playboy of the western world-第4部分

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only　the　dumb　beasts　of　the　field。　　＇He　sits　down　at　fire。＇



PEGEEN　　＇with　disappointment。＇　　And　I　thinking　you　should　have　been　living

the　like　of　a　king　of　Norway　or　the　Eastern　world。　＇She　comes　and　sits　beside

him　after　placing　bread　and　mug　of　milk　on　the　table。＇



CHRISTY　　＇laughing　piteously。＇　　The　like　of　a　king；　is　it？　　And　I　after

toiling；　moiling；　digging；　dodging　from　the　dawn　till　dusk　with　never　a　sight

of　joy　or　sport　saving　only　when　I'd　be　abroad　in　the　dark　night　poaching

rabbits　on　hills；　for　I　was　a　devil　to　poach；　God　forgive　me；　（very　naively）

and　I　near　got　six　months　for　going　with　a　dung　fork　and　stabbing　a　fish。



PEGEEN。　　And　it's　that　you'd　call　sport；　is　it；　to　be　abroad　in　the　darkness

with　yourself　alone？



CHRISTY。　　I　did；　God　help　me；　and　there　I'd　be　as　happy　as　the　sunshine　of　St。

Martin's　Day；　watching　the　light　passing　the　north　or　the　patches　of　fog；　till

I'd　hear　a　rabbit　starting　to　screech　and　I'd　go　running　in　the　furze。　Then

when　I'd　my　full　share　I'd　come　walking　down　where　you'd　see　the　ducks　and

geese　stretched　sleeping　on　the　highway　of　the　road；　and　before　I'd　pass　the

dunghill；　I'd　hear　himself　snoring　out；　a　loud　lonesome　snore　he'd　be　making

all　times；　the　while　he　was　sleeping；　and　he　a　man　'd　be　raging　all　times；　the

while　he　was　waking；　like　a　gaudy　officer　you'd　hear　cursing　and　damning　and

swearing　oaths。



PEGEEN。　　Providence　and　Mercy；　spare　us　all！



CHRISTY。　　It's　that　you'd　say　surely　if　you　seen　him　and　he　after　drinking　for

weeks；　rising　up　in　the　red　dawn；　or　before　it　maybe；　and　going　out　into　the

yard　as　naked　as　an　ash　tree　in　the　moon　of　May；　and　shying　clods　against　the

visage　of　the　stars　till　he'd　put　the　fear　of　death　into　the　banbhs　and　the

screeching　sows。



PEGEEN。　　I'd　be　well…night　afeard　of　that　lad　myself；　I'm　thinking。　　And　there

was　no　one　in　it　but　the　two　of　you　alone？



CHRISTY。　　The　divil　a　one；　though　he'd　sons　and　daughters　walking　all　great

states　and　territories　of　the　world；　and　not　a　one　of　them；　to　this　day；　but

would　say　their　seven　curses　on　him；　and　they　rousing　up　to　let　a　cough　or

sneeze；　maybe；　in　the　deadness　of　the　night。



PEGEEN　　＇nodding　her　head。＇　　Well；　you　should　have　been　a　queer　lot。　　I

never　cursed　my　father　the　like　of　that；　though　I'm　twenty　and　more　years　of

age。



CHRISTY。　　Then　you'd　have　cursed　mine；　I'm　telling　you；　and　he　a　man　never

gave　peace　to　any；　saving　when　he'd　get　two　months　or　three；　or　be　locked　in

the　asylums　for　battering　peelers　or　assaulting　men　（with　depression）　the　way

it　was　a　bitter　life　he　led　me　till　I　did　up　a　Tuesday　and　halve　his　skull。



PEGEEN　　＇putting　her　hand　on　his　shoulder。＇　　Well；　you'll　have　peace　in

this　place；　Christy　Mahon；　and　none　to　trouble　you；　and　it's　near　time　a　fine

lad　like　you　should　have　your　good　share　of　the　earth。



CHRISTY。　　It's　time　surely；　and　I　a　seemly　fellow　with　great　strength　in　me

and　bravery　of　。　。　。　　＇Someone　knocks。＇



CHRISTY　　＇clinging　to　Pegeen。＇　　Oh；　glory！　it's　late　for　knocking；　and

this　last　while　I'm　in　terror　of　the　peelers；　and　the　walking　dead。　　＇Knocking

again。＇



PEGEEN。　　Who's　there？　



VOICE　　＇outside。＇　　Me。



PEGEEN。　　Who's　me？



VOICE。　　The　Widow　Quin。



PEGEEN　　＇jumping　up　and　giving　him　the　bread　and　milk。＇　　Go　on　now　with　your

supper；　and　let　on　to　be　sleepy；　for　if　she　found　you　were　such　a　warrant　to

talk；　she'd　be　stringing　gabble　till　the　dawn　of　day。　　（He　takes　bread　and

sits　shyly　with　his　back　to　the　door。）



PEGEEN　　＇opening　door；　with　temper。＇　　What　ails　you；　or　what　is　it　you're

wanting　at　this　hour　of　the　night？



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇coming　in　a　step　and　peering　at　Christy。＇　　I'm　after　meeting

