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NORA
｛With a half…smile。｝
Far down； stranger？
TRAMP
A piece only。
｛She fills the kettle and puts it on the fire。｝
NORA
Maybe； if you're not easy afeard； you'ld stay here a short while
alone with himself。
TRAMP
I would surely。 A man that's dead can do no hurt。
NORA
｛Speaking with a sort of constraint。｝
I'm going a little back to the west； stranger； for himself would
go there one night and another and whistle at that place； and
then the young man you're after seeing a kind of a farmer has
come up from the sea to live in a cottage beyond would walk
round to see if there was a thing we'ld have to be done； and I'm
wanting him this night； the way he can go down into the glen when
the sun goes up and tell the people that himself is dead。
TRAMP
｛Looking at the body in the sheet。｝
It's myself will go for him； lady of the house； and let you not
be destroying yourself with the great rain。
NORA
You wouldn't find your way； stranger； for there's a small path
only； and it running up between two sluigs where an ass and cart
would be drowned。 ｛She puts a shawl over her head。｝ Let you be
making yourself easy； and saying a prayer for his soul； and it's
not long I'll be coming again。
TRAMP
｛Moving uneasily。｝
Maybe if you'd a piece of a grey thread and a sharp needle
there's great safety in a needle； lady of the house I'ld be
putting a little stitch here and there in my old coat； the time
I'll be praying for his soul； and it going up naked to the saints
of God。
NORA
｛Takes a needle and thread from the front of her dress and gives
it to him。｝
There's the needle； stranger； and I'm thinking you won't be
lonesome； and you used to the back hills； for isn't a dead man
itself more company than to be sitting alone； and hearing the
winds crying； and you not knowing on what thing your mind would
stay？
TRAMP
｛Slowly。｝
It's true； surely； and the Lord have mercy on us all！
｛Nora goes out。 The Tramp begins stitching one of the tags in
his coat； saying the 〃De Profundis〃 under his breath。 In an
instant the sheet is drawn slowly down； and Dan Burke looks out。
The Tramp moves uneasily； then looks up； and springs to his feet
with a movement of terror。｝
DAN
｛With a hoarse voice。｝
Don't be afeard； stranger； a man that's dead can do no hurt。
TRAMP
｛Trembling。｝
I meant no harm； your honour； and won't you leave me easy to be
saying a little prayer for your soul？
｛A long whistle is heard outside。｝
DAN
｛Sitting up in his bed and speaking fiercely。｝
Ah； the devil mend her。 。 。 。 Do you hear that； stranger？ Did
ever you hear another woman could whistle the like of that with
two fingers in her mouth？ ｛He looks at the table hurriedly。｝
I'm destroyed with the drouth； and let you bring me a drop
quickly before herself will come back。
TRAMP
｛Doubtfully。｝
Is it not dead you are？
DAN
How would I be dead； and I as dry as a baked bone； stranger？
TRAMP
｛Pouring out the whisky。｝
What will herself say if she smells the stuff on you； for I'm
thinking it's not for nothing you're letting on to be dead？
DAN
It is not； stranger； but she won't be coming near me at all； and
it's not long now I'll be letting on； for I've a cramp in my
back； and my hip's asleep on me； and there's been the devil's own
fly itching my nose。 It's near dead I was wanting to sneeze； and
you blathering about the rain； and Darcy ｛bitterly｝ the devil
choke him and the towering church。 ｛Crying out impatiently。｝
Give me that whisky。 Would you have herself come back before I
taste a drop at all？
｛Tramp gives him the glass。｝
DAN
｛After drinking。｝
Go over now to that cupboard； and bring me a black stick you'll
see in the west corner by the wall。
TRAMP
｛Taking a stick from the cupboard｝
Is it that？
DAN
It is； stranger； it's a long time I'm keeping that stick for I've
a bad wife in the house。
TRAMP
｛With a queer look。｝
Is it herself； master of the house； and she a grand woman to
talk？
DAN
It's herself； surely； it's a bad wife she is a bad wife for an
