this.

CHRISTY -- [piteously.] You've seen my doings this day, and let you save
me from the old man; for why would you be in such a scorch of haste to
spur me to destruction now?

PEGEEN. It's there your treachery is spurring me, till I'm hard set to
think you're the one I'm after lacing in my heart-strings half-an-hour
gone by. (To Mahon.) Take him on from this, for I think bad the world
should see me raging for a Munster liar, and the fool of men.

MAHON. Rise up now to retribution, and come on with me.

CROWD -- [jeeringly.] There's the playboy! There's the lad thought he'd
rule the roost in Mayo. Slate him now, mister.

CHRISTY -- [getting up in shy terror.] -- What is it drives you to
torment me here, when I'd asked the thunders of the might of God to
blast me if I ever did hurt to any saving only that one single blow.

MAHON -- [loudly.] If you didn't, you're a poor good-for-nothing, and
isn't it by the like of you the sins of the whole world are committed?

CHRISTY -- [raising his hands.] -- In the name of the Almighty God....

MAHON. Leave troubling the Lord God. Would you have him sending down
droughts, and fevers, and the old hen and the cholera morbus?

CHRISTY -- [to Widow Quin.] -- Will you come between us and protect me
now?

WIDOW QUIN. I've tried a lot, God help me, and my share is done.

CHRISTY -- [looking round in desperation.] -- And I must go back into
my torment is it, or run off like a vagabond straying through the Unions
with the dusts of August making mudstains in the gullet of my throat,
or the winds of March blowing on me till I'd take an oath I felt them
making whistles of my ribs within?

SARA. Ask Pegeen to aid you. Her like does often change.

CHRISTY. I will not then, for there's torment in the splendour of her
like, and she a girl any moon of midnight would take pride to meet,
facing southwards on the heaths of Keel. But what did I want crawling
forward to scorch my understanding at her flaming brow?

PEGEEN -- [to Mahon, vehemently, fearing she will break into tears.] --
Take him on from this or I'll set the young lads to destroy him here.

MAHON -- [going to him, shaking his stick.] -- Come on now if you
wouldn't have the company to see you skelped.

PEGEEN -- [half laughing, through her tears.] -- That's it, now the
world will see him pandied, and he an ugly liar was playing off the
hero, and the fright of men.

CHRISTY -- [to Mahon, very sharply.] -- Leave me go!