meet
none but Red Linahan, has a squint in his eye, and Patcheen is lame in
his heel, or the mad Mulrannies were driven from California and they
lost in their wits. We're a queer lot these times to go troubling the
Holy Father on his sacred seat.

SHAWN -- [scandalized.] If we are, we're as good this place as another,
maybe, and as good these times as we were for ever.

PEGEEN -- [with scorn.] -- As good, is it? Where now will you meet the
like of Daneen Sullivan knocked the eye from a peeler, or Marcus Quin,
God rest him, got six months for maiming ewes, and he a great warrant to
tell stories of holy Ireland till he'd have the old women shedding
down tears about their feet. Where will you find the like of them, I'm
saying?

SHAWN -- [timidly.] If you don't it's a good job, maybe; for (with
peculiar emphasis on the words) Father Reilly has small conceit to have
that kind walking around and talking to the girls.

PEGEEN -- [impatiently, throwing water from basin out of the door.] --
Stop tormenting me with Father Reilly (imitating his voice) when I'm
asking only what way I'll pass these twelve hours of dark, and not take
my death with the fear. [Looking out of door.]

SHAWN -- [timidly.] Would I fetch you the widow Quin, maybe?

PEGEEN. Is it the like of that murderer? You'll not, surely.

SHAWN -- [going to her, soothingly.] -- Then I'm thinking himself will
stop along with you when he sees you taking on, for it'll be a long
night-time with great darkness, and I'm after feeling a kind of fellow
above in the furzy ditch, groaning wicked like a maddening dog, the way
it's good cause you have, maybe, to be fearing now.

PEGEEN -- [turning on him sharply.] -- What's that? Is it a man you
seen?

SHAWN -- [retreating.] I couldn't see him at all; but I heard him
groaning out, and breaking his heart. It should have been a young man
from his words speaking.

PEGEEN -- [going after him.] -- And you never went near to see was he
hurted or what ailed him at all?

SHAWN. I did not, Pegeen Mike. It was a dark, lonesome place to be
hearing the like of him.

PEGEEN. Well, you're a daring fellow, and if they find his corpse
stretched above in the dews of dawn, what'll you say then to the
peelers, or the Justice of the Peace?

SHAWN -- [thunderstruck.] I wasn't thinking of that. For the love of
God, Pegeen Mike, don't let on I was speaking of him. Don't tell your
father and the men is coming above; for if they heard that