bullocks　on　the　plains　of　Meath；　and　herself　bedizened　in　the　diamond
  jewelleries　of　Pharaoh's　ma。　　That'd　be　your　match；　Shaneen。　　So　God　save　you
  now！　＇She　retreats　behind　Christy。＇
  SHAWN。　　Won't　you　hear　me　telling　you。　。　。　？
  CHRISTY　　＇with　ferocity。＇　　Take　yourself　from　this；　young　fellow；　or　I'll
  maybe　add　a　murder　to　my　deeds　to…day。
  MICHAEL　　＇springing　up　with　a　shriek。＇　　Murder　is　it？　　Is　it　mad　yous　are？
  Would　you　go　making　murder　in　this　place；　and　it　piled　with　poteen　for　our
  drink　to…night？　　Go　on　to　the　foreshore　if　it's　fighting　you　want；　where　the
  rising　tide　will　wash　all　traces　from　the　memory　of　man。　＇Pushing　Shawn
  towards　Christy。＇
  SHAWN　　＇shaking　himself　free；　and　getting　behind　Michael。＇　　I'll　not　fight
  him；　Michael　James。　　I'd　liefer　live　a　bachelor；　simmering　in　passions　to　the
  end　of　time；　than　face　a　lepping　savage　the　like　of　him　has　descended　from　the
  Lord　knows　where。　　Strike　him　yourself；　Michael　James；　or　you'll　lose　my　drift
  of　heifers　and　my　blue　bull　from　Sneem。
  MICHAEL。　　Is　it　me　fight　him；　when　it's　father…slaying　he's　bred　to　now？
  （Pushing　Shawn。）　　Go　on　you　fool　and　fight　him　now。
  SHAWN　　＇coming　forward　a　little。＇　　Will　I　strike　him　with　my　hand？
  MICHAEL。　　Take　the　loy　is　on　your　western　side。
  SHAWN。　　I'd　be　afeard　of　the　gallows　if　I　struck　him　with　that。
  CHRISTY　　＇taking　up　the　loy。＇　　Then　I'll　make　you　face　the　gallows　or　quit
  off　from　this。　　＇Shawn　flies　out　of　the　door。＇
  CHRISTY。　　Well；　fine　weather　be　after　him；　（going　to　Michael；　coaxingly）　and
  I'm　thinking　you　wouldn't　wish　to　have　that　quaking　blackguard　in　your　house
  at　all。　　Let　you　give　us　your　blessing　and　hear　her　swear　her　faith　to　me；　for
  I'm　mounted　on　the　spring…tide　of　the　stars　of　luck；　the　way　it'll　be　good　for
  any　to　have　me　in　the　house。
  PEGEEN　　＇at　the　other　side　of　Michael。＇　　Bless　us　now；　for　I　swear　to　God
  I'll　wed　him；　and　I'll　not　renege。
  MICHAEL　　＇standing　up　in　the　centre；　holding　on　to　both　of　them。＇　　It's
  the　will　of　God；　I'm　thinking；　that　all　should　win　an　easy　or　a　cruel　end；　and
  it's　the　will　of　God　that　all　should　rear　up　lengthy　families　for　the　nurture
  of　the　earth。　　What's　a　single　man；　I　ask　you；　eating　a　bit　in　one　house　and
  drinking　a　sup　in　another；　and　he　with　no　place　of　his　own；　like　an　old
  braying　jackass　strayed　upon　the　rocks？　　（To　Christy。）　　It's　many　would　be　in
  dread　to　bring　your　like　into　their　house　for　to　end　them；　maybe；　with　a
  sudden　end；　but　I'm　a　decent　man　of　Ireland；　and　I　liefer　face　the　grave
  untimely　and　I　seeing　a　score　of　grandsons　growing　up　little　gallant　swearers
  by　the　name　of　God；　than　go　peopling　my　bedside　with　puny　weeds　the　like　of
  what　you'd　breed；　I'm　thinking；　out　of　Shaneen　Keogh。　（He　joins　their　hands。）
  A　daring　fellow　is　the　jewel　of　the　world；　and　a　man　did　split　his　father's
  middle　with　a　single　clout；　should　have　the　bravery　of　ten；　so　may　God　and
