sweet smells do be rising, and you'd see a little shiny new moon, maybe,
sinking on the hills.

PEGEEN [looking at him playfully.] -- And it's that kind of a poacher's love
you'd make, Christy Mahon, on the sides of Neifin, when the night is down?

CHRISTY. It's little you'll think if my love's a poacher's, or an earl's
itself, when you'll feel my two hands stretched around you, and I squeezing

kisses on your puckered lips, till I'd feel a kind of pity for the Lord God is
all ages sitting lonesome in his golden chair.

PEGEEN. That'll be right fun, Christy Mahon, and any girl would walk her
heart out before she'd meet a young man was your like for eloquence, or talk,

at all.
CHRISTY -- [encouraged.] Let you wait, to hear me talking, till we're astray

in Erris, when Good Friday's by, drinking a sup from a well, and making mighty
kisses with our wetted mouths, or gaming in a gap or sunshine, with yourself

stretched back unto your necklace, in the flowers of the earth.
PEGEEN -- [in a lower voice, moved by his tone.] -- I'd be nice so, is it?

CHRISTY -- [with rapture.] -- If the mitred bishops seen you that time, they'd
be the like of the holy prophets, I'm thinking, do be straining the bars of

Paradise to lay eyes on the Lady Helen of Troy, and she abroad, pacing back
and forward, with a nosegay in her golden shawl.

PEGEEN -- [with real tenderness.] -- And what is it I have, Christy Mahon, to
make me fittingentertainment for the like of you, that has such poet's

talking, and such bravery of heart?
CHRISTY -- [in a low voice.] -- Isn't there the light of seven heavens in your

heart alone, the way you'll be an angel's lamp to me from this out, and I
abroad in the darkness, spearing salmons in the Owen, or the Carrowmore?

PEGEEN. If I was your wife, I'd be along with you those nights, Christy
Mahon, the way you'd see I was a great hand at coaxing bailiffs, or coining

funny nick-names for the stars of night.
CHRISTY. You, is it? Taking your death in the hailstones, or in the fogs of

dawn.
PEGEEN. Yourself and me would shelter easy in a narrow bush, (with a qualm of

dread) but we're only talking, maybe, for this would be a poor, thatched place
to hold a fine lad is the like of you.

CHRISTY -- [putting his arm round her.] -- If I wasn't a good Christian, it's
on my naked knees I'd be saying my prayers and paters to every jackstraw you

have roofing your head, and every stony pebble is paving the laneway to your
door.

PEGEEN -- [radiantly.] If that's the truth, I'll be burning candles from this
out to the miracles of God that have brought you from the south to-day, and I,

with my gowns bought ready, the way that I can wed you, and not wait at all.
CHRISTY. It's miracles, and that's the truth. Me there toiling a long while,

and walking a long while, not knowing at all I was drawing all times nearer to
this holy day.

PEGEEN. And myself, a girl, was tempted often to go sailing the seas till I'd
marry a Jew-man, with ten kegs of gold, and I not knowing at all there was the

like of you drawing nearer, like the stars of God.
CHRISTY. And to think I'm long years hearing women talking that talk, to all

bloody fools, and this the first time I've heard the like of your voice
talking sweetly for my own delight.

PEGEEN. And to think it's me is talking sweetly, Christy Mahon, and I the
fright of seven townlands for my biting tongue. Well, the heart's a wonder;

and, I'm thinking, there won't be our like in Mayo, for gallant lovers, from
this hour, to-day. (Drunken singing is heard outside.) There's my father

coming from the wake, and when he's had his sleep we'll tell him, for he's
peaceful then. [They separate.]

MICHAEL -- [singing outside] --
The jailor and the turnkey

They quickly ran us down,
And brought us back as prisoners

Once more to Cavan town. [He comes in supported by Shawn.]
There we lay bewailing

All in a prison bound. . . . [He sees Christy. Goes and shakes him drunkenly
by the hand, while Pegeen and Shawn talk on the left.]

MICHAEL -- [to Christy.] -- The blessing of God and the holy angels on your
head, young fellow. I hear tell you're after winning all in the sports below;

and wasn't it a shame I didn't bear you along with me to Kate Cassidy's wake,
a fine, stout lad, the like of you, for you'd never see the match of it for

flows of drink, the way when we sunk her bones at noonday in her narrow grave,
there were five men, aye, and six men, stretched out retching speechless on

the holy stones.
CHRISTY -- [uneasily, watching Pegeen.] -- Is that the truth?

MICHAEL. It is then, and aren't you a louty schemer to go burying your poor
father unbeknownst when you'd a right to throw him on the crupper of a Kerry

mule and drive him westwards, like holy Joseph in the days gone by, the way we
could have given him a decent burial, and not have him rotting beyond, and not

a Christian drinking a smart drop to the glory of his soul?
CHRISTY -- [gruffly.] It's well enough he's lying, for the likes of him.

MICHAEL -- [slapping him on the back.] -- Well, aren't you a hardened slayer?
It'll be a poor thing for the household man where you go sniffing for a female

wife; and (pointing to Shawn) look beyond at that shy and decent Christian I
have chosen for my daughter's hand, and I after getting the gilded

dispensation this day for to wed them now.
CHRISTY. And you'll be wedding them this day, is it?

MICHAEL -- [drawing himself up.] -- Aye. Are you thinking, if I'm drunk
itself, I'd leave my daughter living single with a little frisky rascal is the

like of you?
PEGEEN -- [breaking away from Shawn.] -- Is it the truth the dispensation's

come?
MICHAEL -- [triumphantly.] Father Reilly's after reading it in gallous Latin,

and "It's come in the nick of time," says he; "so I'll wed them in a hurry,
dreading that young gaffer who'd capsize the stars."

