,

CONN
Foolish people, did you say?

MAIRE
Ay, foolish people. You had all your life to yourself, and you
went here and there, straying from place to place, and caring only
for the praise of foolish people.

CONN
God help you, if that's your way of thinking! Sure the world
knows that a man is born with the gift, and isn't the gift then the
sign of the grace of God? Foolish people, indeed! Them that know the
gift have some of the grace of God, no matter how poor they may be.

MAIRE
You're always thinking of them. You never think of your own.
Many's the time your own cried tears over your playing.

CONN
_(passionately, starting up)_ I'll go out of the house.

MAIRE
Let you stay here.

CONN
_(going towards entrance)_ I'll go out of the house, I tell you.

MAIRE
No.

_Conn goes over to the fire._

CONN
God help me that ever came into this country at all. _(He sits
down on the armchair, his hands resting on his stick)_ I had friends
once, and was well thought of; I can tell you that, my daughter.
MAIRE I know that. CONN Well, you can have your own way with me now.

MAIRE
Why can't you stay here? There's lots to be done here. Our
fields are a laughing-stock to the neighbours, they're that poor and
wasted. Let us put all our minds into working, and have a good place
of our own.

CONN
Ay, and the grabbers and informers of this place would think
well of you then.

MAIRE
Who do you call grabbers and informers?

CONN
The people of this place. The people _you_ want to shine before.

MAIRE
I don't want to shine before the people.

CONN
I'm not saying against you, Maire.

MAIRE
You're wrong in thinking I want to shine at all.

CONN
Sure you go to every dance and ceilidh; and to every house
where you can show off your face, and dancing, and conversation.

MAIRE
Do I? Maybe I do. Every girl does the like.

CONN
I'm not saying against it.

_Pause._

MAIRE
You think I'm like yourself, wanting the praise of the people.

CONN
And what's the harm if you do?

MAIRE
No harm at all. But I don't go to houses to show myself off.

CONN
Troth and you do, Maire.

_He rises and goes towards the entrance, and remains looking out_.

MAIRE
I won't believe it.

_She goes to the settle. Anne comes in. Anne goes to the glass to
fix her hair_.

CONN
Had you a good night at Moynihan's, Anne?

ANNE
A sort of a good night.

CONN
I was going to tell you about a man I met last night.