  Mary　and　St。　Patrick　bless　you；　and　increase　you　from　this　mortal　day。
  CHRISTY　AND　PEGEEN。　　Amen；　O　Lord！
  ＇Hubbub　outside。＇
  ＇Old　Mahon　rushes　in；　followed　by　all　the　crowd；　and　Widow　Quin。　　He　makesa
  rush　at　Christy；　knocks　him　down；and　begins　to　beat　him。＇
  PEGEEN　　＇dragging　back　his　arm。＇　　Stop　that；　will　you。　　Who　are　you　at
  all？
  MAHON。　　His　father；　God　forgive　me！
  PEGEEN　　＇drawing　back。＇　　Is　it　rose　from　the　dead？
  MAHON。　　Do　you　think　I　look　so　easy　quenched　with　the　tap　of　a　loy？　　＇Beats
  Christy　again。＇
  PEGEEN　　＇glaring　at　Christy。＇　　And　it's　lies　you　told；　letting　on　you　had
  him　slitted；　and　you　nothing　at　all。
  CHRISTY　　＇clutching　Mahon's　stick。＇　　He's　not　my　father。　　He's　a　raving
  maniac　would　scare　the　world。　　（Pointing　to　Widow　Quin。）　　Herself　knows　it　is
  true。
  CROWD。　　You're　fooling　Pegeen！　　The　Widow　Quin　seen　him　this　day；　and　you
  likely　knew！　　You're　a　liar！
  CHRISTY　　＇dumbfounded。＇　　It's　himself　was　a　liar；　lying　stretched　out　with
  an　open　head　on　him；　letting　on　he　was　dead。
  MAHON。　　Weren't　you　off　racing　the　hills　before　I　got　my　breath　with　the　start
  I　had　seeing　you　turn　on　me　at　all？
  PEGEEN。　　And　to　think　of　the　coaxing　glory　we　had　given　him；　and　he　after
  doing　nothing　but　hitting　a　soft　blow　and　chasing　northward　in　a　sweat　of
  fear。　　Quit　off　from　this。
  CHRISTY　　＇piteously。＇　　You've　seen　my　doings　this　day；　and　let　you　save　me
  from　the　old　man；　for　why　would　you　be　in　such　a　scorch　of　haste　to　spur　me　to
  destruction　now？
  PEGEEN。　　It's　there　your　treachery　is　spurring　me；　till　I'm　hard　set　to　think
  you're　the　one　I'm　after　lacing　in　my　heart…strings　half…an…hour　gone　by。　　（To
  Mahon。）　　Take　him　on　from　this；　for　I　think　bad　the　world　should　see　me　raging
  for　a　Munster　liar；　and　the　fool　of　men。
  MAHON。　　Rise　up　now　to　retribution；　and　come　on　with　me。
  CROWD　　＇jeeringly。＇　　There's　the　playboy！　　There's　the　lad　thought　he'd　rule
  the　roost　in　Mayo。　　Slate　him　now；　mister。
  CHRISTY　　＇getting　up　in　shy　terror。＇　　What　is　it　drives　you　to　torment　me
  here；　when　I'd　asked　the　thunders　of　the　might　of　God　to　blast　me　if　I　ever
  did　hurt　to　any　saving　only　that　one　single　blow。
  MAHON　　＇loudly。＇　　If　you　didn't；　you're　a　poor　good…for…nothing；　and　isn't
  it　by　the　like　of　you　the　sins　of　the　whole　world　are　committed？
  CHRISTY　　＇raising　his　hands。＇　　In　the　name　of　the　Almighty　God。　。　。　。
  MAHON。　　Leave　troubling　the　Lord　God。　Would　you　have　him　sending　down
  droughts；　and　fevers；　and　the　old　hen　and　the　cholera　morbus？
  CHRISTY　　＇to　Widow　Quin。＇　　Will　you　come　between　us　and　protect　me　now？
  WIDOW　QUIN。　　I've　tried　a　lot；　God　help　me；　and　my　share　is　done。
  CHRISTY　　＇looking　round　in　desperation。＇　　And　I　must　go　back　into　my
  torment　is　it；　or　run　off　like　a　vagabond　straying　through　the　Unions　with　the
  dusts　of　August　making　mudstains　in　the　gullet　of　my　throat；　or　the　winds　of
  March　blowing　on　me　till　I'd　take　an　oath　I　felt　them　making　whistles　of　my
