FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35  
36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   >>   >|  
, takes out a griddle-cake, splits and butters it, and hands it to JUDITH._) ELIZA: Likely, you're hungry, and could do with a bite? JUDITH (_taking it_): I'm famished. Cake! We're grand, to-day, indeed! And scones and bannocks--carties, quite a spread! It's almost like a wedding. ELIZA: A wedding, woman? Can't folk have scones and bannocks and singing-hinnies, But you must prate of weddings--you, and all! JUDITH: I meant no harm. I thought, perhaps, Jim might ... Though, doubtless, he was married long ago? (_ELIZA does not answer. JUDITH's baby begins to whimper, and she tries to hush it in an absent manner._) JUDITH: Whisht, whisht! my little lass! You mustn't cry, And shame the ears of decent folk. Whisht, whisht! ELIZA: Why, that's no way to hush the teelytoon. Come, give the bairn to me. Come, woman, come! (_Taking the child from JUDITH._) I'll show you how to handle babies. There! JUDITH: And you would nurse my brat? ELIZA: A bairn's a bairn-- Ay, even though its mother ... (_Breaks off abruptly, and stands, gazing before her, clasping the baby to her bosom._) JUDITH: Why don't you finish? "Ay, even though its mother ..." you were saying. ELIZA: It's ill work, calling names. JUDITH: You needn't fear To make me blush by calling me any name That hasn't stung me to the quick already. My pious father had a holy tongue; And he had searched the Scriptures to some purpose. ELIZA (_gazing before her in an abstracted manner_): Ay: likely enough.... Poor bairn, poor little bairn-- It's strange, but, as you snuggled to my breast, I could have fancied, a moment, 'twas Jim I held In my arms again. I'm growing old and foolish, To have such fancies. JUDITH: Fancied 'twas Jim, your son-- My bastard brat? ELIZA: Shame on you, woman, to call Your own bairn such, poor innocent. It's not To blame for being a chance-bairn. Yet ... O Jim! JUDITH: Why do you call on Jim? He's not come home yet? But I must go, before your son brings back ... Give me the bairn ... ELIZA (_withholding the baby_): Nay, daughter, not till I learn The father's name. JUDITH: What right have you ... ELIZA: God kens ... And yet ... JUDITH: Give
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35  
36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

JUDITH

 

father

 

manner

 

Whisht

 
whisht
 

calling

 

bannocks

 

gazing

 

scones

 

mother


wedding
 

abstracted

 
tongue
 
searched
 

Scriptures

 

purpose

 
brings
 

chance

 
withholding
 
daughter

moment

 

fancied

 

breast

 

snuggled

 
growing
 
innocent
 

bastard

 

foolish

 

fancies

 

Fancied


strange

 
hinnies
 

weddings

 

singing

 

spread

 
married
 

doubtless

 

Though

 
thought
 

carties


butters

 

Likely

 

splits

 
griddle
 

hungry

 

taking

 

famished

 

Breaks

 

babies

 

handle