playboy of the western world-第8节
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and make yourself a hero in the sight of all。 （Coming up to her。） Oh； Widow
Quin； will you find me some contrivance when I've promised you a ewe？
WIDOW QUIN。 A ewe's a small thing； but what would you give me if I did wed
him and did save you so？
SHAWN ＇with astonishment。＇ You？
WIDOW QUIN。 Aye。 Would you give me the red cow you have and the mountainy
ram； and the right of way across your rye path； and a load of dung at
Michaelmas； and turbary upon the western hill？
SHAWN ＇radiant with hope。＇ I would surely； and I'd give you the
wedding…ring I have； and the loan of a new suit； the way you'd have him decent
on the wedding…day。 I'd give you two kids for your dinner； and a gallon of
poteen； and I'd call the piper on the long car to your wedding from
Crossmolina or from Ballina。 I'd give you 。 。 。
WIDOW QUIN。 That'll do so； and let you whisht； for he's coming now again。
＇Christy comes in very natty in the new clothes。 Widow Quin goes to him ad
miringly。＇
WIDOW QUIN。 If you seen yourself now； I'm thinking you'd be too proud to
speak to us at all； and it'd be a pity surely to have your like sailing from
Mayo to the Western World。
CHRISTY ＇as proud as a peacock。＇ I'm not going。 If this is a poor place
itself； I'll make myself contented to be lodging here。 ＇Widow Quin makes a
sign to Shawn to leave them。＇
SHAWN。 Well； I'm going measuring the race…course while the tide is low； so
I'll leave you the garments and my blessing for the sports to…day。 God bless
you！ ＇He wriggles out。＇
WIDOW QUIN ＇admiring Christy。＇ Well； you're mighty spruce； young fellow。
Sit down now while you're quiet till you talk with me。
CHRISTY ＇swaggering。＇ I'm going abroad on the hillside for to seek Pegeen。
WIDOW QUIN。 You'll have time and plenty for to seek Pegeen； and you heard me
saying at the fall of night the two of us should be great company。
CHRISTY。 From this out I'll have no want of company when all sorts is
bringing me their food and clothing （he swaggers to the door； tightening his
belt）； the way they'd set their eyes upon a gallant orphan cleft his father
with one blow to the breeches belt。 （He opens door； then staggers back。）
Saints of glory！ Holy angels from the throne of light！
WIDOW QUIN ＇going over。＇ What ails you？
CHRISTY。 It's the walking spirit of my murdered da？
WIDOW QUIN ＇looking out。＇ Is it that tramper？
CHRISTY ＇wildly。＇ Where'll I hide my poor body from that ghost of hell？
＇The door is pushed open； and old Mahon appears on threshold。 Christy darts
in behind door。＇
WIDOW QUIN ＇in great amusement。＇ Cod save you； my poor man。
MAHON ＇gruffly。＇ Did you see a young lad passing this way in the early
morning or the fall of night？
WIDOW QUIN。 You're a queer kind to walk in not saluting at all。
MAHON。 Did you see the young lad？
WIDOW QUIN ＇stiffly。＇ What kind was he？
MAHON。 An ugly young streeler with a murderous gob on him； and a little
switch in his hand。 I met a tramper seen him coming this way at the fall of
night。
WIDOW QUIN。 There's harvest hundreds do be passing these days for the Sligo
boat。 For what is it you're wanting him； my poor man？
MAHON。 I want to destroy him for breaking the head on me with the clout of a
loy。 （He takes off a big hat； and shows his head in a mass of bandages and
plaster； with some pride。） It was he did that； and amn't I a great wonder to
think I've traced him ten days with that rent in my crown？
WIDOW QUIN ＇taking his head in both hands and examining it with extreme
delight。＇ That was a great blow。 And who hit you？ A robber maybe？
MAHON。 It was my own son hit me； and he the divil a robber； or anything else；
but a dirty； stuttering lout。
WIDOW ＇letting go his skull and wiping her hands in her apron。＇ You'd
best be wary of a mortified scalp； I think they call it； lepping around with
that wound in the splendour of the sun。 It was a bad blow surely； and you
should have vexed him fearful to make him strike that gash in his da。
MAHON。 Is it me？
WIDOW QUIN ＇amusing herself。＇ Aye。 And isn't it a great shame when the
old and hardened do torment the young？
MAHON ＇raging。＇ Torment him is it？ And I after holding out with the
patience of a martyred saint till there's nothing but destruction on； and I'm
driven out in my old age with none to aid me。
