It's making game of me you were following her with fearful joy, and I can stay so, working at your side, and I not lonesome from this mortal day.

PEGEEN. What's to hinder you staying, except the widow woman or the young girls would inveigle you off?

CHRISTY with rapture. And I'll have your words from this day filling my ears, and that look is come upon you meeting my two eyes, and I watching you loafing around in the warm sun, or rinsing your ankles when the night is come.

PEGEEN kindly, but a little embarrassed. I'm thinking you'll be a loyal young lad to have working around, and if you vexed me a while since with your leaguing with the girls, I wouldn't give a thraneen for a lad hadn't a mighty spirit in him and a gamey heart.

 

Shawn Keogh runs in carrying a cleeve on his back, followed by the Widow Quin.

 

SHAWN to Pegeen. I was passing below and I seen your mountainy sheep eating cabbages in Jimmy's field. Run up or they'll be bursting surely.

PEGEEN. Oh, God mend them! She puts a shawl over her head and runs out.

CHRISTY looking from one to the other, still in high spirits. I'd best go to her aid maybe. I'm handy with ewes.

WIDOW QUIN closing the door. She can do that much, and there is Shaneen has long speeches for to tell you now. She sits down with an amused smile.

SHAWN taking something from his pocket and offering it to Christy. Do you see that, Mister?

CHRISTY looking at it. The half of a ticket to the Western States!

SHAWN trembling with anxiety. I'll give it to you and my new hat pulling it out of hamper; and my breeches with the double seat pulling it out; and my new coat is woven from the blackest shearings for three miles around giving him the coat; I'll give you the whole of them and my blessing and the blessing of Father Reilly itself, maybe, if you'll quit from this and leave us in the peace we had till last night at the fall of dark.

CHRISTY with a new arrogance. And for what is it you're wanting to get shut of me?

SHAWN looking to the Widow for help. I'm a poor scholar with middling faculties to coin a lie, so I'll tell you the truth, Christy Mahon. I'm wedding with Pegeen beyond, and I don't think well of having a clever fearless man the like of you dwelling in her house.

CHRISTY almost pugnaciously. And you'd be using bribery for to banish me?

SHAWN in an imploring voice. Let you not take it badly, mister honey, isn't beyond the best place for you where you'll have golden chains and shiny coats and you riding upon hunters with the ladies of the land. He makes an eager sign to the Widow Quin to come to help him.

WIDOW QUIN coming over. It's true for him, and you'd best quit off and not have that poor girl setting her mind on you, for there's Shaneen thinks she wouldn't suit you though all is saying that she'll wed you now.

Christy beams with delight.

 

SHAWN in terrified earnest. She wouldn't suit you, and she with the divil's own temper the way you'd be strangling one another in a score of days. He makes the movement of strangling with his hands. It's the like of me only that she's fit for, a quiet simple fellow wouldn't raise a hand upon her if she scratched itself.

WIDOW QUIN putting Shawn's hat on Christy. Fit them clothes on you anyhow, young fellow, and he'd maybe loan them to you for the sports. Pushing him towards inner door. Fit them on and you can give your answer when you have them tried.

CHRISTY beaming, delighted with the clothes. I will then, I'd like herself to see me in them tweeds and hat. He goes into room and shuts the door.

SHAWN in great anxiety. He'd like herself to see them! He'll not leave us, Widow Quin.