The Tinkers Wedding | Page 4

hear a lying story even of
your like unto this mortal day. You to be going beside me a great while,

and rearing a lot of them, and then to be setting off with your talk of
getting married, and your driv- ing me to it, and I not asking it at all.
[Sarah turns her back to him and ar- ranges something in the
ditch. MICHAEL -- angrily. -- Can't you speak a word
when I'm asking what is it ails you since the moon did change?
SARAH -- musingly. -- I'm thinking there isn't anything ails me,
Michael Byrne; but the spring-time is a queer time, and its* queer
thoughts maybe I do think at whiles. MICHAEL. It's hard set you'd be
to think queerer than welcome, Sarah Casey; but what will you gain
dragging me to the priest this night, I'm saying, when it's new thoughts
you'll be thinking at the dawn of day? SARAH -- teasingly. --
It's at the dawn of day I do be thinking I'd have a right to be going off
to the rich tinker's do be travelling from Tibradden to the Tara Hill; for
it'd be a fine life to be driving with young Jaunting
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Jim, where there wouldn't be any big hills to break the back of you,
with walking up and walking down. MICHAEL -- with dismay.
-- It's the like of that you do be thinking! SARAH. The like of that,
Michael Byrne, when there is a bit of sun in it, and a kind air, and a
great smell coming from the thorn trees is above your head. MICHAEL
-- looks at her for a moment with horror, and then hands her the
ring. -- Will that fit you now? SARAH -- trying it on. -- It's
making it tight you are, and the edges sharp on the tin. MICHAEL --
looking at it carefully. -- It's the fat of your own finger, Sarah
Casey; and isn't it a mad thing I'm saying again that you'd be asking
marriage of me, or mak- ing a talk of going away from me, and you
thriving and getting your good health by the grace of the Almighty God?
SARAH -- giving it back to him. -- Fix it now, and it'll do, if
you're wary you don't squeeze it again. MICHAEL -- moodily,
working again. -- It's easy saying be wary; there's many things easy
said, Sarah Casey, you'd wonder a fool even would be saying at all.
(He starts vio-
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lently.) The divil mend you, I'm scalded again! SARAH --

scornfully. -- If you are, it's a clumsy man you are this night,
Michael Byrne (raising her voice); and let you make haste now,
or herself will be coming with the porter. MICHAEL -- defiantly,
raising his voice.* Let me make haste? I'll be making haste maybe
to hit you a great clout; for I'm think- ing on the day I got you above at
Rathvanna, and the way you began crying out and say- ing, "I'll go
back to my ma," and I'm thinking on the way I came behind you that
time, and hit you a great clout in the lug, and how quiet and easy it was
you came along with me from that hour to this present day. SARAH --
standing up and throwing all her sticks into the fire. -- And a
big fool I was too, maybe; but we'll be seeing Jaunting Jim to-morrow
in Ballinaclash, and he after get- ting a great price for his white foal in
the horse-fair of Wicklow, the way it'll be a great sight to see him
squandering his share of gold, and he with a grand eye for a fine horse,
and a grand eye for a woman. MICHAEL -- working again with
impa-
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tience. -- The divil do him good with the two of them. SARAH
-- kicking up the ashes with her foot. -- Ah, he's a great lad, I'm
telling you, and it's proud and happy I'll be to see him, and he the first
one called me the Beauty of Ballinacree, a fine name for a woman.
MICHAEL -- with contempt. -- It's the like of that name they
do be putting on the horses they have below racing in Arklow. It's easy
pleased you are, Sarah Casey, easy pleased with a big word, or the liar
speaks it. SARAH. Liar! MICHAEL. Liar, surely. SARAH --
indignantly. -- Liar, is it? Didn't you ever hear tell of the peelers
fol- lowed me ten miles along the Glen Malure, and they talking love to
me in the dark night, or of the children you'll meet coming from school
and they saying one to the other, "It's this day we seen Sarah