old man； and I'm getting old； God help me； though I've an arm to
me still。 ｛He takes the stick in his hand。｝ Let you wait now a
short while； and it's a great sight you'll see in this room in
two hours or three。 ｛He stops to listen。｝ Is that somebody
above？
TRAMP
｛Listening。｝
There's a voice speaking on the path。
DAN
Put that stick here in the bed and smooth the sheet the way it
was lying。 ｛He covers himself up hastily。｝ Be falling to sleep
now and don't let on you know anything； or I'll be having your
life。 I wouldn't have told you at all but it's destroyed with
the drouth I was。
TRAMP
｛Covering his head。｝
Have no fear； master of the house。 What is it I know of the like
of you that I'ld be saying a word or putting out my hand to stay
you at all？
｛He goes back to the fire； sits down on a stool with his back to
the bed and goes on stitching his coat。｝
DAN
｛Under the sheet； querulously。｝
Stranger。
TRAMP
｛Quickly。｝
Whisht； whisht。 Be quiet I'm telling you； they're coming now at
the door。
｛Nora comes in with Micheal Dara； a tall； innocent young man
behind her。｝
NORA
I wasn't long at all； stranger； for I met himself on the path。
TRAMP
You were middling long； lady of the house。
NORA
There was no sign from himself？
TRAMP
No sign at all； lady of the house。
NORA
｛To Micheal。｝
Go over now and pull down the sheet； and look on himself； Micheal
Dara； and you'll see it's the truth I'm telling you。
MICHEAL
I will not； Nora； I do be afeard of the dead。
｛He sits down on a stool next the table facing the tramp。 Nora
puts the kettle on a lower hook of the pot hooks； and piles turf
under it。｝
NORA
｛Turning to Tramp。｝
Will you drink a sup of tea with myself and the young man；
stranger； or ｛speaking more persuasively｝ will you go into the
little room and stretch yourself a short while on the bed； I'm
thinking it's destroyed you are walking the length of that way in
the great rain。
TRAMP
Is it to go away and leave you； and you having a wake； lady of
the house？ I will not surely。 ｛He takes a drink from his glass
which he has beside him。｝ And it's none of your tea I'm asking
either。
｛He goes on stitching。 Nora makes the tea。｝
MICHEAL
｛After looking at the tramp rather scornfully for a moment。｝
That's a poor coat you have； God help you； and I'm thinking it's
a poor tailor you are with it。
TRAMP
If it's a poor tailor I am； I'm thinking it's a poor herd does be
running back and forward after a little handful of ewes the way I
seen yourself running this day； young fellow； and you coming from
the fair。
｛Nora comes back to the table。｝
NORA
｛To Micheal in a low voice。｝
Let you not mind him at all； Micheal Dara； he has a drop taken
and it's soon he'll be falling asleep。
MICHEAL
It's no lie he's telling； I was destroyed surely。 They were that
wilful they were running off into one man's bit of oats； and
another man's bit of hay； and tumbling into the red bogs till
it's more like a pack of old goats than sheep they were。
Mountain ewes is a queer breed； Nora Burke； and I'm not used to
them at all。
NORA
｛Settling the tea things。｝
There's no one can drive a mountain ewe but the men do be reared
in the Glen Malure； I've heard them say； and above by Rathvanna；
and the Glen Imaal； men the like of Patch Darcy； God spare his
soul； who would walk through five hundred sheep and miss one of
them； and he not reckoning them at all。
MICHEAL
｛Uneasily。｝
Is it the man went queer in his head the year that's gone？
NORA
It is surely。
TRAMP
｛Plaintively。｝
That was a great man； young fellow； a great man I'm telling you。
There was never a lamb from his own ewes he wouldn't know before
it was marked； and he'ld run from this to the city of Dublin and
never catch for his breath。
NORA
｛Turning round quickly。｝
He was a great man surely； stranger； and isn't it a grand thing
when you hear a living man saying a good word of a dead man； and
he mad dying？
TRAMP
It's the truth I'm saying； God spare his soul。
｛He puts the needle under the collar of his coat； and settles
himself to sleep in the chimney…corner。