in the shadow of the glen-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


bits　of　broken　trees　were　left　from　the　great　storm；　and　the
streams　roaring　with　the　rain。

MICHEAL
｛Looking　at　her　uneasily。｝
What　is　it　ails　you；　this　night；　Nora　Burke？　I've　heard　tell　it's
the　like　of　that　talk　you　do　hear　from　men；　and　they　after　being
a　great　while　on　the　back　hills。

NORA
｛Putting　out　the　money　on　the　table。｝
It's　a　bad　night；　and　a　wild　night；　Micheal　Dara；　and　isn't　it　a
great　while　I　am　at　the　foot　of　the　back　hills；　sitting　up　here
boiling　food　for　himself；　and　food　for　the　brood　sow；　and　baking
a　cake　when　the　night　falls？　　｛She　puts　up　the　money；　listlessly；
in　little　piles　on　the　table。｝　　Isn't　it　a　long　while　I　am
sitting　here　in　the　winter　and　the　summer；　and　the　fine　spring；
with　the　young　growing　behind　me　and　the　old　passing；　saying　to
myself　one　time；　to　look　on　Mary　Brien　who　wasn't　that　height
｛holding　out　her　hand｝；　and　I　a　fine　girl　growing　up；　and　there
she　is　now　with　two　children；　and　another　coming　on　her　in　three
months　or　four。　｛She　pauses。｝

MICHEAL
｛Moving　over　three　of　the　piles。｝
That's　three　pounds　we　have　now；　Nora　Burke。

NORA
｛Continuing　in　the　same　voice。｝
And　saying　to　myself　another　time；　to　look　on　Peggy　Cavanagh；　who
had　the　lightest　hand　at　milking　a　cow　that　wouldn't　be　easy；　or
turning　a　cake；　and　there　she　is　now　walking　round　on　the　roads；
or　sitting　in　a　dirty　old　house；　with　no　teeth　in　her　mouth；　and
no　sense　and　no　more　hair　than　you'ld　see　on　a　bit　of　a　hill　and
they　after　burning　the　furze　from　it。

MICHEAL
That's　five　pounds　and　ten　notes；　a　good　sum；　surely！　。　。　。　　It's
not　that　way　you'll　be　talking　when　you　marry　a　young　man；　Nora
Burke；　and　they　were　saying　in　the　fair　my　lambs　were　the　best
lambs；　and　I　got　a　grand　price；　for　I'm　no　fool　now　at　making　a
bargain　when　my　lambs　are　good。

NORA
What　was　it　you　got？

MICHEAL
Twenty　pound　for　the　lot；　Nora　Burke。　。　。　。　We'ld　do　right　to
wait　now　till　himself　will　be　quiet　awhile　in　the　Seven　Churches；
and　then　you'll　marry　me　in　the　chapel　of　Rathvanna；　and　I'll
bring　the　sheep　up　on　the　bit　of　a　hill　you　have　on　the　back
mountain；　and　we　won't　have　anything　we'ld　be　afeard　to　let　our
minds　on　when　the　mist　is　down。

NORA
｛Pouring　him　out　some　whisky。｝
Why　would　I　marry　you；　Mike　Dara？　You'll　be　getting　old　and　I'll
be　getting　old；　and　in　a　little　while　I'm　telling　you；　you'll　be
sitting　up　in　your　bed　　the　way　himself　was　sitting　　with　a
shake　in　your　face；　and　your　teeth　falling；　and　the　white　hair
sticking　out　round　you　like　an　old　bush　where　sheep　do　be
leaping　a　gap。

｛Dan　Burke　sits　up　noiselessly　from　under　the　sheet；　with　his
hand　to　his　face。　　His　white　hair　is　sticking　out　round　his
head。｝

NORA
｛Goes　on　slowly　without　hearing　him。｝
It's　a　pitiful　thing　to　be　getting　old；　but　it's　a　queer　thing
surely。　　It's　a　queer　thing　to　see　an　old　man　sitting　up　there　in
his　bed　with　no　teeth　in　him；　and　a　rough　word　in　his　mouth；
and　his　chin　the　way　it　would　take　the　bark　from　the　edge　of　an
oak　board　you'ld　have　building　a　door。　。　。　。　　God　forgive　me；
Micheal　Dara；　we'll　all　be　getting　old；　but　it's　a　queer　thing
surely。

