MRS. COTTER
'Tis the Sergeant's voice.

HEAD
Glory to be God! I'm ruined! If he finds the smell o'
whiskey from me, he'll tell the Inspector, an' then
Head Constable Mulligan is no more!

MRS. COTTER
Is he as bad as that?

HEAD
He has no conscience at all. He's a friend o' the
Inspector's. (_Knocking continues at door_) Don't open
that door till I tell you--that's if you don't want to
find a corpse on the floor.

MRS. COTTER
Sure, I must open the door.

HEAD
Time enough. He's paid for waitin'. Have you such
a thing as an onion in the house?

MRS. COTTER
I didn't see an onion for the last three weeks.

HEAD (_scratching his head_)
What the blazes will I do? (_Looking towards coal hole_)
Whist! I'm saved. I'll go in here until he's gone.