young; but if they have itself, they'll not
keep Mary Byrne from her full pint when
the night's fine, and there's a dry moon in the
sky. (She takes up the can, and puts the
package back in the ditch.) Jemmy Neill's a
decent lad; and he'll give me a good drop for
the can; and maybe if I keep near the peelers
to-morrow for the first bit of the fair, herself
won't strike me at all; and if she does itself,
what's a little stroke on your head beside
sitting lonesome on a fine night, hearing the


32

dogs barking, and the bats squeaking, and you
saying over, it's a short while only till you die.
[She goes out singing "The night before
Larry was stretched."

CURTAIN


33

ACT II.

SCENE: The same. Early morning. Sarah
is washing her face in an old bucket; then
plaits her hair. Michael is tidying himself