Shawn　Keogh　and　Father　Reilly　below；　who　told　me　of　your　curiosity　man；　and

they　fearing　by　this　time　he　was　maybe　roaring；　romping　on　your　hands　with

drink。



PEGEEN　　＇pointing　to　Christy。＇　　Look　now　is　he　roaring；　and　he　stretched

away　drowsy　with　his　supper　and　his　mug　of　milk。　Walk　down　and　tell　that　to

Father　Reilly　and　to　Shaneen　Keogh。



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇coming　forward。＇　　I'll　not　see　them　again；　for　I've　their

word　to　lead　that　lad　forward　for　to　lodge　with　me。



PEGEEN　　＇in　blank　amazement。＇　　This　night；　is　it？



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇going　over。＇　　This　night。　　〃It　isn't　fitting；〃　says　the

priesteen；　〃to　have　his　likeness　lodging　with　an　orphaned　girl。〃　　（To

Christy。）　　God　save　you；　mister！



CHRISTY　　＇shyly。＇　　God　save　you　kindly。



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇looking　at　him　with　half…amazed　curiosity。＇　　Well；　aren't　you

a　little　smiling　fellow？　　It　should　have　been　great　and　bitter　torments　did

rouse　your　spirits　to　a　deed　of　blood。



CHRISTY　　＇doubtfully。＇　　It　should；　maybe。



WIDOW　QUIN。　　It's　more　than　〃maybe〃　I'm　saying；　and　it'd　soften　my　heart　to

see　you　sitting　so　simple　with　your　cup　and　cake；　and　you　fitter　to　be　saying

your　catechism　than　slaying　your　da。



PEGEEN　　　＇at　counter；　washing　glasses。＇　　There's　talking　when　any'd　see

he's　fit　to　be　holding　his　head　high　with　the　wonders　of　the　world。　　Walk　on

from　this；　for　I'll　not　have　him　tormented　and　he　destroyed　travelling　since

Tuesday　was　a　week。



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇peaceably。＇　　We'll　be　walking　surely　when　his　supper's　done；

and　you'll　find　we're　great　company；　young　fellow；　when　it's　of　the　like　of

you　and　me　you'd　hear　the　penny　poets　singing　in　an　August　Fair。



CHRISTY　　＇innocently。＇　　Did　you　kill　your　father？



PEGEEN　　＇contemptuously。＇　　She　did　not。　　She　hit　himself　with　a　worn　pick；

and　the　rusted　poison　did　corrode　his　blood　the　way　he　never　overed　it；　and

died　after。　　That　was　a　sneaky　kind　of　murder　did　win　small　glory　with　the

boys　itself。　＇She　crosses　to　Christy's　left。＇



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇with　good…humour。＇　　If　it　didn't；　maybe　all　knows　a　widow

woman　has　buried　her　children　and　destroyed　her　man　is　a　wiser　comrade　for　a

young　lad　than　a　girl；　the　like　of　you；　who'd　go　helter…skeltering　after　any

man　would　let　you　a　wink　upon　the　road。



PEGEEN　　＇breaking　out　into　wild　rage。＇　　And　you'll　say　that；　Widow　Quin；

and　you　gasping　with　the　rage　you　had　racing　the　hill　beyond　to　look　on　his

face。



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇laughing　derisively。＇　　Me；　is　it？　　Well；　Father　Reilly　has

