Three Plays | Page 6

He'll go his own way always, and it's foolish of us to be
fretting for him night and day.
Maire sits on stool and puts her hands across her face.
CONN (turning his head) Fretting for me. It was too easy that I reared
you.
ANNE God help Maire! She kept the house together at the worst, and
she is always fretting for us.
CONN I'm oul' enough to mind myself. Let her remember that.
ANNE It's you that ought to remember that.
CONN (going to Maire) Did I ever give the harsh word to you, child?
No answer.
CONN There, there; I never could see tears in a woman's eyes; there,
there, colleen. I'm an oul' man; I won't be a trouble to you long.
MAIRE (rising) Why need you play in Flynn's? You're as good as any
that goes there.
CONN I know that. I'm disgusted with Flynn. May hell loosen his

knees for him! I'll go in and throw his money on the counter.
MAIRE Some one else can do that. Promise me you won't go near the
place.
CONN You'll have me promise. I promise.
MAIRE Take this in your hand and promise. It's a medal that belonged
to mother.
She takes a medal from her neck
CONN (taking the medal) I'm disgusted with Flynn. I promise you,
Maire.
MAIRE Now you've honour and respect.
CONN And what about Ardagh, Maire?
MAIRE Sure, you're not the rambling fiddler any more.
CONN That would be the good rambling. I see the trees making
shadows across the roads.
MAIRE We'll talk about it again.
ANNE Brian MacConnell will be coming in now. CONN I'm going out
to Brian MacConnell.
He goes to the door.
ANNE Tell Brian to come in now.
_Conn Hourican goes out. There is a pause. Maire hums a tune as she
goes to the mirror_.
MAIRE Am I looking well to-day?
ANNE (rather distantly) You're looking your best, I think. (Seriously)

Maire, I didn't like the way you talked to father.
MAIRE (petulantly) What have you against it?
ANNE You're becoming a stranger to us, Maire.
MAIRE (as an apology) I'm out often, I know, but I think as much as
ever of the house, and about you and father. You know we couldn't let
him go to the Feis at Ardagh. We couldn't let him go off like a rambling
fiddler.
ANNE We couldn't let him go off by himself.
MAIRE You're going to Moynihan's.
ANNE Maybe I'll go.
MAIRE Anne, honey, do something for me.
ANNE What will I do?
MAIRE You'll meet father coming up with Brian, and take him away.
ANNE And will you tell me everything to-night?
MAIRE Who else would I talk to but yourself, Nancy? (Anne goes out)
I wish Anne hadn't spoken to me like that. I feel the like of that.
(Desperately) Well, I'll pray for nothing now but to look my best. (She
goes to the fire. Brian MacConnell comes in) You're welcome, Brian.
BRIAN We didn't finish to-day. I'll come in to-morrow and finish.
MAIRE O no, Brian, we won't take another day from you.
BRIAN Well, what's a day after all? Many's the day and night I put in
thinking on you.
MAIRE But did you do what I asked you to do?

BRIAN I did. I made it up with my brothers. It was never my way
before. What I wanted I took with the strong hand; or if I mightn't put
the strong hand on it, I left it alone.
MAIRE (eagerly) Tell me what your brother said to you.
BRIAN When I came up to the door, Hugh came out to meet me.
"What destruction are you bringing me?" he said. "There's my hand,"
says I, "and I take your offer." MAIRE Ah, that's settled. You could
settle anything, Brian. (She goes to the settle and sits down) I wonder
could you settle something for us?
BRIAN What is it, Maire?
MAIRE It's my father. He wants to be rambling again. He wants to be
going to some Feis.
BRIAN Sure, let him go.
He takes her hand.
MAIRE I couldn't, Brian. Couldn't you help us? Couldn't you keep
father's mind on the right things?
BRIAN Sure, let the fiddler go on the roads.
MAIRE You might stay here this evening with ourselves. Father would
be glad to talk with you.
BRIAN (putting his arm around her) But I want the two of us to be
seen in Moynihan's to-night.
MAIRE (resistance in her voice) Stay here with us, and let all that go
by.
BRIAN Hugh will be there with that woman that brought him the big
fortune; and I want you to take the shine out of her.
MAIRE (rising) I was out often lately. You know that, Brian.

She goes