MICHEAL
It's　too　lonesome　you　are　from　living　a　long　time　with　an　old
man；　Nora；　and　you're　talking　again　like　a　herd　that　would　be
coming　down　from　the　thick　mist　｛he　puts　his　arm　round　her｝；　but
it's　a　fine　life　you'll　have　now　with　a　young　man；　a　fine　life
surely。　。　。　。

｛Dan　sneezes　violently。　　Micheal　tries　to　get　to　the　door；　but
before　he　can　do　so；　Dan　jumps　out　of　the　bed　in　queer　white
clothes；　with　his　stick　in　his　hand；　and　goes　over　and　puts　his
back　against　it。｝

MICHEAL
Son　of　God　deliver　us。

｛Crosses　himself；　and　goes　backward　across　the　room。｝

DAN
｛Holding　up　his　hand　at　him。｝
Now　you'll　not　marry　her　the　time　I'm　rotting　below　in　the　Seven
Churches；　and　you'll　see　the　thing　I'll　give　you　will　follow　you
on　the　back　mountains　when　the　wind　is　high。

MICHEAL
｛To　Nora。｝
Get　me　out　of　it；　Nora；　for　the　love　of　God。　He　always　did　what
you　bid　him；　and　I'm　thinking　he　would　do　it　now。

NORA
｛Looking　at　the　Tramp。｝
Is　it　dead　he　is　or　living？

DAN
｛Turning　towards　her。｝
It's　little　you　care　if　it's　dead　or　living　I　am；　but　there'll　be
an　end　now　of　your　fine　times；　and　all　the　talk　you　have　of　young
men　and　old　men；　and　of　the　mist　coming　up　or　going　down。　　｛He
opens　the　door。｝　　You'll　walk　out　now　from　that　door；　Nora　Burke；
and　it's　not　to…morrow；　or　the　next　day；　or　any　day　of　your　life；
that　you'll　put　in　your　foot　through　it　again。

TRAMP
｛Standing　up。｝
It's　a　hard　thing　you're　saying　for　an　old　man；　master　of　the
house；　and　what　would　the　like　of　her　do　if　you　put　her　out　on
the　roads？

DAN
Let　her　walk　round　the　like　of　Peggy　Cavanagh　below；　and　be
begging　money　at　the　cross…road；　or　selling　songs　to　the　men。　
｛To　Nora。｝　　Walk　out　now；　Nora　Burke；　and　it's　soon　you'll　be
getting　old　with　that　life；　I'm　telling　you；　it's　soon　your
teeth'll　be　falling　and　your　head'll　be　the　like　of　a　bush　where
sheep　do　be　leaping　a　gap。

｛He　pauses：　she　looks　round　at　Micheal。｝

MICHEAL
｛Timidly。｝
There's　a　fine　Union　below　in　Rathdrum。

DAN
The　like　of　her　would　never　go　there。　。　。　。　It's　lonesome　roads
she'll　be　going　and　hiding　herself　away　till　the　end　will　come；
and　they　find　her　stretched　like　a　dead　sheep　with　the　frost　on
her；　or　the　big　spiders；　maybe；　and　they　putting　their　webs　on
her；　in　the　butt　of　a　ditch。

NORA
｛Angrily。｝
What　way　will　yourself　be　that　day；　Daniel　Burke？　　What　way　will
you　be　that　day　and　you　lying　down　a　long　while　in　your　grave？
For　it's　bad　you　are　living；　and　it's　bad　you'll　be　when　you're
dead。　　｛She　looks　at　him　a　moment　fiercely；　then　half　turns　away
and　speaks　plaintively　again。｝　　Yet；　if　it　is　itself；　Daniel
Burke；　who　can　help　it　at　all；　and　let　you　be　getting　up　into
your　bed；　and　not　be　taking　your　death　with　the　wind　blowing　on
you；　and　the　rain　with　it；　and　you　half　in　your　skin。

DAN
It's　proud　and　happy　you'ld　be　if　I　was　getting　my　death　the　day
I　was　shut　of　yourself。　｛Pointing　to　the　door。｝　　Let　you　walk　out
through　that　door；　I'm　telling　you；　and　let　you　not　be　passing
this　way　if　it's　hungry　you　are；　or　wanting　a　bed。