  ribs　within？
  SARA。　　Ask　Pegeen　to　aid　you。　　Her　like　does　often　change。
  CHRISTY。　　I　will　not　then；　for　there's　torment　in　the　splendour　of　her　like；
  and　she　a　girl　any　moon　of　midnight　would　take　pride　to　meet；　facing
  southwards　on　the　heaths　of　Keel。　　But　what　did　I　want　crawling　forward　to
  scorch　my　understanding　at　her　flaming　brow？
  PEGEEN　　＇to　Mahon；　vehemently；　fearing　she　will　break　into　tears。＇　　Take
  him　on　from　this　or　I'll　set　the　young　lads　to　destroy　him　here。
  MAHON　　＇going　to　him；　shaking　his　stick。＇　　Come　on　now　if　you　wouldn't
  have　the　company　to　see　you　skelped。
  PEGEEN　　＇half　laughing；　through　her　tears。＇　　That's　it；　now　the　world　will
  see　him　pandied；　and　he　an　ugly　liar　was　playing　off　the　hero；　and　the　fright
  of　men。
  CHRISTY　　＇to　Mahon；　very　sharply。＇　　Leave　me　go！
  CROWD。　　That's　it。　　Now　Christy。　　If　them　two　set　fighting；　it　will　lick　the
  world。
  MAHON　　＇making　a　grab　at　Christy。＇　　Come　here　to　me。
  CHRISTY　　＇more　threateningly。＇　　Leave　me　go；　I'm　saying。
  MAHON。　　I　will　maybe；　when　your　legs　is　limping；　and　your　back　is　blue。
  CROWD。　　Keep　it　up；　the　two　of　you。　　I'll　back　the　old　one。　　Now　the　playboy。
  CHRISTY　　＇in　low　and　intense　voice。＇　　Shut　your　yelling；　for　if　you're
  after　making　a　mighty　man　of　me　this　day　by　the　power　of　a　lie；　you're　setting
  me　now　to　think　if　it's　a　poor　thing　to　be　lonesome；　it's　worse　maybe　to　go
  mixing　with　the　fools　of　earth。　＇Mahon　makes　a　movement　towards　him。＇
  CHRISTY　　＇almost　shouting。＇　　Keep　off　。　。　。　lest　I　do　show　a　blow　unto　the
  lot　of　you　would　set　the　guardian　angels　winking　in　the　clouds　above。　＇He
  swings　round　with　a　sudden　rapid　movement　and　picks　up　a　loy。＇
  CROWD　　＇half　frightened；　half　amused。＇　　He's　going　mad！　　Mind　yourselves！
  Run　from　the　idiot！
  CHRISTY。　　If　I　am　an　idiot；　I'm　after　hearing　my　voice　this　day　saying　words
  would　raise　the　topknot　on　a　poet　in　a　merchant's　town。　　I've　won　your　racing；
  and　your　lepping；　and　。　。　。
  MAHON。　　Shut　your　gullet　and　come　on　with　me。
  CHRISTY。　　I'm　going；　but　I'll　stretch　you　first。　＇He　runs　at　old　Mahon　with
  the　loy；　chases　him　out　of　the　door；　followed　by　crowd　and　Widow　Quin。　　There
  is　a　great　noise　outside；　then　a　yell；　and　dead　silence　for　a　moment。　　Christy
  comes　in；　half　dazed；　and　goes　to　fire。＇
  WIDOW　QUIN　　＇coming　in；　hurriedly；　and　going　to　him。＇　　They're　turning
  again　you。　　Come　on；　or　you'll　be　hanged；　indeed。
  CHRISTY。　　I'm　thinking；　from　this　out；　Pegeen'll　be　giving　me　praises　the　same
  as　in　the　hours　gone　by。
  WIDOW　QUIN　　＇impatiently。＇　　Come　by　the　back…door。　　I'd　think　bad　to　have
  you　stifled　on　the　gallows　tree。
  CHRISTY　　＇indignantly。＇　　I　will　not；　then。　　What　good'd　be　my　life…time；　if
  I　left　Pegeen？
  WIDOW　QUIN。　　Come　on；　and　you'll　be　no　worse　than　you　were　last　night；　and　you
  with　a　double　murder　this　time　to　be　telling　to　the　girls。
  CHRISTY。　　I'll　not　leave　Pegeen　Mike。
  WIDOW　QUIN　　＇impatiently。＇　　Isn't　th