章节正文
sitting lonesome on a fine night, hearing the
32
dogs barking, and the bats squeaking, and you
saying over, it's a short while only till you die.
[She goes out singing "The night before
Larry was stretched."
CURTAIN
33
ACT II.
SCENE: The same. Early morning. Sarah
is washing her face in an old bucket; then
plaits her hair. Michael is tidying himself
also. Mary Byrne is asleep against the ditch.
SARAH -- to Michael, with pleased excite-
ment. -- Go over, now, to the bundle beyond,
and you'll find a kind of a red handkerchief
to put upon your neck, and a green one for
myself.
MICHAEL -- getting them. -- You're after
spending more money on the like of them.
Well, it's a power we're losing this time, and
we not gaining a thing at all. (With the
handkerchief.) Is it them two?
SARAH. It is, Michael. (She takes one
of them.) Let you tackle that one round under
your chin; and let you not forget to take your
hat from your head when we go up into the
church. I asked Biddy Flynn below, that's
after marrying her second man, and she told
me it's the like of that they do.
[Mary yawns, and turns over in her
sleep.
SARAH -- with anxiety. -- There she is
waking up on us, and I thinking we'd have the
job done before she'd know of it at all.
34
MICHAEL. She'll be crying out now, and
making game of us, and saying it's fools we
are surely.
SARAH. I'll send her to sleep again, or
get her out of it one way or another; for it'd
be a bad case to have a divil's scholar the like
of her turning the priest against us maybe
with her godless talk.
MARY -- waking up, and looking at them
with curiosity, blandly. -- That's fine things
you have on you, Sarah Casey; and it's a great
stir you're making this day, washing your
face. I'm that used to the hammer, I wouldn't
hear it at all, but washing is a rare thing, and
you're after waking me up, and I having a
great sleep in the sun.
[She looks around cautiously at the
bundle in which she has hidden the
bottles.
SARAH -- coaxingly. -- Let you stretch
out again for a sleep, Mary Byrne, for it'll
be a middling time yet before we go to the
fair.
MARY -- with suspicion. -- That's a sweet
tongue you have, Sarah Casey; but if sleep's
a grand thing, it's a grand thing to be waking
up a day the like of this, when there's a warm
sun in it, and a kind air, and you'll hear the
35
cuckoos singing and crying out on the top of
the hills.
SARAH. If it's that gay you are, you'd
have a right to walk down and see would you
get a few halfpence from the rich men do be
driving early to the fair.
MARY. When rich men do be driving
early, it's queer tempers they have, the Lord
forgive them; the way it's little but bad words
and swearing out you'd get from them all.
SARAH -- losing her temper and breaking
out fiercely. -- Then if you'll neither beg nor
sleep, let you walk off from this place where
you're not wanted, and not have us waiting
for you maybe at the turn of day.
MARY -- rather uneasy, turning to Mi-
chael. -- God help our spirits, Michael; there
she is again rousing cranky from the break
of dawn. Oh! isn't she a terror since the
moon did change (she gets up slowly)? And
I'd best be going forward to sell the gallon
can.
[She goes over and takes up the bundle.
SARAH -- crying out angrily. -- Leave
that down, Mary Byrne. Oh! aren't you the
scorn of women to think that you'd have that
drouth and roguery on you that you'd go
drinking the can and the dew not dried from
the grass?
36
MARY -- in a feigned tone of pacification,
with the bundle still in her hand. -- It's not a
drouth but a heartburn I have this day, Sarah
Casey, so I'm going down to cool my gullet
at the blessed well; and I'll sell the can to the
parson's daughter below, a harmless poor
creature would fill your hand with shillings
for a brace of lies.
SARAH. Leave down the tin can, Mary
Byrne, for I hear the drouth upon your tongue
to-day.
MARY. There's not a drink-house from
this place to the fair, Sarah Casey; the way
you'll find me below with the full price, and
not a farthing gone.
[She turns to go off left.
SARAH -- jumping up, and picking up the
hammer threateningly. -- Put down that can,
I'm saying.
MARY -- looking at her for a moment in
terror, and putting down the bundle in the
ditch. -- Is it raving mad you're going, Sarah
Casey, and you the pride of women to destroy
the world?
SARAH -- going up to her, and giving her
a push off left. -- I'll show you if it's raving
mad I am. Go on from this place, I'm saying,
and be wary now.
