the well of the saints-第7部分

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day　and　in　the　night。　　Ten　thousand　devils　mend　the　soul　of　Molly

Byrne　　（Mary　Doul　nods　her　head　with　approval。）　　and　the　bad；

wicked　souls　is　hidden　in　all　the　women　of　the　world。　　（He　rocks

himself；　with　his　hand　over　his　face。）　　It's　lonesome　I'll　be

from　this　day；　and　if　living　people　is　a　bad　lot；　yet　Mary　Doul；

herself；　and　she　a　dirty；　wrinkled…looking　hag；　was　better　maybe

to　be　sitting　along　with　than　no　one　at　all。　I'll　be　getting　my

death　now；　I'm　thinking；　sitting　alone　in　the　cold　air；　hearing

the　night　coming；　and　the　blackbirds　flying　round　in　the　briars

crying　to　themselves；　the　time　you'll　hear　one　cart　getting　off　a

long　way　in　the　east；　and　another　cart　getting　off　a　long　way　in

the　west；　and　a　dog　barking　maybe；　and　a　little　wind　turning　the

sticks。　　（He　listens　and　sighs　heavily。）　　I'll　be　destroyed

sitting　alone　and　losing　my　senses　this　time　the　way　I'm　after

losing　my　sight；　for　it'd　make　any　person　afeard　to　be　sitting　up

hearing　the　sound　of　his　breath　　（he　moves　his　feet　on　the

stones）　　and　the　noise　of　his　feet；　when　it's　a　power　of　queer

things　do　be　stirring；　little　sticks　breaking；　and　the　grass

moving　　（Mary　Doul　half　sighs；　and　he　turns　on　her　in　horror）

　till　you'd　take　your　dying　oath　on　sun　and　moon　a　thing　was

breathing　on　the　stones。　　（He　listens　towards　her　for　a　moment；

then　starts　up　nervously；　and　gropes　about　for　his　stick。）　　I'll

be　going　now；　I'm　thinking；　but　I'm　not　sure　what　place　my

stick's　in；　and　I'm　destroyed　with　terror　and　dread。　　（He　touches

her　face　as　he　is　groping　about　and　cries　out。）　　There's　a　thing

with　a　cold；　living　face　on　it　sitting　up　at　my　side。　（He　turns

to　run　away；　but　misses　his　path　and　stumbles　in　against　the

wall。）　　My　road　is　lost　on　me　now！　　Oh；　merciful　God；　set　my　foot

on　the　path　this　day；　and　I'll　be　saying　prayers　morning　and

night；　and　not　straining　my　ear　after　young　girls；　or　doing　any

bad　thing　till　I　die。



MARY　DOUL　　＇indignantly。＇　　Let　you　not　be　telling　lies　to　the

Almighty　God。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　Mary　Doul；　is　it？　（Recovering　himself　with　immense

relief。）　Is　it　Mary　Doul；　I'm　saying？



MARY　DOUL。　　There's　a　sweet　tone　in　your　voice　I've　not　heard　for

a　space。　　You're　taking　me　for　Molly　Byrne；　I'm　thinking。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇coming　towards　her；　wiping　sweat　from　his　face。＇

　Well；　sight's　a　queer　thing　for　upsetting　a　man。　　It's　a　queer

thing　to　think　I'd　live　to　this　day　to　be　fearing　the　like　of

you；　but　if　it's　shaken　I　am　for　a　short　while；　I'll　soon　be

coming　to　myself。



MARY　DOUL。　　You'll　be　grand　then；　and　it's　no　lie。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇sitting　down　shyly；　some　way　off。＇　　You've　no

call　to　be　talking；　for　I've　heard　tell　you're　as　blind　as

myself。



MARY　DOUL。　　If　I　am　I'm　bearing　in　mind　I'm　married　to　a　little

dark　stump　of　a　fellow　looks　the　fool　of　the　world；　and　I'll　be

bearing　in　mind　from　this　day　the　great　hullabuloo　he's　after

making　from　hearing　a　poor　woman　breathing　quiet　in　her　place。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　And　you'll　be　bearing　in　mind；　I'm　thinking；　what

you　seen　a　while　back　when　you　looked　down　into　a　well；　or　a

clear　pool；　maybe；　when　there　was　no　wind　stirring　and　a　good

light　in　the　sky。



MARY　DOUL。　　I'm　minding　that　surely；　for　if　I'm　not　the　way　the

liars　were　saying　below　I　seen　a　thing　in　them　pools　put　joy　and

blessing　in　my　heart。　＇She　puts　her　hand　to　her　hair　again。＇



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇laughing　ironically。＇　　Well；　they　were　saying