cuteness　to　divide　you　now。　　（She　pulls　Christy　up。）　There's　great　temptation

in　a　man　did　slay　his　da；　and　we'd　best　be　going；　young　fellow；　so　rise　up　and

come　with　me。



PEGEEN　　＇seizing　his　arm。＇　　He'll　not　stir。　　He's　pot…boy　in　this　place；

and　I'll　not　have　him　stolen　off　and　kidnabbed　while　himself's　abroad。



WIDOW　QUIN。　　It'd　be　a　crazy　pot…boy'd　lodge　him　in　the　shebeen　where　he　works

by　day；　so　you'd　have　a　right　to　come　on；　young　fellow；　till　you　see　my　little

houseen；　a　perch　off　on　the　rising　hill。



PEGEEN。　　Wait　till　morning；　Christy　Mahon。　　Wait　till　you　lay　eyes　on　her

leaky　thatch　is　growing　more　pasture　for　her　buck　goat　than　her　square　of

fields；　and　she　without　a　tramp　itself　to　keep　in　order　her　place　at　all。



WIDOW　QUIN。　　When　you　see　me　contriving　in　my　little　gardens；　Christy　Mahon；

you'll　swear　the　Lord　God　formed　me　to　be　living　lone；　and　that　there　isn't　my

match　in　Mayo　for　thatching；　or　mowing；　or　shearing　a　sheep。



PEGEEN　　＇with　noisy　scorn。＇　　It's　true　the　Lord　God　formed　you　to　contrive

indeed。　Doesn't　the　world　know　you　reared　a　black　lamb　at　your　own　breast；　so

that　the　Lord　Bishop　of　Connaught　felt　the　elements　of　a　Christian；　and　he

eating　it　after　in　a　kidney　stew？　　Doesn't　the　world　know　you've　been　seen

shaving　the　foxy　skipper　from　France　for　a　threepenny　bit　and　a　sop　of　grass

tobacco　would　wring　the　liver　from　a　mountain　goat　you'd　meet　leaping　the

hills？



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇with　amusement。＇　　Do　you　hear　her　now；　young　fellow？　　Do　you

hear　the　way　she'll　be　rating　at　your　own　self　when　a　week　is　by？



PEGEEN　　＇to　Christy。＇　　Don't　heed　her。　Tell　her　to　go　into　her　pigsty　and

not　plague　us　here。



WIDOW　QUIN。　　I'm　going；　but　he'll　come　with　me。



PEGEEN　　＇shaking　him。＇　　Are　you　dumb；　young　fellow？



CHRISTY　　＇timidly；　to　Widow　Quin。＇　　God　increase　you；　but　I'm　pot…boy　in

this　place；　and　it's　here　I'd　liefer　stay。



PEGEEN　　＇triumphantly。＇　　Now　you　have　heard　him；　and　go　on　from　this。



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇looking　round　the　room。＇　　It's　lonesome　this　hour　crossing

the　hill；　and　if　he　won't　come　along　with　me；　I'd　have　a　right　maybe　to　stop

this　night　with　yourselves。　　Let　me　stretch　out　on　the　settle；　Pegeen　Mike；

and　himself　can　lie　by　the　hearth。



PEGEEN　　＇short　and　fiercely。＇　　Faith；　I　won't。　　Quit　off　or　I　will　send

you　now。



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇gathering　her　shawl　up。＇　　Well；　it's　a　terror　to　be　aged　a

score。　　（To　Christy。）　　God　bless　you　now；　young　fellow；　and　let　you　be　wary；

or　there's　right　torment　will　await　you　here　if　you　go　romancing　with　her

like；　and　she　waiting　only；　as　they　bade　me　say；　on　a　sheepskin　parchment　to

be　wed　with　Shawn　Keogh　of　Killakeen。



CHRISTY　　＇going　to　Pegeen　as　she　bolts　the　door。＇　　What's　that　she's　after

saying？



PEGEEN。　　Lies　and　blather；　you've　no　call　to　mind。　　Well；　isn't　Shawn　Keogh　an

impudent　fellow　to　send　up　spying　on　me？　　Wait　till　I　lay　hands　on　him。　　Let

him　wait；　I'm　saying。



CHRISTY。　　And　you're　not　wedding　him　at　all？



PEGEEN。　　I　wouldn't　wed　him　if　a　bishop　came　walking　for　to　join　us　here。



CHRISTY。　　That　God　in　glory　may　be　thanked　for　that。



PEGEEN。　　There's　your　bed　now。　　I've　put　a　quilt　upon　you　I'm　after　quilting　a

while　since　with　my　own　two　hands；　and　you'd　best　stretch　out　now　for　your

sleep；　and　may　God　give　you　a　good　rest　till　I　call　you　in　the　morning　when

the　cocks　will　crow。



CHRISTY　　＇as　she　goes　to　inner　room。＇　　May　God　and　Mary　and　St。　Patrick

bless　you　and　reward　you；　for　your　kindly　talk。　　（She　shuts　the　door　behind

her。　　He　settles　his　bed　slowly；　feeling　the　quilt　with　immense　satisfaction。＇

　Well；　it's　a　clean　bed　and　soft　with　it；　and　it's　great　luck　and　company

I'v