MARY -- turning back after her. -- If I
37
go, I'll be telling old and young you're a
weathered heathensavage, Sarah Casey, the
one did put down a head of the parson's cab-
bage to boil in the pot with your clothes (the
priest comes in behind her, on the left, and
listens), and quenched the flaming candles on
the throne of God the time your shadow fell
within the pillars of the chapel door.
[Sarah turns on her, and she springs
round nearly into the Priest's arms.
When she sees him, she claps her shawl
over her mouth, and goes up towards
the ditch, laughing to herself.
PRIEST -- going to Sarah, half terrified
at the language that he has heard. -- Well,
aren't you a fearful lot? I'm thinking it's only
humbug you were making at the fall of night,
and you won't need me at all.
SARAH -- with anger still in her voice. --
Humbug is it! would you be turning back upon
your spoken promise in the face of God?
PRIEST -- dubiously. -- I'm thinking you
were never christened, Sarah Casey; and it
would be a queer job to go dealing Christian
sacraments unto the like of you. (Persuasive-
ly feeling in his pocket.) So it would be best,
maybe, I'd give you a shilling for to drink
my health, and let you walk on, and not
trouble me at all.
38
SARAH. That's your talking, is it? If
you don't stand to your spoken word, holy
father, I'll make my own complaint to the
mitred bishop in the face of all.
PRIEST. You'd do that!
SARAH. I would surely, holy father, if
I walked to the city of Dublin with blood and
blisters on my naked feet.
PRIEST -- uneasily scratching his ear. --
I wish this day was done, Sarah Casey; for
I'm thinking it's a risky thing getting mixed
up in any matters with the like of you.
SARAH. Be hasty then, and you'll have
us done with before you'd think at all.
PRIEST -- giving in. -- Well, maybe it's
right you are, and let you come up to the chapel
when you see me looking from the door.
[He goes up into the chapel.
SARAH -- calling after him. -- We will,
and God preserve you, holy father.
MARY -- coming down to them, speaking
with amazement and consternation, but with-
out anger. -- Going to the chapel! It's at mar-
riage you're fooling again, maybe? (Sarah
turns her back on her.) It was for that you
were washing your face, and you after sending
me for porter at the fall of night the way I'd
drink a good half from the jug? (Going
39
round in front of Sarah.) Is it at marriage
you're fooling again?
SARAH -- triumphantly. -- It is, Mary
Byrne. I'll be married now in a short while;
and from this day there will no one have a
right to call me a dirty name and I selling cans
in Wicklow or Wexford or the city of Dublin
itself.
MARY -- turning to Michael. -- And it's
yourself is wedding her, Michael Byrne?
MICHAEL -- gloomily. -- It is, God spare
us.
MARY -- looks at Sarah for a moment,
and then bursts out into a laugh of derision. --
Well, she's a tight, hardy girl, and it's no lie;
but I never knew till this day it was a black
born fool I had for a son. You'll breed asses,
32
dogs barking, and the bats squeaking, and you
saying over, it's a short while only till you die.
[She goes out singing "The night before
Larry was stretched."
CURTAIN
33
ACT II.
SCENE: The same. Early morning. Sarah
is washing her face in an old bucket; then
plaits her hair. Michael is tidying himself
also. Mary Byrne is asleep against the ditch.
SARAH -- to Michael, with pleased excite-
ment. -- Go over, now, to the bundle beyond,
and you'll find a kind of a red handkerchief
to put upon your neck, and a green one for
myself.
MICHAEL -- getting them. -- You're after
spending more money on the like of them.
Well, it's a power we're losing this time, and
we not gaining a thing at all. (With the
handkerchief.) Is it them two?
SARAH. It is, Michael. (She takes one
of them.) Let you tackle that one round under
your chin; and let you not forget to take your
hat from your head when we go up into the
church. I asked Biddy Flynn below, that's
after marrying her second man, and she told
me it's the like of that they do.
[Mary yawns, and turns over in her
sleep.
SARAH -- with anxiety. -- There she is
waking up on us, and I thinking we'd have the
job done before she'd know of it at all.
34
MICHAEL. She'll be crying out now, and
making game of us, and saying it's fools we
are surely.
SARAH. I'll send her to sleep again, or
get her out of it one way or another; for it'd
be a bad case to have a divil's scholar the like
of her turning the priest against us maybe
with her godless talk.
MARY -- waking up, and looking at them
with curiosity, blandly. -- That's fine things
you have on you, Sarah Casey; and it's a great
stir you're making this day, washing your
face. I'm that used to the hammer, I wouldn't
hear it at all, but washing is a rare thing, and
you're after waking me up, and I having a
great sleep in the sun.
