BURKE--[Indignantly.] Mush! [Then bending forward toward her with
very intense earnestness.] Indade and I will ask your pardon a
thousand times--and on my knees, if ye like. I didn't mean a word
of what I said or did. [Resentful again for a second.] But divil a
woman in all the ports of the world has iver made a great fool of
me that way before!

ANNA--[With amused sarcasm.] I see. You mean you're a lady-killer
and they all fall for you.

BURKE--[Offended. Passionately.] Leave off your fooling! 'Tis that
is after getting my back up at you. [Earnestly.] 'Tis no lie I'm
telling you about the women. [Ruefully.] Though it's a great
jackass I am to be mistaking you, even in anger, for the like of
them cows on the waterfront is the only women I've met up with
since I was growed to a man. [As ANNA shrinks away from him at
this, he hurries on pleadingly.] I'm a hard, rough man and I'm not
fit, I'm thinking, to be kissing the shoe-soles of a fine, dacent
girl the like of yourself. 'Tis only the ignorance of your kind
made me see you wrong. So you'll forgive me, for the love of God,
and let us be friends from this out. [Passionately.] I'm thinking
I'd rather be friends with you than have my wish for anything else
in the world. [He holds out his hand to her shyly.]

ANNA--[Looking queerly at him, perplexed and worried, but moved
and pleased in spite of herself--takes his hand uncertainly.]
Sure.

BURKE--[With boyish delight.] God bless you! [In his excitement he