his coat； saying the 〃De Profundis〃 under his breath。 In an
instant the sheet is drawn slowly down； and Dan Burke looks out。
The Tramp moves uneasily； then looks up； and springs to his feet
with a movement of terror。｝
DAN
｛With a hoarse voice。｝
Don't be afeard； stranger； a man that's dead can do no hurt。
TRAMP
｛Trembling。｝
I meant no harm； your honour； and won't you leave me easy to be
saying a little prayer for your soul？
｛A long whistle is heard outside。｝
DAN
｛Sitting up in his bed and speaking fiercely。｝
Ah； the devil mend her。 。 。 。 Do you hear that； stranger？ Did
ever you hear another woman could whistle the like of that with
two fingers in her mouth？ ｛He looks at the table hurriedly。｝
I'm destroyed with the drouth； and let you bring me a drop
quickly before herself will come back。
TRAMP
｛Doubtfully。｝
Is it not dead you are？
DAN
How would I be dead； and I as dry as a baked bone； stranger？
TRAMP
｛Pouring out the whisky。｝
What will herself say if she smells the stuff on you； for I'm
thinking it's not for nothing you're letting on to be dead？
DAN
It is not； stranger； but she won't be coming near me at all； and
it's not long now I'll be letting on； for I've a cramp in my
back； and my hip's asleep on me； and there's been the devil's own
fly itching my nose。 It's near dead I was wanting to sneeze； and
you blathering about the rain； and Darcy ｛bitterly｝ the devil
choke him and the towering church。 ｛Crying out impatiently。｝
Give me that whisky。 Would you have herself come back before I
taste a drop at all？
｛Tramp gives him the glass。｝
DAN
｛After drinking。｝
Go over now to that cupboard； and bring me a black stick you'll
see in the west corner by the wall。
TRAMP
｛Taking a stick from the cupboard｝
Is it that？
DAN
It is； stranger； it's a long time I'm keeping that stick for I've
a bad wife in the house。
TRAMP
｛With a queer look。｝
Is it herself； master of the house； and she a grand woman to
talk？
DAN
It's herself； surely； it's a bad wife she is a bad wife for an
old man； and I'm getting old； God help me； though I've an arm to
me still。 ｛He takes the stick in his hand。｝ Let you wait now a
short while； and it's a great sight you'll see in this room in
two hours or three。 ｛He stops to listen。｝ Is that somebody
above？
TRAMP
｛Listening。｝
There's a voice speaking on the path。
DAN
Put that stick here in the bed and smooth the sheet the way it
was lying。 ｛He covers himself up hastily。｝ Be falling to sleep
now and don't let on you know anything； or I'll be having your
life。 I wouldn't have told you at all but it's destroyed with
the drouth I was。
TRAMP
｛Covering his head。｝
Have no fear； master of the house。 What is it I know of the like
of you that I'ld be saying a word or putting out my hand to stay
you at all？
｛He goes back to the fire； sits down on a stool with his back to
the bed and goes on stitching his coat。｝
DAN
｛Under the sheet； querulously。｝
Stranger。
TRAMP
｛Quickly。｝
Whisht； whisht。 Be quiet I'm telling you； they're coming now at
the door。
｛Nora comes in with Micheal Dara； a tall； innocent young man
behind her。｝
NORA
I wasn't long at all； stranger； for I met himself on the path。
TRAMP
You were middling long； lady of the house。
NORA
There was no sign from himself？
TRAMP
No sign at all； lady of the house。
NORA
｛To Micheal。｝
Go over now and pull down the sheet； and look on himself； Micheal
Dara； and you'll see it's the truth I'm telling you。
MICHEAL
I will not； Nora； I do be afeard of the dead。
｛He sits down on a stool next the table facing the tramp。 Nora
puts the kettle on a lower hook of the pot hooks； and piles turf
under it。｝
NORA
｛Turning to Tramp。｝
Will you drink a sup of tea with myself and the young man；
stranger； or ｛speaking more persuasively｝ will you go into the
little room and stretch yourself a short while on the bed； I'm
thinking it's destroyed you are walking the length of that way in
the great rain。
TRAMP
Is it to go away and leave you； and you having a wake； lady of