WIDOW QUIN ＇greatly amused。＇ It's a sacred wonder the way that
wickedness will spoil a man。
MAHON。 My wickedness； is it？ Amn't I after saying it is himself has me
destroyed； and he a liar on walls； a talker of folly； a man you'd see
stretched the half of the day in the brown ferns with his belly to the sun。
WIDOW QUIN。 Not working at all？
MAHON。 The divil a work； or if he did itself； you'd see him raising up a
haystack like the stalk of a rush； or driving our last cow till he broke her
leg at the hip； and when he wasn't at that he'd be fooling over little birds
he had finches and felts or making mugs at his own self in the bit of
glass we had hung on the wall。
WIDOW QUIN ＇looking at Christy。＇ What way was he so foolish？ It was
running wild after the girls may be？
MAHON ＇with a shout of derision。＇ Running wild； is it？ If he seen a red
petticoat coming swinging over the hill； he'd be off to hide in the sticks；
and you'd see him shooting out his sheep's eyes between the little twigs and
the leaves； and his two ears rising like a hare looking out through a gap。
Girls； indeed！
WIDOW QUIN。 It was drink maybe？
MAHON。 And he a poor fellow would get drunk on the smell of a pint。 He'd a
queer rotten stomach； I'm telling you； and when I gave him three pulls from my
pipe a while since； he was taken with contortions till I had to send him in
the ass cart to the females' nurse。
WIDOW QUIN ＇clasping her hands。＇ Well； I never till this day heard tell
of a man the like of that！
MAHON。 I'd take a mighty oath you didn't surely； and wasn't he the laughing
joke of every female woman where four baronies meet； the way the girls would
stop their weeding if they seen him coming the road to let a roar at him； and
call him the looney of Mahon's。
WIDOW QUIN。 I'd give the world and all to see the like of him。 What kind was
he？
MAHON。 A small low fellow。
WIDOW QUIN。 And dark？
MAHON。 Dark and dirty。
WIDOW QUIN ＇considering。＇ I'm thinking I seen him。
MAHON ＇eagerly。＇ An ugly young blackguard。
WIDOW QUIN。 A hideous； fearful villain； and the spit of you。
MAHON。 What way is he fled？
WIDOW QUIN。 Gone over the hills to catch a coasting steamer to the north or
south。
MAHON。 Could I pull up on him now？
WIDOW QUIN。 If you'll cross the sands below where the tide is out； you'll be
in it as soon as himself； for he had to go round ten miles by the top of the
bay。 （She points to the door）。 Strike down by the head beyond and then
follow on the roadway to the north and east。 ＇Mahon goes abruptly。＇
WIDOW QUIN ＇shouting after him。＇ Let you give him a good vengeance when
you come up with him； but don't put yourself in the power of the law； for it'd
be a poor thing to see a judge in his black cap reading out his sentence on a
civil warrior the like of you。 ＇She swings the door to and looks at Christy；
who is cowering in terror； for a moment； then she bursts into a laugh。＇
WIDOW QUIN。 Well； you're the walking Playboy of the Western World； and that's
the poor man you had divided to his breeches belt。
CHRISTY ＇looking out： then； to her。＇ What'll Pegeen say when she hears
that story？ What'll she be saying to me now？
WIDOW QUIN。 She'll knock the head of you； I'm thinking； and drive you from
the door。 God help her to be taking you for a wonder； and you a little
schemer making up the story you destroyed your da。
CHRISTY ＇turning to the door； nearly speechless with rage； half to
himself。＇ To be letting on he was dead； and coming back to his life； and
following after me like an old weazel tracing a rat； and coming in here laying
desolation between my own self and the fine women of Ireland； and he a kind of
carcase that you'd fling upon the sea。 。 。
WIDOW QUIN ＇more soberly。＇ There's talking for a man's one only son。
CHRISTY ＇breaking out。＇ His one son； is it？ May I meet him with one
tooth and it aching； and one eye to be seeing seven and seventy divils in the
twists of the road； and one old timber leg on him to limp into the scalding
grave。 （Looking out。） There he is now crossing the strands； and that the
Lord God would send a high wave to wash him from the world。
WIDOW QUIN ＇scandalised。＇ Have you no shame？ （putting her hand on his
shoulder and turning him round。） What ails you？ Near crying； is it？
CHRISTY ＇in despair and grief。＇ Amn't I after seeing the love…light of
the star