[She looks around cautiously at the
bundle in which she has hidden the
bottles.
SARAH -- coaxingly. -- Let you stretch
out again for a sleep, Mary Byrne, for it'll
be a middling time yet before we go to the
fair.
MARY -- with suspicion. -- That's a sweet
tongue you have, Sarah Casey; but if sleep's
a grand thing, it's a grand thing to be waking
up a day the like of this, when there's a warm
sun in it, and a kind air, and you'll hear the
35
cuckoos singing and crying out on the top of
the hills.
SARAH. If it's that gay you are, you'd
have a right to walk down and see would you
get a few halfpence from the rich men do be
driving early to the fair.
MARY. When rich men do be driving
early, it's queer tempers they have, the Lord
forgive them; the way it's little but bad words
and swearing out you'd get from them all.
SARAH -- losing her temper and breaking
out fiercely. -- Then if you'll neither beg nor
sleep, let you walk off from this place where
you're not wanted, and not have us waiting
for you maybe at the turn of day.
MARY -- rather uneasy, turning to Mi-
chael. -- God help our spirits, Michael; there
she is again rousing cranky from the break
of dawn. Oh! isn't she a terror since the
moon did change (she gets up slowly)? And
I'd best be going forward to sell the gallon
can.
[She goes over and takes up the bundle.
SARAH -- crying out angrily. -- Leave
that down, Mary Byrne. Oh! aren't you the
scorn of women to think that you'd have that
drouth and roguery on you that you'd go
drinking the can and the dew not dried from
the grass?
36
MARY -- in a feigned tone of pacification,
with the bundle still in her hand. -- It's not a
drouth but a heartburn I have this day, Sarah
Casey, so I'm going down to cool my gullet
at the blessed well; and I'll sell the can to the
parson's daughter below, a harmless poor
creature would fill your hand with shillings
for a brace of lies.
SARAH. Leave down the tin can, Mary
Byrne, for I hear the drouth upon your tongue
to-day.
MARY. There's not a drink-house from
this place to the fair, Sarah Casey; the way
you'll find me below with the full price, and
not a farthing gone.
[She turns to go off left.
SARAH -- jumping up, and picking up the
hammer threateningly. -- Put down that can,
I'm saying.
MARY -- looking at her for a moment in
terror, and putting down the bundle in the
ditch. -- Is it raving mad you're going, Sarah
Casey, and you the pride of women to destroy
the world?
SARAH -- going up to her, and giving her
a push off left. -- I'll show you if it's raving
mad I am. Go on from this place, I'm saying,
and be wary now.
MARY -- turning back after her. -- If I
37
go, I'll be telling old and young you're a
weathered heathensavage, Sarah Casey, the
one did put down a head of the parson's cab-
bage to boil in the pot with your clothes (the
priest comes in behind her, on the left, and
listens), and quenched the flaming candles on
the throne of God the time your shadow fell
within the pillars of the chapel door.
[Sarah turns on her, and she springs
round nearly into the Priest's arms.
When she sees him, she claps her shawl
over her mouth, and goes up towards
the ditch, laughing to herself.
PRIEST -- going to Sarah, half terrified
at the language that he has heard. -- Well,
aren't you a fearful lot? I'm thinking it's only
humbug you were making at the fall of night,
and you won't need me at all.
SARAH -- with anger still in her voice. --
Humbug is it! would you be turning back upon
your spoken promise in the face of God?
PRIEST -- dubiously. -- I'm thinking you
were never christened, Sarah Casey; and it
would be a queer job to go dealing Christian
sacraments unto the like of you. (Persuasive-
ly feeling in his pocket.) So it would be best,
maybe, I'd give you a shilling for to drink
my health, and let you walk on, and not
trouble me at all.
38
SARAH. That's your talking, is it? If
you don't stand to your spoken word, holy
father, I'll make my own complaint to the
mitred bishop in the face of all.
PRIEST. You'd do that!
SARAH. I would surely, holy father, if
I walked to the city of Dublin with blood and
blisters on my naked feet.
PRIEST -- uneasily scratching his ear. --
I wish this day was done, Sarah Casey; for
I'm thinking it's a risky thing getting mixed
up in any matters with the like of you.
SARAH. Be hasty then, and you'll have
us done with before you'd think at all.
PRIEST -- giving in. -- Well, maybe it's
right you are, and let you come up to the chapel
when you see me looking from the door.
[He goes up into the chapel.
SARAH -- calling after him. -- We will,
and God preserve you, holy father.
