playboy of the western world-第3节

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CHRISTY　　＇peevishly。＇　　Ah；　not　at　all；　I'm　saying。　　You'd　see　the　like　of

them　stories　on　any　little　paper　of　a　Munster　town。　　But　I'm　not　calling　to

mind　any　person；　gentle；　simple；　judge　or　jury；　did　the　like　of　me。　＇They　all

draw　nearer　with　delighted　curiosity。＇



PHILLY。　　Well；　that　lad's　a　puzzlethe　world。



JIMMY。　　He'd　beat　Dan　Davies'　circus；　or　the　holy　missioners　making　sermons　on

the　villainy　of　man。　　Try　him　again；　Philly。



PHILLY。　　Did　you　strike　golden　guineas　out　of　solder；　young　fellow；　or

shilling　coins　itself？



CHRISTY。　　I　did　not；　mister；　not　sixpence　nor　a　farthing　coin。　　　　



JIMMY。　　Did　you　marry　three　wives　maybe？　　I'm　told　there's　a　sprinkling　have

done　that　among　the　holy　Luthers　of　the　preaching　north。



CHRISTY　　＇shyly。＇　　I　never　married　with　one；　let　alone　with　a　couple　or

three。　　　　



PHILLY。　　Maybe　he　went　fighting　for　the　Boers；　the　like　of　the　man　beyond；　was

judged　to　be　hanged；　quartered　and　drawn。　　Were　you　off　east；　young　fellow；

fighting　bloody　wars　for　Kruger　and　the　freedom　of　the　Boers？



CHRISTY。　　I　never　left　my　own　parish　till　Tuesday　was　a　week。



PEGEEN　　＇coming　from　counter。＇　　He's　done　nothing；　so。　　（To　Christy。）　　If

you　didn't　commit　murder　or　a　bad；　nasty　thing；　or　false　coining；　or　robbery；

or　butchery；　or　the　like　of　them；　there　isn't　anything　that　would　be　worth

your　troubling　for　to　run　from　now。　You　did　nothing　at　all。



CHRISTY　　＇his　feelings　hurt。＇　　That's　an　unkindly　thing　to　be　saying　to　a

poor　orphaned　traveller；　has　a　prison　behind　him；　and　hanging　before；　and

hell's　gap　gaping　below。



PEGEEN　　＇with　a　sign　to　the　men　to　be　quiet。＇　　You're　only　saying　it。　　You

did　nothing　at　all。　　A　soft　lad　the　like　of　you　wouldn't　slit　the　windpipe　of

a　screeching　sow。



CHRISTY　　＇offended。＇　　You're　not　speaking　the　truth。



PEGEEN　　　＇in　mock　rage。＇　　Not　speaking　the　truth；　is　it？　　Would　you　have

me　knock　the　head　of　you　with　the　butt　of　the　broom？



CHRISTY　　＇twisting　round　on　her　with　a　sharp　cry　of　horror。＇　　Don't　strike

me。　　I　killed　my　poor　father；　Tuesday　was　a　week；　for　doing　the　like　of　that。



PEGEEN　　＇with　blank　amazement。＇　　Is　it　killed　your　father？



CHRISTY　　＇subsiding。＇　　With　the　help　of　God　I　did　surely；　and　that　the　Holy

Immaculate　Mother　may　intercede　for　his　soul。



PHILLY　　＇retreating　with　Jimmy。＇　　There's　a　daring　fellow。



JIMMY。　Oh；　glory　be　to　God！



MICHAEL　　＇with　great　respect。＇　　That　was　a　hanging　crime；　mister　honey。　

You　should　have　had　good　reason　for　doing　the　like　of　that。



CHRISTY　　＇in　a　very　reasonable　tone。＇　　He　was　a　dirty　man；　God　forgive

him；　and　he　getting　old　and　crusty；　the　way　I　couldn't　put　up　with　him　at　all。



PEGEEN。　　And　you　shot　him　dead？



CHRISTY　　＇shaking　his　head。＇　　I　never　used　weapons。　　I've　no　license；　and

I'm　a　law…fearing　man。



MICHAEL。　　It　was　with　a　hilted　knife　maybe？　　I'm　told；　in　the　big　world　it's

