e fool of the world, and I'll be bearing in
mind from this day the great hullabuloo he's after making from hearing a
poor woman breathing quiet in her place.

MARTIN DOUL. And you'll be bearing in mind, I'm thinking, what you seen
a while back when you looked down into a well, or a clear pool, maybe,
when there was no wind stirring and a good light in the sky.

MARY DOUL. I'm minding that surely, for if I'm not the way the liars
were saying below I seen a thing in them pools put joy and blessing in
my heart. [She puts her hand to her hair again.]

MARTIN DOUL -- [laughing ironically.] -- Well, they were saying below
I was losing my senses, but I never went any day the length of that....
God help you, Mary Doul, if you're not a wonder for looks, you're the
maddest female woman is walking the counties of the east.

MARY DOUL -- [scornfully.] You were saying all times you'd a great ear
for hearing the lies of the world. A great ear, God help you, and you
think you're using it now.

MARTIN DOUL. If it's not lies you're telling would you have me think
you're not a wrinkled poor woman is looking like three scores, or two
scores and a half!

MARY DOUL. I would not, Martin. (She leans forward earnestly.) For when
I seen myself in them pools, I seen my hair would be gray or white,
maybe, in a short while, and I seen with it that I'd a face would be a
great wonder when it'll have soft white hair falling around it, the way
when I'm an old woman there won't be the like of me surely in the seven
counties of the east.

MARTIN DOUL -- [with real admiration.] -- You're a cute thinking woman,
Mary Doul, and it's no lie.

MARY DOUL -- [triumphantly.] -- I am, surely, and I'm telling you a
beautiful white-haired woman is a grand thing to see, for I'm told when
Kitty Bawn was selling poteen below, the young men itself would never
tire to be looking in her face.

MARTIN DOUL -- [taking off his hat and feeling his head, speaking with
hesitation.] -- Did you think to look, Mary Doul, would there be a
whiteness the like of that coming upon me?

MARY DOUL -- [with extreme contempt.] -- On you, God help you!... In a
short while you'll have a head on you as bald as an old turnip you'd see
rolling round in the muck. You need never talk again of your fine looks,
Martin Doul, for the day of that talk's gone for ever.

MARTIN DOUL. That's a hard word to be saying, for I was thinking if I'd
a bit of comfort, the like of yourself, it's not