himself.

MAIRE
You're welcome, James. It was a pleasant time we had in your
house last evening.

JAMES
I hope you liked the company, Maire. I'm afraid there was very
little to be called refined or scholarly, and the conversation at
times was homely enough. But we did our best, and we were proud to
see you.

MAIRE
Sit down, James.

_James sits on chair, near table. Maire is seated at fire, left of
James. Anne leans against table, right of him_.

JAMES
Your father is outside, maybe?

MAIRE
No. He's above in the room.

JAMES
Yes. Practising, I suppose. Them that have the gift have to
mind the gift. In this country there isn't much thought for poetry,
or music, or scholarship. Still, a few of us know that a while must
be spared from the world if we are to lay up riches in the mind.

ANNE
I hope there's nothing wrong at home?

JAMES
_(turning to Anne)_ To tell you the truth, Anne, and to keep
nothing back, there is.

MAIRE
And what is it, James?

JAMES
_(turning to Maire)_ Anne was talking to my father last night.

ANNE
Indeed I was, and I thought him very friendly to me.

JAMES
Ay, he liked you well enough, I can tell you that, Anne. This
morning when he took a stick in his hand, I knew he was making ready
for a journey, for the horse is laid up. "Walk down a bit with me,"
said he, "and we'll go over a few things that are in my mind." Well,
I walked down with him, and indeed we had a serious conversation.

ANNE
Well?

JAMES
"Anne Hourican is too young," said my father; "she's a nice
girl, and a good girl, but she's too young."

MAIRE
Sure in a while Anne will be twenty.

JAMES
_(turning to Maire)_ Ten years from this father would still
think Anne too young. And late marriages, as everybody knows, is the
real weakness of the country.

ANNE
I thought your father liked me.

JAMES
He likes you well enough, but, as he says, "what would she be
doing here and your sisters years older than herself?" There's truth
in that, mind you. I always give in to the truth.

MAIRE
James?

JAMES
_(turning to Maire)_ Well, Maire?

MAIRE
Is Anne a girl to be waiting twenty years for a man, like
Sally Cassidy?

JAMES
God forbid, Maire Hourican, that I'd ask your sister to wait
that length. MAIRE She hasn't got a fortune. We were brought up
different to farmers, and maybe we never gave thought to the like.

JAMES
She has what's better than a fortune.

MAIRE
Why aren't your sisters marr