t it a great
blessing I didn't wed you, before himself came walking from the west or
south?

SHAWN. It's a queer story you'd go picking a dirty tramp up from the
highways of the world.

PEGEEN -- [playfully.] And you think you're a likely beau to go straying
along with, the shiny Sundays of the opening year, when it's sooner on
a bullock's liver you'd put a poor girl thinking than on the lily or the
rose?

SHAWN. And have you no mind of my weight of passion, and the holy
dispensation, and the drift of heifers I am giving, and the golden ring?

PEGEEN. I'm thinking you're too fine for the like of me, Shawn Keogh of
Killakeen, and let you go off till you'd find a radiant lady with droves
of bullocks on the plains of Meath, and herself bedizened in the diamond
jewelleries of Pharaoh's ma. That'd be your match, Shaneen. So God save
you now! [She retreats behind Christy.]

SHAWN. Won't you hear me telling you...?

CHRISTY -- [with ferocity.] -- Take yourself from this, young fellow, or
I'll maybe add a murder to my deeds to-day.

MICHAEL -- [springing up with a shriek.] -- Murder is it? Is it mad yous
are? Would you go making murder in this place, and it piled with poteen
for our drink to-night? Go on to the foreshore if it's fighting you
want, where the rising tide will wash all traces from the memory of man.
[Pushing Shawn towards Christy.]

SHAWN -- [shaking himself free, and getting behind Michael.] -- I'll
not fight him, Michael James. I'd liefer live a bachelor, simmering in
passions to the end of time, than face a lepping savage the like of him
has descended from the Lord knows where. Strike him yourself, Michael
James, or you'll lose my drift of heifers and my blue bull from Sneem.

MICHAEL. Is it me fight him, when it's father-slaying he's bred to now?
(Pushing Shawn.) Go on you fool and fight him now.

SHAWN -- [coming forward a little.] -- Will I strike him with my hand?

MICHAEL. Take the loy is on your western side.

SHAWN. I'd be afeard of the gallows if I struck him with that.

CHRISTY -- [taking up the loy.] -- Then I'll make you face the gallows
or quit off from this. [Shawn flies out of the door.]

CHRISTY. Well, fine weather be after him, (going to Michael, coaxingly)
and I'm thinking you wouldn't wish to have that quaking blackguard in
your house at all. Let you give us your blessing and hear her swear her
faith to me, for I'm mounted on the spring-tide of the stars of luck,
the way it'll