be good for any to have me in the house.

PEGEEN [at the other side of Michael.] -- Bless us now, for I swear to
God I'll wed him, and I'll not renege.

MICHAEL -- [standing up in the centre, holding on to both of them.] --
It's the will of God, I'm thinking, that all should win an easy or a
cruel end, and it's the will of God that all should rear up lengthy
families for the nurture of the earth. What's a single man, I ask you,
eating a bit in one house and drinking a sup in another, and he with no
place of his own, like an old braying jackass strayed upon the rocks?
(To Christy.) It's many would be in dread to bring your like into their
house for to end them, maybe, with a sudden end; but I'm a decent man
of Ireland, and I liefer face the grave untimely and I seeing a score of
grandsons growing up little gallant swearers by the name of God, than
go peopling my bedside with puny weeds the like of what you'd breed, I'm
thinking, out of Shaneen Keogh. (He joins their hands.) A daring fellow
is the jewel of the world, and a man did split his father's middle with
a single clout, should have the bravery of ten, so may God and Mary and
St. Patrick bless you, and increase you from this mortal day.

CHRISTY AND PEGEEN. Amen, O Lord!

[Hubbub outside.]

[Old Mahon rushes in, followed by all the crowd, and Widow Quin. He
makes a rush at Christy, knocks him down, and begins to beat him.]

PEGEEN -- [dragging back his arm.] -- Stop that, will you. Who are you
at all?

MAHON. His father, God forgive me!

PEGEEN -- [drawing back.] -- Is it rose from the dead?

MAHON. Do you think I look so easy quenched with the tap of a loy?
[Beats Christy again.]

PEGEEN -- [glaring at Christy.] -- And it's lies you told, letting on
you had him slitted, and you nothing at all.

CHRISTY -- [clutching Mahon's stick.] -- He's not my father. He's a
raving maniac would scare the world. (Pointing to Widow Quin.) Herself
knows it is true.

CROWD. You're fooling Pegeen! The Widow Quin seen him this day, and you
likely knew! You're a liar!

CHRISTY -- [dumbfounded.] It's himself was a liar, lying stretched out
with an open head on him, letting on he was dead.

MAHON. Weren't you off racing the hills before I got my breath with the
start I had seeing you turn on me at all?

PEGEEN. And to think of the coaxing glory we had given him, and he after
doing nothing but hitting a soft blow and chasing northward in a sweat
of fear. Quit off from