the well of the saints-第9节

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height　of　the　day。　（He　goes　over　shouting。）　　Let　you　get　up　out

of　that。　　You　were　near　losing　a　great　chance　by　your　sleepiness

this　day；　Martin　Doul。　。　。　。　The　two　of　them's　in　it；　God　help　us

all！



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇scrambling　up　with　Mary　Doul。＇　　What　is　it　you

want；　Timmy；　that　you　can't　leave　us　in　peace？



TIMMY。　　The　Saint's　come　to　marry　the　two　of　us；　and　I'm　after

speaking　a　word　for　yourselves；　the　way　he'll　be　curing　you　now；

for　if　you're　a　foolish　man　itself；　I　do　be　pitying　you；　for　I've

a　kind　heart；　when　I　think　of　you　sitting　dark　again；　and　you

after　seeing　a　while　and　working　for　your　bread。　＇Martin　Doul

takes　Mary　Doul's　hand　and　tries　to　grope　his　way　off　right；　he

has　lost　his　hat；　and　they　are　both　covered　with　dust　and　grass

seeds。＇



PEOPLE。　　You're　going　wrong。　　It's　this　way；　Martin　Doul。



＇They　push　him　over　in　front　of　the　Saint；　near　centre。　　Martin

Doul　and　Mary　Doul　stand　with　piteous　hang…dog　dejection。＇



SAINT。　　Let　you　not　be　afeard；　for　there's　great　pity　with　the

Lord。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　We　aren't　afeard；　holy　father。



SAINT。　　It's　many　a　time　those　that　are　cured　with　the　well　of

the　four　beauties　of　God　lose　their　sight　when　a　time　is　gone；

but　those　I　cure　a　second　time　go　on　seeing　till　the　hour　of

death。　　（He　takes　the　cover　from　his　can。）　I've　a　few　drops　only

left　of　the　water；　but；　with　the　help　of　God；　It'll　be　enough　for

the　two　of　you；　and　let　you　kneel　down　now　upon　the　road。　＇Martin

Doul　wheels　round　with　Mary　Doul　and　tries　to　get　away。



SAINT。　　You　can　kneel　down　here；　I'm　saying；　we'll　not　trouble

this　time　going　to　the　church。



TIMMY　　＇turning　Martin　Doul　round；　angrily。＇　　Are　you　going

mad　in　your　head；　Martin　Doul？　　It's　here　you're　to　kneel。　　Did

you　not　hear　his　reverence；　and　he　speaking　to　you　now？



SAINT。　　Kneel　down；　I'm　saying；　the　ground's　dry　at　your　feet。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇with　distress。＇　　Let　you　go　on　your　own　way；

holy　father。　　We're　not　calling　you　at　all。



SAINT。　　I'm　not　saying　a　word　of　pen…　ance；　or　fasting　itself；

for　I'm　thinking　the　Lord　has　brought　you　great　teaching　in　the

blindness　of　your　eyes；　so　you've　no　call　now　to　be　fearing　me；

but　let　you　kneel　down　till　I　give　you　your　sight。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇more　troubled。＇　　We're　not　asking　our　sight；

holy　father；　and　let　you　walk　on　your　own　way；　and　be　fasting；　or

praying；　or　doing　anything　that　you　will；　but　leave　us　here　in

our　peace；　at　the　crossing　of　the　roads；　for　it's　best　we　are

this　way；　and　we're　not　asking　to　see。



SAINT　　＇to　the　People。＇　　Is　his　mind　gone　that　he's　no　wish

to　be　cured　this　day；　or　to　be　living　or　working；　or　looking　on

the　wonders　of　the　world？



MARTIN　DOUL。　　It's　wonders　enough　I　seen　in　a　short　space　for　the

life　of　one　man　only。



SAINT　　＇severely。＇　　I　never　heard　tell　of　any　person　wouldn't

have　great　joy　to　be　looking　on　the　earth；　and　the　image　of　the

Lord　thrown　upon　men。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇raising　his　voice。＇　　Them　is　great　sights；　holy

