Three Plays: The Fiddler's House, The Land, Thomas Muskerry. Padraic Colum

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      CONN I wonder would we have time to go up, play a few tunes, and come back, while Maire would be doing something? It would be a pity not to give them fellows a lesson and close their ignorant mouths for them. I wonder would we have time? (Anne comes in with Maire) I thought you went somewhere and left Brian and myself here.

      ANNE

       We're going somewhere and Brian might come with us.

      MAIRE

       Every one is going to Moynihan's.

      CONN It's a pleasant house, a pleasant house. Brian will make his ceilidh [3] with me. We might go over a few tunes.

      ANNE

       Let Brian come where there are girls that might miss him.

      MAIRE Anne, you're a great one for keeping up the story that girls are always thinking about men.

      ANNE

       And so they are. Just as men are always thinking about girls.

      MAIRE You'd make a good ribbonman.[4] You'd put a face on anything you said.

      [Footnote 3: Celidh, pronounced cayley, a visit.]

      [Footnote 4: A ribbonman—a member of a secret agrarian society.]

      ANNE

       Ribbonism and secret societies were denounced off the altar.

      MAIRE Goodness! The men will begin to think they've secrets worth telling.

      ANNE

       Have you secrets worth telling, Brian?

      MAIRE

       I daresay he has. There are foolish women in the world.

      ANNE

       Are you coming to Moynihan's, Brian?

      BRIAN

       No. I'm going where there's men.

      MAIRE Come, Anne, till I deck you out. Come here, daughter, don't wear flowers. I think they're unlucky. Here I am talking like this, and I going to a dance. I suppose I'll dance with seven or eight and forget what's on my mind. … Everyone is going to Moynihan's except the men here. Are you going out, father?

      CONN

       I'm making a ceilidh with Brian.

      MAIRE

       Well, God be with you both. Come on, Anne.

       Maire takes down her shawl, and puts it over her head. She stands at the door, watching Anne, who goes to Brian.

      ANNE

       Brian, what have you against Moynihan's?

      BRIAN Nothing at all. I may go in. MAIRE Come on, Anne. God be with you both.

      Maire and Anne go out. They are heard talking for a while. Conn goes to the door.

      CONN

       Maire and Anne are turning the bohereen. [5] Come on now.

      He takes his fiddle and begins to wrap it up eagerly.

      BRIAN

       Ay, let's go.

      CONN (at door) I never forget, I never forget. The Granard Feis is as fresh in my mind as the day I played at it. Shawn Heffernan, indeed! I never forget. I never forget.

      Conn Hourican and Brian MacConnell go out.

      [Footnote 5: Bohereen—the little path going from the cottage to the main road.]

      CURTAIN

      ACT II

       Table of Contents

      The next day: The scene is as in previous Act. It is now in the forenoon. Maire Hourican is seated at the fire in a listless attitude. Anne is busy at the dresser. Maire rises.

      MAIRE

       We shouldn't have stayed at Moynihan's so late.

      ANNE Indeed it would have been better to go home, but I was sure that Brian MacConnell would come in.

      MAIRE Well, it was his own loss if he didn't come. Maybe there was one there that I liked better.

      ANNE

       You couldn't have liked Connor Gilpatrick better than Brian

       MacConnell.

      MAIRE Connor's the best-looking boy in the country. Was it noticed that we were together often?

      ANNE (significantly) Peggy Carroll noticed it.

      MAIRE Well, the boy was glad to talk to me. Connor's a good dancer, and he has fine talk besides. If Brian MacConnell had come to the door, I wouldn't have turned my head towards him.

      ANNE Sure, you wouldn't compare a young boy like Connor Gilpatrick with Brian MacConnell?

      MAIRE I wouldn't have turned my head towards Brian. O! never expect kindness from men. Why did you let me stay on? I'm afraid to look at myself in the glass to-day. (She goes over to the mirror) You were hard on me, Anne, yesterday.

      ANNE

       I didn't like the way you talked to father.

      MAIRE

       I think I'm getting different to what I used to be. Well, I've

       reason to be sorry for what I did yesterday. (She is at window) Was Peggy Carroll vexed at the way I went on?

      ANNE She never took her eyes off the pair of you. You know she's very fond of Connor.

      MAIRE Anne, never remind me of my foolishness, I'm heartsick of myself to-day.

      ANNE

       I'll comb out your hair for you, and you'll look well enough.

      MAIRE

       Then you're expecting Brian MacConnell?

      ANNE

       It's likely he'll come in to see if there's anything to be done.

      MAIRE

       I suppose he'll come in. Gracious, how did father get out?

       He's coming up the path.

      ANNE (coming to Maire) Father's not up, surely? Maire, be easy with Brian MacConnell when he comes in.

      MAIRE

       Father's coming up the path. Anne!

      ANNE

       What is it, Maire?

      MAIRE

       Father wasn't in at all, last night.

      ANNE

       Then he went to Flynn's, after all.

      MAIRE

       Ay, he went to Flynn's.

      She goes to Anne.

      ANNE

       O Maire, what will become of us all?

      MAIRE

       I don't know.

      Maire goes to the settle, and sits down.

      ANNE

       What will we do with him at all?

      Conn Hourican comes in.

      CONN

       God save you! (He looks around) Well, I came back to ye.

      ANNE You did, God help us! And we depending on you. It's the bad way you always treated us.

      CONN

       Did you hear what happened to me, before you attack me?