MARY -- coming down to them, speaking
with amazement and consternation, but with-
out anger. -- Going to the chapel! It's at mar-
riage you're fooling again, maybe? (Sarah
turns her back on her.) It was for that you
were washing your face, and you after sending
me for porter at the fall of night the way I'd
drink a good half from the jug? (Going
39
round in front of Sarah.) Is it at marriage
you're fooling again?
SARAH -- triumphantly. -- It is, Mary
Byrne. I'll be married now in a short while;
and from this day there will no one have a
right to call me a dirty name and I selling cans
in Wicklow or Wexford or the city of Dublin
itself.
MARY -- turning to Michael. -- And it's
yourself is wedding her, Michael Byrne?
MICHAEL -- gloomily. -- It is, God spare
us.
MARY -- looks at Sarah for a moment,
and then bursts out into a laugh of derision. --
Well, she's a tight, hardy girl, and it's no lie;
but I never knew till this day it was a black
born fool I had for a son. You'll breed asses,
- bundle [´bʌndl]
n.包，捆；包袱(裹) (初中英语单词) - anxiety [æŋ´zaiəti] n.挂念；渴望；焦虑的事 (初中英语单词)
- scholar [´skɔlə, ´skɑ-] n.学者；奖学金获得者 (初中英语单词)
- priest [pri:st] n.教士；牧师；神父 (初中英语单词)
- curiosity [,kjuəri´ɔsiti] n.好奇；奇事；珍品 (初中英语单词)
- hammer [´hæmə] n.锤子 v.重击 (初中英语单词)
- hidden [´hid(ə)n] hide 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
- suspicion [sə´spiʃən] n.怀(猜)疑；嫌疑 (初中英语单词)
- temper [´tempə] n.韧度 v.锻炼；调和 (初中英语单词)
- fiercely [´fiəsli] ad.凶猛地，残忍地 (初中英语单词)
- terror [´terə] n.恐怖；惊骇 (初中英语单词)
- savage [´sævidʒ] a.野蛮的 n.蛮人 (初中英语单词)
- chapel [´tʃæpəl] n.小教堂 (初中英语单词)
- fearful [´fiəfəl] a.可怕的；担心的 (初中英语单词)
- spoken [´spəukən] speak的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
- complaint [kəm´pleint] n.抱怨；叫屈 (初中英语单词)
- bishop [´biʃəp] n.主教 (初中英语单词)
- preserve [pri´zə:v] v.保藏 n.保藏物 (初中英语单词)
- amazement [ə´meizmənt] n.惊愕；惊奇 (初中英语单词)
- wedding [´wediŋ] n.婚礼，结婚 (初中英语单词)
- lonesome [´ləunsəm] a.孤独的；冷清清的 (高中英语单词)
- hearing [´hiəriŋ] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)
- bucket [´bʌkit] n.水桶 (高中英语单词)
- tackle [´tækəl] n.用具；装置 vt.处理 (高中英语单词)
- saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
- cautiously [´kɔ:ʃəsli] ad.小心地；谨慎地 (高中英语单词)
- uneasy [ʌn´i:zi] a.不安的；不自在的 (高中英语单词)
- angrily [´æŋgrili] ad.生气地；愤怒地 (高中英语单词)
- harmless [´hɑ:mləs] a.无害的，无恶意的 (高中英语单词)
- heathen [´hi:ðən] n.异教徒 (高中英语单词)
- throne [θrəun] n.宝座；王位 (高中英语单词)
- dealing [´di:liŋ] n.交易；来往 (高中英语单词)
- shilling [´ʃiliŋ] n.先令 (高中英语单词)
- porter [´pɔ:tə] n.守门人；勤杂工人 (高中英语单词)
- blessed [´blesid] a.享福的；神圣的 (英语四级单词)
- flaming [´fleimiŋ] a.熊熊燃烧的；热情的 (英语四级单词)
- triumphantly [trai´ʌmfəntli] ad.胜利地；洋洋得意地 (英语四级单词)
- farthing [´fɑ:ðiŋ] n.法新 (英语六级单词)
- dublin [´dʌblin] n.都柏林 (英语六级单词)
- uneasily [ʌn´i:zili] ad.不安地；局促地 (英语六级单词)
- calling [´kɔ:liŋ] n.点名；职业；欲望 (英语六级单词)
- consternation [,kɔnstə´neiʃən] n.惊愕；惊恐；惊慌失措 (英语六级单词)
- gloomily [´glu:mili] adv.忧郁的 (英语六级单词)
- derision [di´riʒən] n.嘲笑，嘲弄 (英语六级单词)
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