playboy of the western world-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



Adam'sapple。



GIRLS　　＇together。＇　　Well；　you're　a　marvel！　　Oh；　God　bless　you！　　You're　the

lad　surely！



SUSAN。　　I'm　thinking　the　Lord　God　sent　him　this　road　to　make　a　second　husband

to　the　Widow　Quin；　and　she　with　a　great　yearning　to　be　wedded；　though　all

dread　her　here。　Lift　him　on　her　knee；　Sara　Tansey。



WIDOW　QUIN。　　Don't　tease　him。



SARA　　＇going　over　to　dresser　and　counter　very　quickly；　and　getting　two

glasses　and　porter。＇　　You're　heroes　surely；　and　let　you　drink　a　supeen　with

your　arms　linked　like　the　outlandish　lovers　in　the　sailor's　song。　　（She　links

their　arms　and　gives　them　the　glasses。）　There　now。　　Drink　a　health　to　the

wonders　of　the　western　world；　the　pirates；　preachers；　poteen…makers；　with　the

jobbing　jockies；　parching　peelers；　and　the　juries　fill　their　stomachs　selling

judgments　of　the　English　law。　　＇Brandishing　the　bottle。＇



WIDOW　QUIN。　　That's　a　right　toast；　Sara　Tansey。　　Now　Christy。　＇They　drink　with

their　arms　linked；　he　drinking　with　his　left　hand；　she　with　her　right。　　As

they　are　drinking；　Pegeen　Mike　comes　in　with　a　milk　can　and　stands　aghast。　

They　all　spring　away　from　Christy。　　He　goes　down　left。　　Widow　Quin　remains

seated。＇



PEGEEN　　＇angrily；　to　Sara。＇　　What　is　it　you're　wanting？



SARA　　＇twisting　her　apron。＇　　An　ounce　of　tobacco。



PEGEEN。　　Have　you　tuppence？



SARA。　　I've　forgotten　my　purse。



PEGEEN。　　Then　you'd　best　be　getting　it　and　not　fooling　us　here。　　（To　the　Widow

Quin；　with　more　elaborate　scorn。）　　And　what　is　it　you're　wanting；　Widow　Quin？



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇insolently。＇　　A　penn'orth　of　starch。



PEGEEN　　＇breaking　out。＇　　And　you　without　a　white　shift　or　a　shirt　in　your

whole　family　since　the　drying　of　the　flood。　　I've　no　starch　for　the　like　of

you；　and　let　you　walk　on　now　to　Killamuck。



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇turning　to　Christy；　as　she　goes　out　with　the　girls。＇　　Well；