father。　。　。　。　　What　was　it　I　seen　when　I　first　opened　my　eyes　but

your　own　bleeding　feet；　and　they　cut　with　the　stones？　　That　was　a

great　sight；　maybe；　of　the　image　of　God。　。　。　。　　And　what　was　it　I

seen　my　last　day　but　the　villainy　of　hell　looking　out　from　the

eyes　of　the　girl　you're　coming　to　marry　　the　Lord　forgive　you

　with　Timmy　the　smith。　　That　was　a　great　sight；　maybe。　　And

wasn't　it　great　sights　I　seen　on　the　roads　when　the　north　winds

would　be　driving；　and　the　skies　would　be　harsh；　till　you'd　see

the　horses　and　the　asses；　and　the　dogs　itself；　maybe；　with　their

heads　hanging；　and　they　closing　their　eyes　。



SAINT。　　And　did　you　never　hear　tell　of　the　summer；　and　the　fine

spring；　and　the　places　where　the　holy　men　of　Ireland　have　built

up　churches　to　the　Lord？　　No　man　isn't　a　madman；　I'm　thinking；

would　be　talking　the　like　of　that；　and　wishing　to　be　closed　up

and　seeing　no　sight　of　the　grand　glittering　seas；　and　the　furze

that　is　opening　above；　and　will　soon　have　the　hills　shining　as　if

it　was　fine　creels　of　gold　they　were；　rising　to　the　sky。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　Is　it　talking　now　you　are　of　Knock　and　Ballavore？　

Ah；　it's　ourselves　had　finer　sights　than　the　like　of　them；　I'm

telling　you；　when　we　were　sitting　a　while　back　hearing　the　birds

and　bees　humming　in　every　weed　of　the　ditch；　or　when　we'd　be

smelling　the　sweet；　beautiful　smell　does　be　rising　in　the　warm

nights；　when　you　do　hear　the　swift　flying　things　racing　in　the

air；　till　we'd　be　looking　up　in　our　own　minds　into　a　grand　sky；

and　seeing　lakes；　and　big　rivers；　and　fine　hills　for　taking　the

plough。



SAINT　　＇to　People。＇　　There's　little　use　talking　with　the　like

of　him。



MOLLY　BYRNE。　　It's　lazy　he　is；　holy　father；　and　not　wanting　to

work；　for　a　while　before　you　had　him　cured　he　was　always　talking；

and　wishing；　and　longing　for　his　sight。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇turning　on　her。＇　　I　was　longing；　surely　for

sight；　but　I　seen　my　fill　in　a　short　while　with　the　look　of　my

wife；　and　the　look　of　yourself；　Molly　Byrne；　when　you'd　the　queer

wicked　grin　in　your　eyes　you　do　have　the　time　you're　making　game

with　a　man。



MOLLY　BYRNE。　　Let　you　not　mind　him；　holy　father；　for　it's　bad

things　he　was　saying　to　me　a　while　back　　bad　things　for　a

married　man；　your　reverence　　and　you'd　do　right　surely　to　leave

him　in　darkness；　if　it's　that　is　best　fitting　the　villainy　of　his

heart。



TIMMY　　＇to　Saint。＇　　Would　you　cure　Mary　Doul；　your　reverence；

who　is　a　quiet　poor　woman；　never　did　hurt　to　any；　or　said　a　hard

word；　saving　only　when　she'd　be　vexed　with　himself；　or　with　young

girls　would　be　making　game　of　her　below？



SAINT　　＇to　Mary　Doul。＇　　If　you　have　any　sense；　Mary；　kneel

down　at　my　feet；　and　I'll　bring　the　sight　again　into　your　eyes。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇more　defiantly。＇　　You　will　not；　holy　father。　