below　I　was　losing　my　senses；　but　I　never　went　any　day　the　length

of　that。　。　。　。　　God　help　you；　Mary　Doul；　if　you're　not　a　wonder

for　looks；　you're　the　maddest　female　woman　is　walking　the

counties　of　the　east。



MARY　DOUL　　＇scornfully。＇　　You　were　saying　all　times　you'd　a

great　ear　for　hearing　the　lies　of　the　world。　　A　great　ear；　God

help　you；　and　you　think　you're　using　it　now。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　If　it's　not　lies　you're　telling　would　you　have　me

think　you're　not　a　wrinkled　poor　woman　is　looking　like　three

scores；　or　two　scores　and　a　half！



MARY　DOUL。　　I　would　not；　Martin。　（She　leans　forward　earnestly。）　

For　when　I　seen　myself　in　them　pools；　I　seen　my　hair　would　be

gray　or　white；　maybe；　in　a　short　while；　and　I　seen　with　it　that

I'd　a　face　would　be　a　great　wonder　when　it'll　have　soft　white

hair　falling　around　it；　the　way　when　I'm　an　old　woman　there　won't

be　the　like　of　me　surely　in　the　seven　counties　of　the　east。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇with　real　admiration。＇　　You're　a　cute　thinking

woman；　Mary　Doul；　and　it's　no　lie。



MARY　DOUL　　＇triumphantly。＇　　I　am；　surely；　and　I'm　telling　you

a　beautiful　white…haired　woman　is　a　grand　thing　to　see；　for　I'm

told　when　Kitty　Bawn　was　selling　poteen　below；　the　young　men

itself　would　never　tire　to　be　looking　in　her　face。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇taking　off　his　hat　and　feeling　his　head；　speaking

with　hesitation。＇　　Did　you　think　to　look；　Mary　Doul；　would

there　be　a　whiteness　the　like　of　that　coming　upon　me？



MARY　DOUL　　＇with　extreme　contempt。＇　　On　you；　God　help　you！　。

。　。　　In　a　short　while　you'll　have　a　head　on　you　as　bald　as　an　old

turnip　you'd　see　rolling　round　in　the　muck。　　You　need　never　talk

again　of　your　fine　looks；　Martin　Doul；　for　the　day　of　that　talk's

gone　for　ever。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　That's　a　hard　word　to　be　saying；　for　I　was　thinking

if　I'd　a　bit　of　comfort；　the　like　of　yourself；　it's　not　far　off

we'd　be　from　the　good　days　went　before；　and　that'd　be　a　wonder

surely。　　But　I'll　never　rest　easy；　thinking　you're　a　gray；

beautiful　woman；　and　myself　a　pitiful　show。



MARY　DOUL。　　I　can't　help　your　looks；　Martin　Doul。　　It　wasn't

myself　made　you　with　your　rat's　eyes；　and　your　big　ears；　and　your

griseldy　chin。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇rubs　his　chin　ruefully；　then　beams　with　delight。＇

　There's　one　thing　you've　forgot；　if　you're　a　cute　thinking

woman　itself。



MARY　DOUL。　　Your　slouching　feet；　is　it？　　Or　your　hooky　neck；　or

your　two　knees　is　black　with　knocking　one　on　the　other？



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇with　delighted　scorn。＇　　There's　talking　for　a

cute　woman。　　There's　talking；　surely！



MARY　DOUL　　＇puzzled　at　joy　of　his　voice。＇　　If　you'd　anything

but　lies　to　say　you'd　be　talking　to　yourself。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇bursting　with　excitement。＇　　I've　this　to　say；

Mary　Doul。　　I'll　be　letting　my　beard　grow　in　a　short　while；　a

beautiful；　long；　white；　silken；　streamy　beard；　you　wouldn't　see

the　like　of　in　the　eastern　world。　。　。　。　　Ah；　a　white　beard's　a

grand　thing　on　an　old　man；　a　grand　thing　for　making　the　quality

stop　and　be　stretching　out　their　hands　with　good　silver　or　gold；

and　a　beard's　a　thing　you'll　never　have；　so　you　may　be　holding

your　tongue。



MARY　DOUL　　＇laughing　cheerfully。＇　　Well；　we're　a　great　pair；

surely；　and　it's　great　times　we'll　have　yet；　maybe；　and　great

talking　before　we　die。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　Great　times　from　this　day；　with　the　help　of　the