bloody　knives　they　use。



CHRISTY　　＇loudly；　scandalized。＇　　Do　you　take　me　for　a　slaughter…boy？



PEGEEN。　　You　never　hanged　him；　the　way　Jimmy　Farrell　hanged　his　dog　from　the

license；　and　had　it　screeching　and　wriggling　three　hours　at　the　butt　of　a

string；　and　himself　swearing　it　was　a　dead　dog；　and　the　peelers　swearing　it

had　life？



CHRISTY。　　I　did　not　then。　　I　just　riz　the　loy　and　let　fall　the　edge　of　it　on

the　ridge　of　his　skull；　and　he　went　down　at　my　feet　like　an　empty　sack；　and

never　let　a　grunt　or　groan　from　him　at　all。



MICHAEL　　＇making　a　sign　to　Pegeen　to　fill　Christy's　glass。＇　　And　what　way

weren't　you　hanged；　mister？　　Did　you　bury　him　then？



CHRISTY　　＇considering。＇　　Aye。　　I　buried　him　then。　　Wasn't　I　digging　spuds　in

the　field？



MICHAEL。　　And　the　peelers　never　followed　after　you　the　eleven　days　that　you're

out？



CHRISTY　　＇shaking　his　head。＇　　Never　a　one　of　them；　and　I　walking　forward

facing　hog；　dog；　or　divil　on　the　highway　of　the　road。



PHILLY　　＇nodding　wisely。＇　　It's　only　with　a　common　week…day　kind　of　a

murderer　them　lads　would　be　trusting　their　carcase；　and　that　man　should　be　a

great　terror　when　his　temper's　roused。



MICHAEL。　　He　should　then。　　（To　Christy。）　And　where　was　it；　mister　honey；　that

you　did　the　deed？



CHRISTY　　＇looking　at　him　with　suspicion。＇　　Oh；　a　distant　place；　master　of

the　house；　a　windy　corner　of　high；　distant　hills。



PHILLY　　＇nodding　with　approval。＇　　He's　a　close　man；　and　he's　right；

surely。



PEGEEN。　　That'd　be　a　lad　with　the　sense　of　Solomon　to　have　for　a　pot…boy；

Michael　James；　if　it's　the　truth　you're　seeking　one　at　all。



PHILLY。　　The　peelers　is　fearing　him；　and　if　you'd　that　lad　in　the　house　there

isn't　one　of　them　would　come　smelling　around　if　the　dogs　itself　were　lapping

poteen　from　the　dungpit　of　the　yard。



JIMMY。　　Bravery's　a　treasure　in　a　lonesome　place；　and　a　lad　would　kill　his

father；　I'm　thinking；　would　face　a　foxy　divil　with　a　pitchpike　on　the　flags　of

hell。



PEGEEN。　　It's　the　truth　they're　saying；　and　if　I'd　that　lad　in　the　house；　I

wouldn't　be　fearing　the　loosed　kharki　cut…throats；　or　the　walking　dead。



CHRISTY　　＇swelling　with　surprise　and　triumph。＇　　Well；　glory　be　to　God！



MICHAEL　　＇with　deference。＇　　Would　you　think　well　to　stop　here　and　be

pot…boy；　mister　honey；　if　we　gave　you　good　wages；　and　didn't　destroy　you　with

the　weight　of　work？



SHAWN　　＇coming　forward　uneasily。＇　　That'd　be　a　queer　kind　to　bring　into　a

decent　quiet　household　with　the　like　of　Pegeen　Mike。



PEGEEN　　＇very　sharply。＇　　Will　you　whisht？　　Who's　speaking　to　you？



SHAWN　　＇retreating。＇　　A　bloody…handed　murderer　the　like　of　。　。　。



PEGEEN　　＇snapping　at　him。＇　　Whisht　I　am　saying；　we'll　take　no　fooling　from

your　like　at　all。　　（To　Christy　with　a　honeyed　voice。）　And　you；　young　fellow；

you'd　have　a　right　to　stop；　I'm　thinking；　for　we'd　do　our　all　and　utmost　to

content　your　needs。



CHRISTY　　＇overcome　with　wonder。＇　　And　I'd　be　safe　in　this　place　from　the

searching　law？