you're　mighty　huffy　this　day；　Pegeen　Mike；　and；　you　young　fellow；　let　you　not

forget　the　sports　and　racing　when　the　noon　is　by。　　＇They　go　out。＇



PEGEEN　　＇imperiously。＇　　Fling　out　that　rubbish　and　put　them　cups　away。　

（Christy　tidies　away　in　great　haste）。　　Shove　in　the　bench　by　the　wall。　　（He

does　so。）　　And　hang　that　glass　on　the　nail。　　What　disturbed　it　at　all？



CHRISTY　　＇very　meekly。＇　　I　was　making　myself　decent　only；　and　this　a　fine

country　for　young　lovely　girls。



PEGEEN　　＇sharply。＇　　Whisht　your　talking　of　girls。　　＇Goes　to　counter　right。＇



CHRISTY。　　Wouldn't　any　wish　to　be　decent　in　a　place　。　。　。



PEGEEN。　　Whisht　I'm　saying。



CHRISTY　　＇looks　at　her　face　for　a　moment　with　great　misgivings；　then　as　a

last　effort；　takes　up　a　loy；　and　goes　towards　her；　with　feigned　assurance）。　

It　was　with　a　loy　the　like　of　that　I　killed　my　father。



PEGEEN　　＇still　sharply。＇　　You've　told　me　that　story　six　times　since　the

dawn　of　day。



CHRISTY　　＇reproachfully。＇　　It's　a　queer　thing　you　wouldn't　care　to　be

hearing　it　and　them　girls　after　walking　four　miles　to　be　listening　to　me　now。



PEGEEN　　＇turning　round　astonished。＇　　Four　miles。



CHRISTY　　＇apologetically。＇　　Didn't　himself　say　there　were　only　four　bona

fides　living　in　the　place？



PEGEEN。　　It's　bona　fides　by　the　road　they　are；　but　that　lot　came　over　the

river　lepping　the　stones。　　It's　not　three　perches　when　you　go　like　that；　and　I

was　down　this　morning　looking　on　the　papers　the　post…boy　does　have　in　his　bag。

（With　meaning　and　emphasis。）　　For　there　was　great　news　this　day；　Christopher

Mahon。　　＇She　goes　into　room　left。＇



CHRISTY　　＇suspiciously。＇　　Is　it　news　of　my　murder？



PEGEEN　　＇inside。＇　　Murder；　indeed。



CHRISTY　　＇loudly。＇　　A　murdered　da？



PEGEEN　　＇coming　in　again　and　crossing　right。＇　　There　was　not；　but　a　story

filled　half　a　page　of　the　hanging　of　a　man。　　Ah；　that　should　be　a　fearful　end；

young　fellow；　and　it　worst　of　all　for　a　man　who　destroyed　his　da；　for　the　like

of　him　would　get　small　mercies；　and　when　it's　dead　he　is；　they'd　put　him　in　a

narrow　grave；　with　cheap　sacking　wrapping　him　round；　and　pour　down　quicklime

on　his　head；　the　way　you'd　see　a　woman　pouring　any　frish…frash　from　a　cup。



CHRISTY　　＇very　miserably。＇　　Oh；　God　help　me。　　Are　you　thinking　I'm　safe？　

You　were　saying　at　the　fall　of　night；　I　was　shut　of　jeopardy　and　I　here　with

yourselves。



PEGEEN　　＇severely。＇　　You'll　be　shut　of　jeopardy　no　place　if　you　go　talking

with　a　pack　of　wild　girls　the　like　of　them　do　be　walking　abroad　with　the

peelers；　talking　whispers　at　the　fall　of　night。



CHRISTY　　＇with　terror。＇　　And　you're　thinking　they'd　tell？



PEGEEN　　＇with　mock　sympathy。＇　　Who　knows；　God　help　you。



CHRISTY　　＇loudly。＇　　What　joy　would　they　have　to　bring　hanging　to　the　likes

of　me？



PEGEEN。　　It's　queer　joys　they　have；　and　who　knows　the　thing　they'd　do；　if　it'd

make　the　green　stones　cry　itself　to　think　of　you　swaying　and　swiggling　at　the

butt　of　a　rope；　and　you　with　a　fine；　stout　neck；　God　bless　you！　the　way　you'd

be　a　half　an　hour；　in　great　anguish；　getting　your　death。



CHRISTY　　＇getting　his　boots　and　putting　them　on。＇　　If　there's　that　terror

of　them；　it'd　be　best；　maybe；　I　went　on　wandering　like　Esau　or　Cain　and　Abel

on　the　sides　of　Neifin　or　the　Erris　plain。



PEGEEN　　＇beginning　to　play　with　him。＇　　It　would；　maybe；　for　I've　heard　the

Circuit　Judges　this　place　is　a　heartless　crew。



CHRISTY　　＇bitterly。＇　　It's　more　than　Judges　this　place　is　a　heartless　crew。　

（Looking　up　at　her。）　　And　isn't　it　a　poor　thing　to　be　starting　again　and　I　a

lonesome　fellow　will　be　looking　out　on　women　and　girls　the　way　the　needy

fallen　spirits　do　be　looking　on　the　Lord？



PEGEEN。　　What　call　have　you　to　be　that　lonesome　when　there's　poor　girls

walking　Mayo　in　their　thousands　now？



CHRISTY　　＇grimly。＇　　It's　well　you　know　what　call　I　have。　　It's　well　you　know

it's　a　lonesome　thing　to　be　passing　small　towns　with　the　lights　shining

sideways　when　the　night　is　down；　or　going　in　strange　places　with　a　dog　nosing

