ok the way we can put the one
flannel on the other. (_She looks through some clothes hanging in
the corner_) It's not with them, Cathleen, and where will it be?

CATHLEEN. I'm thinking Bartley put it on him in the morning, for
his own shirt was heavy with the salt in it. (_Pointing to the
corner_) There's a bit of a sleeve was of the same stuff. Give me
that and it will do.

(NORA _brings it to her and they compare the flannel._)

CATHLEEN. It's the same stuff, Nora; but if it is itself, aren't
there great rolls of it in the shops of Galway, and isn't it many
another man may have a shirt of it as well as Michael himself?

NORA (_who has taken up the stocking and counted the stitches,
crying out_) It's Michael, Cathleen, it's Michael; God spare his
soul and what will herself say when she hears this story, and
Bartley on the sea?

CATHLEEN (_taking the stocking_). It's a plain stocking.

NORA. It's the second one of the third pair I knitted, and I put
up three score stitches, and I dropped four of them.

CATHLEEN (_counts the stitches_). It's that number is in it.
(_Crying out_) Ah, Nora, isn't it a bitter thing to think of him
floating that way to the far north, and no one to keen him but
the black hags that do be flying on the sea?

NORA (_swinging herself round, and throwing out her arms on the
clothes_). And isn't it a pitiful thing when there is nothing left
of a man who was a great rower and fisher, but a bit of an old
shirt and a plain stocking?

CATHLEEN (_after an instant_). Tell me is herself coming, Nora? I
hear a little sound on the path.

NORA (_looking out_). She is, Cathleen. She's coming up to the
door.

CATHLEEN. Put these things away before she'll come in. Maybe it's
easier she'll be after giving her blessing to Bartley, and we
won't let on we've heard anything the time he's on the sea.

NORA (_helping CATHLEEN to close the bundle_). We'll put them here
in the corner.

(_They put them into a hole in the chimney corner. CATHLEEN goes
back to the spinning wheel._)

NORA. Will she see it was crying I was?

CATHLEEN. Keep your back to the door the way the light'll not be
on you.

(NORA _sits down at the chimney corner, with her back to the door._
MAURYA _comes in very slowly, without looking at the girls, and
goes over to her stool at the other side of the fire. The cloth
with the bread is still in her hand. The girls look at each
other, and_ NORA _points to the bundle of bread._)

C