ter Tannian:_ There was a herd passing through from Carrow. It
is what I heard him saying------

_Mrs. Broderick:_ You heard nothing of Mr. Halvey, but what is
worthy of him. But that's the way always. The most thing a man does,
the less he will get for it after.

_Peter Tannian:_ A grand place in Carrow I suppose you had?

_Hyacinth Halvey:_ I had plenty of places. Giving out
proclamations--attending waterworks----.

_Mrs. Broderick:_ It is well fitted for any place he is, and all
that was written around him and he coming into Cloon.

_Peter Tannian:_ Writing is easy.

_Mrs. Broderick:_ Look at him since he was here, this twelvemonth
back, that he never went into a dance-house or stood at a cross-road,
and never lost a half-an-hour with drink. Made no blunder, made no
rumours. Whatever could be said of his worth, it could not be too
well said.

_Hyacinth Halvey:_ Do you think now, ma'am, would it be any harm I
to go spend a day or maybe two days out of this--I to go on the
train----.

_Miss Joyce: (At door, coming in backwards.)_ Go back now, go back!
Don't be following after me in through the door! Is Mr. Halvey there?
Don't let her come following me, Mr. Halvey!

_Hyacinth Halvey:_ Who is it is in it?

_(Sound of discordant singing outside.)_

_Miss Joyce:_ Cracked Mary it is, that is after coming back this
day from the asylum.

_Hyacinth Halvey:_ I never saw her, I think.

_Shawn Early:_ The creature, she was light this long while and not
good in the head, and at the last lunacy came on her and she was
tied and bound. Sometimes singing and dancing she does be, and
sometimes troublesome.

_Miss Joyce:_ They had a right to keep her spancelled in the asylum.
She would begrudge any respectable person to be walking the street.
She'd hoot you, she'd shout you, she'd clap her hands at you. She is
a blight in the town.

_Hyacinth Halvey:_ There is a lad along with her.

_Shawn Early:_ It is Davideen, her brother, that is innocent. He
was left rambling from place to place the time she was put within
walls.

_(Cracked Mary and Davideen come in.
Miss Joyce clings to Hyacinth's arm.)_

_Cracked Mary:_ Give me a charity now, the way I'll be keeping a
little rag on me and a little shoe to my foot. Give me the price of
tobacco and the price of a grain of tea; for tobacco is blessed and
tea is good for the head.

_Shawn Early:_ Give out now, Davideen, a verse of "The Heather
Broom." That's a sp