the house？ I will not surely。 ｛He takes a drink from his glass
which he has beside him。｝ And it's none of your tea I'm asking
either。
｛He goes on stitching。 Nora makes the tea。｝
MICHEAL
｛After looking at the tramp rather scornfully for a moment。｝
That's a poor coat you have； God help you； and I'm thinking it's
a poor tailor you are with it。
TRAMP
If it's a poor tailor I am； I'm thinking it's a poor herd does be
running back and forward after a little handful of ewes the way I
seen yourself running this day； young fellow； and you coming from
the fair。
｛Nora comes back to the table。｝
NORA
｛To Micheal in a low voice。｝
Let you not mind him at all； Micheal Dara； he has a drop taken
and it's soon he'll be falling asleep。
MICHEAL
It's no lie he's telling； I was destroyed surely。 They were that
wilful they were running off into one man's bit of oats； and
another man's bit of hay； and tumbling into the red bogs till
it's more like a pack of old goats than sheep they were。
Mountain ewes is a queer breed； Nora Burke； and I'm not used to
them at all。
NORA
｛Settling the tea things。｝
There's no one can drive a mountain ewe but the men do be reared
in the Glen Malure； I've heard them say； and above by Rathvanna；
and the Glen Imaal； men the like of Patch Darcy； God spare his
soul； who would walk through five hundred sheep and miss one of
them； and he not reckoning them at all。
MICHEAL
｛Uneasily。｝
Is it the man went queer in his head the year that's gone？
NORA
It is surely。
TRAMP
｛Plaintively。｝
That was a great man； young fellow； a great man I'm telling you。
There was never a lamb from his own ewes he wouldn't know before
it was marked； and he'ld run from this to the city of Dublin and
never catch for his breath。
NORA
｛Turning round quickly。｝
He was a great man surely； stranger； and isn't it a grand thing
when you hear a living man saying a good word of a dead man； and
he mad dying？
TRAMP
It's the truth I'm saying； God spare his soul。
｛He puts the needle under the collar of his coat； and settles
himself to sleep in the chimney…corner。 Nora sits down at the
table； their backs are turned to the bed。｝
MICHEAL
｛Looking at her with a queer look。｝
I heard tell this day； Nora Burke； that it was on the path below
Patch Darcy would be passing up and passing down； and I heard
them say he'ld never past it night or morning without speaking
with yourself。
NORA
｛In a low voice。｝
It was no lie you heard； Micheal Dara。
MICHEAL
I'm thinking it's a power of men you're after knowing if it's in
a lonesome place you live itself。
NORA
｛Giving him his tea。｝
It's in a lonesome place you do have to be talking with some one；
and looking for some one； in the evening of the day； and if it's
a power of men I'm after knowing they were fine men； for I was a
hard child to please； and a hard girl to please ｛she looks at him
a little sternly｝； and it's a hard woman I am to please this day；
Micheal Dara； and it's no lie I'm telling you。
MICHEAL
｛Looking over to see that the tramp is asleep； and then pointing
to the dead man。｝
Was it a hard woman to please you were when you took himself for
your man？
NORA
What way would I live and I an old woman if I didn't marry a man
with a bit of a farm； and cows on it； and sheep on the back
hills？
MICHEAL
｛Considering。｝
That's true； Nora； and maybe it's no fool
you were； for there's good grazing on it； if
it is a lonesome place； and I'm thinking it's
a good sum he's left behind。
28
NORA
｛Taking the stocking with money from her pocket； and putting it
on the table。｝
I do be thinking in the long nights it was a big fool I was that
time； Micheal Dara； for what good is a bit of a farm with cows on
it； and sheep on the back hills； when you do be sitting looking
out from a door the like of that door； and seeing nothing but the
mists rolling down the bog； and the mists again； and they rolling
up the bog； and hearing nothing but the wind crying out in the
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 w