Would　you　have　her　looking　on　me；　and　saying　hard　words　to　me；

till　the　hour　of　death？



SAINT　　＇severely。＇　　If　she's　wanting　her　sight　I　wouldn't

have　the　like　of　you　stop　her　at　all。　　（To　Mary　Doul。）　　Kneel

down；　I'm　saying。



MARY　DOUL　　＇doubtfully。＇　　Let　us　be　as　we　are；　holy　father；

and　then　we'll　be　known　again　in　a　short　while　as　the　people　is

happy　and　blind；　and　be　having　an　easy　time；　with　no　trouble　to

live；　and　we　getting　halfpence　on　the　road。



MOLLY　BYRNE。　　Let　you　not　be　a　raving　fool；　Mary　Doul。　　Kneel

down　now；　and　let　him　give　you　your　sight；　and　himself　can　be

sitting　here　if　he　likes　it　best；　and　taking　halfpence　on　the

road。



TIMMY。　　That's　the　truth；　Mary；　and　if　it's　choosing　a　wilful

blindness　you　are；　I'm　thinking　there　isn't　anyone　in　this　place

will　ever　be　giving　you　a　hand's　turn　or　a　hap'orth　of　meal；　or

be　doing　the　little　things　you　need　to　keep　you　at　all　living　in

the　world。



MAT　SIMON。　　If　you　had　your　sight；　Mary；　you　could　be　walking　up

for　him　and　down　with　him；　and　be　stitching　his　clothes；　and

keeping　a　watch　on　him　day　and　night　the　way　no　other　woman　would

come　near　him　at　all。



MARY　DOUL　　＇half　persuaded。＇　　That's　the　truth；　maybe。



SAINT。　　Kneel　down　now；　I'm　saying；　for　it's　in　haste　I　am　to　be

going　on　with　the　marriage　and　be　walking　my　own　way　before　the

fall　of　night。



THE　PEOPLE。　　Kneel　down；　Mary！　Kneel　down　when　you're　bid　by　the

Saint！



MARY　DOUL　　＇looking　uneasily　towards　Martin　Doul。＇　　Maybe

it's　right　they　are；　and　I　will　if　you　wish　it；　holy　father。



＇She　kneels　down。　　The　Saint　takes　off　his　hat　and　gives　it　to

some　one　near　him。　　All　the　men　take　off　their　hats。　He　goes

forward　a　step　to　take　Martin　Doul's　hand　away　from　Mary　Doul。＇



SAINT　　＇to　Martin　Doul。＇　　Go　aside　now；　we're　not　wanting　you

here。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇pushes　him　away　roughly；　and　stands　with　his　left

hand　on　Mary　Doul's　shoulder。＇　　Keep　off　yourself；　holy　father；

and　let　you　not　be　taking　my　rest　from　me　in　the　darkness　of　my

wife。　。　。　。　What　call　has　the　like　of　you　to　be　coming　between

married　people　　that　you're　not　understanding　at　all　　and　be

making　a　great　mess　with　the　holy　water　you　have；　and　the　length

of　your　prayers？　　Go　on　now；　I'm　saying；　and　leave　us　here　on　the

road。



SAINT。　　If　it　was　a　seeing　man　I　heard　talking　to　me　the　like　of

that　I'd　put　a　black　curse　on　him　would　weigh　down　his　soul　till

it'd　be　falling　to　hell；　but　you're　a　poor　blind　sinner；　God

forgive　you；　and　I　don't　mind　you　at　all。　　（He　raises　his　can。）　

Go　aside　now　till　I　give　the　blessing　to　your　wife；　and　if　you

won't　go　with　your　own　will；　there　are　those　standing　by　will

make　you；　surely。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇pulling　Mary　Doul。＇　　Come　along　now；　and　don't

mind　him　at　all。



SAINT　　＇imperiously；　to　the　People。＇　　Let　you　take　that　man

and　drive　him　down　upon　the　road。　＇Some　men　seize　Martin　Doul。＇



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇struggling　and　shouting。＇　　Make　them　leave　me

go；　holy　father！　Make　them　leave　me　go；　I'm　saying；　and　you　may

cure　her　this　day；　or　do　anything　that　you　will。