Rome.

DEVLIN
Now, no more old palaver, talk is cheap, but it takes
money to buy whiskey. Look as smart as you can
(_hands letter_), and deliver this letter before it's too
late. There's nothin' like doin' things with despatch
when you're in a hurry. Wait, your face is none too
clean. Where's your handkerchief? _(Hands him an
old dirty handkerchief. He drains the dregs of a pewter
pint on the handkerchief, and wipes his face with it.
Then he looks at Falvey's boots_) Glory be to God!
but you're a very careless man! When did you clean
these boots last?

FALVEY
Wisha, who could keep boots clean upon the dirty
roads.

[_Takes off his old hat and wipes his boots with it_

DEVLIN
That's better. Now take off that old tie, and I'll
give you mine. But you must return it to me when
you get the job. It belonged to my grandfather, and
it always brought luck to the family.

[_They exchange ties, and Devlin's toilet is completed by
brushing the legs of his old trousers with a sweeping
brush._

DEVLIN _(looking at him approvingly)_
If you always kept yourself as respectable lookin' as
that, you would never want for work, I'm thinkin'.

FALVEY _(looking at himself in an old mirror_)
There's somethin' in what you say. Sure my mother
always told me I was the best lookin' in the family.

DEVLIN
That may be, but your beauty isn't of the fatal kind.
(_Shaking hands with him_) Good luck now, and I'll
wait here until you'll return.

FALVEY
God bless you, God bless you, I'll be back as soon
as I can.

[_Exit._

DEVLIN (_knocks and orders another half of whiskey_)
Another half one. That letter took a lot out of me.

DRISCOLL
Literature, they say, is always a great strain on a
man's vitality. I was offered a job as proof reader on
a newspaper one time, but my friends advised me not
to take it.

DEVLIN
Your friends were wise. Stayin' up at night is bad
for any man. 'Tis hard enough to be up in the mornin'
without bein' up at night as well.

DRISCOLL _(places drink on table_)
That's true.

[_Exit. A man of about forty-five enters, with a pint of
porter in his hand. He sits near Devlin_.

BARRY NAGLE
Good mornin', stranger.

DEVLIN
Good mornin'.

NAGLE
'Tis a fine day for this time of year.

DEVLIN
This would be a fine day for any part of the year.

NAGLE
Fine weather is the least of the good things that the
poor is entitled to.

DEVLIN
The poor have their wants, of course, but the rich,
bad luck