hit himself with a PEGEEN -- (with noisy scorn.) --
worn pick, and the rusted poison did It's true the Lord God formed you to
corrode his blood the way he never contrive indeed. Doesn't the world
overed it, and died after. That was a know you reared a black lamb at your
sneaky kind of murder did win small own breast, so that the Lord Bishop

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