MICHAEL。　　You　would；　surely。　　If　they're　not　fearing　you；　itself；　the　peelers

in　this　place　is　decent　droughty　poor　fellows；　wouldn't　touch　a　cur　dog　and

not　give　warning　in　the　dead　of　night。



PEGEEN　　＇very　kindly　and　persuasively。＇　　Let　you　stop　a　short　while

anyhow。　Aren't　you　destroyed　walking　with　your　feet　in　bleeding　blisters；　and

your　whole　skin　needing　washing　like　a　Wicklow　sheep。



CHRISTY　　＇looking　round　with　satisfaction。＇　　It's　a　nice　room；　and　if　it's

not　humbugging　me　you　are；　I'm　thinking　that　I'll　surely　stay。



JIMMY　　＇jumps　up。＇　　Now；　by　the　grace　of　God；　herself　will　be　safe　this

night；　with　a　man　killed　his　father　holding　danger　from　the　door；　and　let　you

come　on；　Michael　James；　or　they'll　have　the　best　stuff　drunk　at　the　wake。



MICHAEL　　＇going　to　the　door　with　men。＇　And　begging　your　pardon；　mister；　what

name　will　we　call　you；　for　we'd　like　to　know？



CHRISTY。　　Christopher　Mahon。



MICHAEL。　　Well；　God　bless　you；　Christy；　and　a　good　rest　till　we　meet　again

when　the　sun'll　be　rising　to　the　noon　of　day。



CHRISTY。　　God　bless　you　all。



MEN。　　God　bless　you。　＇They　go　out　except　Shawn；　who　lingers　at　door。＇



SHAWN　　＇to　Pegeen。＇　　Are　you　wanting　me　to　stop　along　with　you　and　keep

you　from　harm？



PEGEEN　　＇gruffly。＇　　Didn't　you　say　you　were　fearing　Father　Reilly？



SHAWN。　　There'd　be　no　harm　staying　now；　I'm　thinking；　and　himself　in　it　too。



PEGEEN。　　You　wouldn't　stay　when　there　was　need　for　you；　and　let　you　step　off

nimble　this　time　when　there's　none。



SHAWN。　　Didn't　I　say　it　was　Father　Reilly　。　。　。



PEGEEN。　　Go　on；　then；　to　Father　Reilly　（in　a　jeering　tone）；　and　let　him　put

you　in　the　holy　brotherhoods；　and　leave　that　lad　to　me。



SHAWN。　　If　I　meet　the　Widow　Quin　。　。　。



PEGEEN。　　Go　on；　I'm　saying；　and　don't　be　waking　this　place　with　your　noise。　

（She　hustles　him　out　and　bolts　the　door。）　　That　lad　would　wear　the　spirits

from　the　saints　of　peace。　　（Bustles　about；　then　takes　off　her　apron　and　pins

it　up　in　the　window　as　a　blind。　Christy　watching　her　timidly。　　Then　she　comes

to　him　and　speaks　with　bland　good…humour。）　　Let　you　stretch　out　now　by　the

fire；　young　fellow。　　You　should　be　destroyed　travelling。



CHRISTY　　＇shyly　again；　drawing　off　his　boots。）　　I'm　tired；　surely；　walking

wild　eleven　days；　and　waking　fearful　in　the　night。　＇He　holds　up　one　of　his

feet；　feeling　his　blisters；　and　looking　at　them　with　compassion。＇



PEGEEN　　＇standing　beside　him；　watching　him　with　delight。＇　　You　should　have

had　great　people　in　your　family；　I'm　thinking；　with　the　little；　small　feet　you

have；　and　you　with　a　kind　of　a　quality　name；　the　like　of　what　you'd　find　on

the　great　powers　and　potentates　of　France　and　Spain。



CHRISTY　　＇with　pride。＇　　We　were　great　surely；　with　wide　and　windy　acres　of

rich　Munster　land。



PEGEEN。　　Wasn't　I　telling　you；　and　you　a　fine；　handsome　young　fellow　with　a

noble　brow？



CHRISTY　　＇with　a　flash　of　delighted　surprise。＇　　Is　it　me？



PEGEEN。　　Aye。　　Did　you　never　he