TRAMP
｛Pointing　to　Micheal。｝
Maybe　himself　would　take　her。

NORA
What　would　he　do　with　me　now？

TRAMP
Give　you　the　half　of　a　dry　bed；　and　good　food　in　your　mouth。

DAN
Is　it　a　fool　you　think　him；　stranger；　or　is　it　a　fool　you　were
born　yourself？　　Let　her　walk　out　of　that　door；　and　let　you　go
along　with　her；　stranger　　if　it's　raining　itself　　for　it's
too　much　talk　you　have　surely。

TRAMP
｛Going　over　to　Nora。｝
We'll　be　going　now；　lady　of　the　house　　the　rain　is　falling；　but
the　air　is　kind　and　maybe　it'll　be　a　grand　morning　by　the　grace
of　God。

NORA
What　good　is　a　grand　morning　when　I'm　destroyed　surely；　and　I
going　out　to　get　my　death　walking　the　roads？

TRAMP
You'll　not　be　getting　your　death　with　myself；　lady　of　the　house；
and　I　knowing　all　the　ways　a　man　can　put　food　in　his　mouth。　。　。　。
We'll　be　going　now；　I'm　telling　you；　and　the　time　you'll　be
feeling　the　cold；　and　the　frost；　and　the　great　rain；　and　the　sun
again；　and　the　south　wind　blowing　in　the　glens；　you'll　not　be
sitting　up　on　a　wet　ditch；　the　way　you're　after　sitting　in　the
place；　making　yourself　old　with　looking　on　each　day；　and　it
passing　you　by。　You'll　be　saying　one　time；　〃It's　a　grand　evening；
by　the　grace　of　God；〃　and　another　time；　〃It's　a　wild　night；　God
help　us；　but　it'll　pass　surely。〃　　You'll　be　saying

DAN
｛Goes　over　to　them　crying　out　impatiently。｝
Go　out　of　that　door；　I'm　telling　you；　and　do　your　blathering
below　in　the　glen。

｛Nora　gathers　a　few　things　into　her　shawl。｝

TRAMP
｛At　the　door。｝
Come　along　with　me　now；　lady　of　the　house；　and　it's　not　my
blather　you'll　be　hearing　only；　but　you'll　be　hearing　the　herons
crying　out　over　the　black　lakes；　and　you'll　be　hearing　the　grouse
and　the　owls　with　them；　and　the　larks　and　the　big　thrushes　when
the　days　are　warm；　and　it's　not　from　the　like　of　them　you'll　be
hearing　a　talk　of　getting　old　like　Peggy　Cavanagh；　and　losing　the
hair　off　you；　and　the　light　of　your　eyes；　but　it's　fine　songs
you'll　be　hearing　when　the　sun　goes　up；　and　there'll　be　no　old
fellow　wheezing；　the　like　of　a　sick　sheep；　close　to　your　ear。

NORA
I'm　thinking　it's　myself　will　be　wheezing　that　time　with　lying
down　under　the　Heavens　when　the　night　is　cold；　but　you've　a　fine
bit　of　talk；　stranger；　and　it's　with　yourself　I'll　go。

｛She　goes　towards　the　door；　then　turns　to　Dan。｝　　You　think　it's　a
grand　thing　you're　after　doing　with　your　letting　on　to　be　dead；
but　what　is　it　at　all？　　What　way　would　a　woman　live　in　a　lonesome
place　the　like　of　this　place；　and　she　not　making　a　talk　with　the
men　passing？　　And　what　way　will　yourself　live　from　this　day；　with
none　to　care　for　you？　What　is　it　you'll　have　now　but　a　black
life；　Daniel　Burke；　and　it's　not　long　I'm　telling　you；　till
you'll　be　lying　again　under　that　sheet；　and　you　dead　surely。

｛She　goes　out　with　the　Tramp。　Micheal　is　slinking　after　them；　but
Dan　stops　him。｝

DAN
Sit　down　now　and　take　a　little　taste　of　the　stuff；　Micheal　Dara。　
There's　a　great　drouth　on　me；　and　the　n