Almighty　God；　for　a　priest　itself　would　believe　the　lies　of　an

old　man　would　have　a　fine　white　beard　growing　on　his　chin。



MARY　DOUL。　　There's　the　sound　of　one　of　them　twittering　yellow

birds　do　be　coming　in　the　spring…time　from　beyond　the　sea；　and

there'll　be　a　fine　warmth　now　in　the　sun；　and　a　sweetness　in　the

air；　the　way　it'll　be　a　grand　thing　to　be　sitting　here　quiet　and

easy　smelling　the　things　growing　up；　and　budding　from　the　earth。



MARTIN　DOUL。　　I'm　smelling　the　furze　a　while　back　sprouting　on

the　hill；　and　if　you'd　hold　your　tongue　you'd　hear　the　lambs　of

Grianan；　though　it's　near　drowned　their　crying　is　with　the　full

river　making　noises　in　the　glen。



MARY　DOUL　　＇listens。＇　　The　lambs　is　bleating；　surely；　and

there's　cocks　and　laying　hens　making　a　fine　stir　a　mile　off　on

the　face　of　the　hill。　　（She　starts。）



MARTIN　DOUL。　　What's　that　is　sounding　in　the　west？　＇A　faint　sound

of　a　bell　is　heard。＇



MARY　DOUL。　　It's　not　the　churches；　for　the　wind's　blowing　from

the　sea。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇with　dismay。＇　　It's　the　old　Saint；　I'm

thinking；　ringing　his　bell。



MARY　DOUL。　　The　Lord　protect　us　from　the　saints　of　God！　　（They

listen。）　　He's　coming　this　road；　surely。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇tentatively。＇　　Will　we　be　running　off；　Mary

Doul？



MARY　DOUL。　　What　place　would　we　run？



MARTIN　DOUL。　　There's　the　little　path　going　up　through　the

sloughs。　。　。　。　　If　we　reached　the　bank　above；　where　the　elders　do

be　growing；　no　person　would　see　a　sight　of　us；　if　it　was　a

hundred　yeomen　were　passing　itself；　but　I'm　afeard　after　the　time

we　were　with　our　sight　we'll　not　find　our　way　to　it　at　all。



MARY　DOUL　　＇standing　up。＇　　You'd　find　the　way；　surely。　

You're　a　grand　man　the　world　knows　at　finding　your　way　winter　or

summer；　if　there　was　deep　snow　in　it　itself；　or　thick　grass　and

leaves；　maybe；　growing　from　the　earth。



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇taking　her　hand。＇　　Come　a　bit　this　way；　it's

here　it　begins。　（They　grope　about　gap。）　　There's　a　tree　pulled

into　the　gap；　or　a　strange　thing　happened；　since　I　was　passing　it

before。



MARY　DOUL。　　Would　we　have　a　right　to　be　crawling　in　below　under

the　sticks？



MARTIN　DOUL。　　It's　hard　set　I　am　to　know　what　would　be　right。　

And　isn't　it　a　poor　thing　to　be　blind　when　you　can't　run　off

itself；　and　you　fearing　to　see？



MARY　DOUL　　＇nearly　in　tears。＇　　It's　a　poor　thing；　God　help

us；　and　what　good'll　our　gray　hairs　be　itself；　if　we　have　our

sight；　the　way　we'll　see　them　falling　each　day；　and　turning　dirty

in　the　rain？



＇The　bell　sounds　nearby。＇



MARTIN　DOUL　　＇in　despair。＇　　He's　coming　now；　and　we　won't　get

off　from　him　at　all。



MARY　DOUL。　　Could　we　hide　in　the　bit　of　a　briar　is　growing　at　the

west　butt　of　the　church？



MARTIN　DOUL。　　We'll　try　that；　surely。　（He　listens　a　moment。）　　Let

you　make　haste；　I　hear　them　trampling　in　the　wood。　＇They　grope

over　to　church。＇



MARY　DOUL。　　It's　the　words　of　the　young　girls　making　a　great　stir

in　the　trees。　（They　find　the　bush。）　　Here's　the　briar　on　my　left；

Martin；　I'll　go　in　first；　I'm　the　big　one；　and　I'm　easy　to　see。



MARTIN