PEGEEN -- [fiercely.] He's missed his nick of time, for it's that lad,
Christy Mahon, that I'm wedding now.

MICHAEL -- [loudly with horror.] -- You'd be making him a son to me, and he
wet and crusted with his father's blood?

PEGEEN. Aye. Wouldn't it be a bitter thing for a girl to go marrying the
like of Shaneen, and he a middling kind of a scarecrow, with no savagery or

fine words in him at all?
MICHAEL -- [gasping and sinking on a chair.] -- Oh, aren't you a heathen

daughter to go shaking the fat of my heart, and I swamped and drownded with
the weight of drink? Would you have them turning on me the way that I'd be

roaring to the dawn of day with the wind upon my heart? Have you not a word
to aid me, Shaneen? Are you not jealous at all?

SHANEEN -- [In great misery.] -- I'd be afeard to be jealous of a man did slay
his da.

PEGEEN. Well, it'd be a poor thing to go marrying your like. I'm seeing
there's a world of peril for an orphan girl, and isn't it a great blessing I

didn't wed you, before himself came walking from the west or south?
SHAWN. It's a queer story you'd go picking a dirty tramp up from the highways

of the world.
PEGEEN -- [playfully.] And you think you're a likely beau to go straying

along with, the shiny Sundays of the opening year, when it's sooner on a
bullock's liver you'd put a poor girl thinking than on the lily or the rose?

SHAWN. And have you no mind of my weight of passion, and the holy
dispensation, and the drift of heifers I am giving, and the golden ring?

PEGEEN. I'm thinking you're too fine for the like of me, Shawn Keogh of
Killakeen, and let you go off till you'd find a radiant lady with droves of

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?

• sunshine [´sʌnʃain] n.日光，阳光 (初中英语单词)
• abroad [ə´brɔ:d] ad.海外；到处；广泛 (初中英语单词)
• entertainment [,entə´teinmənt] n.招(款)待；联欢会 (初中英语单词)
• knowing [´nəuiŋ] a.会意的，心照不宣的 (初中英语单词)
• gallant [´gælənt, gə´lænt] a.英勇的；华丽的 (初中英语单词)
• blessing [´blesiŋ] n.祝福 (初中英语单词)
• wedding [´wediŋ] n.婚礼，结婚 (初中英语单词)
• reading [´ri:diŋ] n.(阅)读；朗读；读物 (初中英语单词)
• jealous [´dʒeləs] a.妒忌的 (初中英语单词)
• opening [´əupəniŋ] n.开放；开端 a.开始的 (初中英语单词)
• passion [´pæʃən] n.激情；激怒；恋爱 (初中英语单词)
• savage [´sævidʒ] a.野蛮的 n.蛮人 (初中英语单词)
• western [´westən] a.西的；西方的 (初中英语单词)
• forgive [fə´giv] vt.原谅，谅解，宽恕 (初中英语单词)
• breath [breθ] n.呼吸；气息 (初中英语单词)
• doings [´du:iŋz] n.行动；所作的事 (初中英语单词)
• lonesome [´ləunsəm] a.孤独的；冷清清的 (高中英语单词)
• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
• pebble [´pebəl] n.卵石 v.(用卵石)铺 (高中英语单词)
• paving [´peiviŋ] n.铺砌；铺面 (高中英语单词)
• hearing [´hiəriŋ] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)
• sweetly [´swi:tli] ad.甜蜜地；美妙地 (高中英语单词)
• decent [´di:sənt] a.体面的，正派的 (高中英语单词)
• rascal [´rɑ:skəl] n.流氓 (高中英语单词)
• orphan [´ɔ:fən] n.&a.孤儿 vt.使成孤儿 (高中英语单词)
• radiant [´reidiənt] a.发光的 n.光源(体) (高中英语单词)
• bachelor [´bætʃələ] n.未婚男子；学士 (高中英语单词)
• ireland [´aiələnd] n.爱尔兰 (高中英语单词)
• seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)
• mortal [´mɔ:tl] a.致命的 n.凡人 (高中英语单词)
• northward [´nɔ:θwəd] ad.&a.向北(的) n.北 (高中英语单词)
• treachery [´tretʃəri] n.背叛；背信弃义 (高中英语单词)
• torment [´tɔ:ment] vt.(使)痛苦，折磨 (高中英语单词)
• eloquence [´eləkwəns] n.雄辩；口才 (英语四级单词)
• necklace [´neklis] n.项链 (英语四级单词)
• bravery [´breivəri] n.勇敢，大胆，刚毅 (英语四级单词)
• drawing [´drɔ:iŋ] n.画图；制图；图样 (英语四级单词)
• winning [´winiŋ] n.&a.胜利(的) (英语四级单词)
• noonday [´nu:ndei] n.正午 (英语四级单词)
• speechless [´spi:tʃləs] a.说不出话的 (英语四级单词)
• gallows [´gæləuz] n.绞刑架 (英语四级单词)
• bedside [´bedsaid] n.床边 a.护理的 (英语四级单词)
• daring [´deəriŋ] a.&n.勇敢(的) (英语四级单词)
• scorch [skɔ:tʃ] v.&n.烧焦；(使)枯黄 (英语四级单词)
• fitting [´fitiŋ] a.适当的 n.试衣 (英语六级单词)
• taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
• biting [´baitiŋ] a.刺痛的；尖利的 (英语六级单词)
• holding [´həuldiŋ] n.保持，固定，存储 (英语六级单词)