before　you　and　a　dog　nosing　behind；　or　drawn　to　the　cities　where　you'd　hear　a

voice　kissing　and　talking　deep　love　in　every　shadow　of　the　ditch；　and　you

passing　on　with　an　empty；　hungry　stomach　failing　from　your　heart。



PEGEEN。　　I'm　thinking　you're　an　odd　man；　Christy　Mahon。　　The　oddest　walking

fellow　I　ever　set　my　eyes　on　to　this　hour　to…day。



CHRISTY。　　What　would　any　be　but　odd　men　and　they　living　lonesome　in　the　world？



PEGEEN。　　I'm　not　odd；　and　I'm　my　whole　life　with　my　father　only。



CHRISTY　　＇with　infinite　admiration。＇　　How　would　a　lovely　handsome　woman

the　like　of　you　be　lonesome　when　all　men　should　be　thronging　around　to　hear

the　sweetness　of　your　voice；　and　the　little　infant　children　should　be

pestering　your　steps　I'm　thinking；　and　you　walking　the　roads。



PEGEEN。　　I'm　hard　set　to　know　what　way　a　coaxing　fellow　the　like　of　yourself

should　be　lonesome　either。



CHRISTY。　　Coaxing？



PEGEEN。　　Would　you　have　me　think　a　man　never　talked　with　the　girls　would　have

the　words　you've　spoken　to…day？　　It's　only　letting　on　you　are　to　be　lonesome；

the　way　you'd　get　around　me　now。



CHRISTY。　　I　wish　to　God　I　was　letting　on；　but　I　was　lonesome　all　times；　and

born　lonesome；　I'm　thinking；　as　the　moon　of　dawn。　　＇Going　to　door。＇



PEGEEN　　＇puzzled　by　his　talk。＇　　Well；　it's　a　story　I'm　not　understanding

at　all　why　you'd　be　worse　than　another；　Christy　Mahon；　and　you　a　fine　lad　with

the　great　savagery　to　destroy　your　da。



CHRISTY。　　It's　little　I'm　understanding　myself；　saving　only　that　my　heart's

scalded　this　day；　and　I　going　off　stretching　out　the　earth　between　us；　the　way

I'll　not　be　waking　near　you　another　dawn　of　the　year　till　the　two　of　us　do

arise　to　hope　or　judgment　with　the　saints　of　God；　and　now　I'd　best　be　going

with　my　wattle　in　my　hand；　for　hanging　is　a　poor　thing　（turning　to　go）；　and

it's　little　welcome　only　is　left　me　in　this　house　to…day。



PEGEEN　　＇sharply。＇　　Christy！　　（He　turns　round。）　　Come　here　to　me。　　（He　goes

towards　her。）　　Lay　down　that　switch　and　throw　some　sods　on　the　fire。　　You're

pot…boy　in　this　place；　and　I'll　not　have　you　mitch　off　from　us　now。



CHRISTY。　　You　were　saying　I'd　be　hanged　if　I　stay。



PEGEEN　　＇quite　kindly　at　last。＇　　I'm　after　going　down　and　reading　the

fearful　crimes　of　Ireland　for　two　weeks　or　three；　and　there　wasn't　a　word　of

your　murder。　　（Getting　up　and　going　over　to　the　counter。）　　They've　likely　not

found　the　body。　　You're　safe　so　with　ourselves。



CHRISTY　　＇astonished；　slowly。＇　　It's　making　game　of　me　you　were　（following

her　with　fearful　joy）；　and　I　can　stay　so；　working　at　your　side；　and　I　not

lonesome　from　this　mortal　day。



PEGEEN。　　What's　to　hinder　you　from　staying；　except　the　widow　woman　or　the

young　girls　would　inveigle　you　off？



CHRISTY　　＇with　rapture。＇　　And　I'll　have　your　words　from　this　day　filling

my　ears；　and　that　look　is　come　upon　you　meeting　my　two　eyes；　and　I　watching

you　loafing　around　in　the　warm　sun；　or　rinsing　your　ankles　when　the　night　is

come。



PEGEEN　　＇kindly；　but　a　little　embarrassed。＇　　I'm　thinking　you'll　be　a　loyal

young　lad　to　have　working　around；　and　if　you　vexed　me　a　while　since　with　your

leaguing　with　the　girls；　I　wouldn't　give　a　thraneen　for　a　lad　hadn't　a　mighty

spirit　in　him　and　a　gamey　heart。　＇Shawn　Keogh　runs　in　carrying　a　cleeve　on　his

back；　followed　by　the　WidowQuin。＇



SHAWN　　＇to　Pegeen。＇　　I　was　passing　below；　and　I　seen　your　mountainy　sheep

eating　cabbages　in　Jimmy's　field。　　Run　up　or　they'll　be　bursting　surely。



PEGEEN。　　Oh；　God　mend　them！　＇She　puts　a　shawl　over　her　head　and　runs　out。＇



CHRISTY　　＇looking　from　one　to　the　other。　　Still　in　high　spirits。＇　　I'd

best　go　to　her　aid　maybe。　　I'm　handy　with　ewes。



WIDOW　QUIN　　＇closing　the　door。＇　　She　can　do　that　much；　and　there　is

Shaneen　has　long　speeches　for　to　tell　you　now。　＇She　sits　down　with　an　amused

smile。＇



SHAWN　　＇taking　something　from　his　pocket　and　offering　it　to　Christy。＇　　Do

you　see　that；　mister？



CHRISTY　　＇looking　at　it。＇　　The　half　of　a　ticket　to　the　Western　St