THE YELLOW FURZE.
(A Tragedy in One Act, which may be played by the Abbey Theatre players without fee.)
Scene I.
[The kitchen in the M'Ganns' house. Mrs. M'Gann, Sheila M'Gann, Molly M'Gann, Aloysius Murphy, and Jeremiah Dunphy sit round the fire, top left centre. The door is top right centre. On the left side is a window. Four large grandfather clocks are standing here and there round the room. In front of the fire is seated a little wee bit of a pigeen. The Stranger is seated by the window, apart from the rest. As the curtain rises one of the clocks strikes two, another strikes eleven, while the others remain silent. It is thus impossible to tell what time it is. The Stranger gazes out of the window. No one speaks. The curtain falls.
Scene II.
[Much the same, except that the window is now on the right side. The women are engaged in peeling potatoes. The Stranger is obviously much embarrassed at the sudden change in the position of the window.
Jeremiah. 'Tis a terrible night—a terrible wet night.
Molly. Sure an' it's yourself that has no call to say the same, Jerry Dunphy, an' you saying a minute since that ye were as dry as ye could be!
[The rest break into a roar of laughter, with the exception of the Stranger and the pig.
Aloysius (slapping his knee). A good wan, that! It's yourself is the smart girl, Molly!
[The door is suddenly flung open with great violence and young Michael enters. He is carrying a number of hurls.
Jeremiah. Power to ye, Michael avick! And did ye win to-day?
Michael. Is it win? And will ye tell me why wouldn't we win?
[Sheila is about to speak, but checks herself as a thin piping voice is heard chanting outside.
The Voice.
"There is a little man
In a dirty wee shebeen,
And the spalpeens do be leppin' in the bog."
[The voice ends on a high note, which quavers away into silence.
Sheila. The blessed Saints preserve us! What was that?
Mrs. M'Gann. Musha, don't be frightened, child! Sure, it's only poor ould Blithero[1] Pat. (She goes to the door and opens it.) Come in, Pat, and have a bite an' a sup to warm ye this terrible night.
[The old man enters. He comes slowly over to the hearth, tapping with his stick, and seats himself in front of the fire. He seems to stare at the glowing turf. At last he speaks.
Blithero Pat. Comin' over the bog I met Black Finnegan. He had a powerful drop o' the drink on him.
Molly. The Saints preserve us from that man!
Blithero Pat (continuing in a dull monotone). And Shaun M'Gann was with him.
[Mrs. M'Gann sits back with a look of horror on her face.
Aloysius. Shaun does be a terrible man when he's on the drink.
[The pig rises and goes out by the door, which has been left open.
Sheila. The crathur! 'Tis himself can't bear to hear his master miscalled.
Blithero Pat (still continuing in the same tone). Shaun told me to tell ye, Mrs. M'Gann, that he was coming home the way he'd kill ye entirely.
Jeremiah (starting up quickly, as the others recoil in horror). We must stop him. He's coming by the bog, ye said, Pat?
Blithero Pat. Ay! Be the bog it is.
Aloysius. Come on, all of ye!
[Exeunt hastily all but Blithero Pat and the Stranger.
[Blithero Pat chuckles softly. He then addresses the Stranger in a hoarse whisper.
Blithero Pat. Divil the bit he's comin' be the bog. He's comin' be the cross-roads.
[The Stranger makes no reply. Blithero Pat laughs hideously and goes out.
Footnote [1:] A Connemara word signifying blind.
Scene III.
[The same. The air is heavy with the scent of stout. Mrs. M'Gann sits before the fire. She still peels potatoes. The Stranger is almost concealed behind grandfather clock number four, from the shelter of which he peers nervously at the window, which has returned to its original position. A heavy step is heard outside.
Mrs. M'Gann (starting up in terror). That's Shaun's step!
[The door is kicked open and Shaun enters. He is fairly far gone in drink. As he looks at her she backs a step or two and stares at him wildly. He kicks over grandfather clock number one, which is evidently damaged by the fall, as it commences to strike wildly and insistently.
Mrs. M'Gann. Shaun!
[He staggers over and looks at her closely for a moment. Then he catches her by the throat, hurls her to the ground, and begins to kick her savagely. He laughs as he kicks her, for at heart he is not a bad-natured man. She gradually becomes still. At last he stops and looks at her.
Shaun. Mary! (A pause. Then in a louder tone, with a note of alarm in his voice) Mary!
[He looks at her for two minutes in a dazed way and then staggers out of the room. The Stranger, who until this moment has not said a word, does not speak now. Grandfather clock number one continues to strike insistently.
Curtain.
Scene—Village Concert—Squire's turn to sing.
Official. "'Ope you gets on all right, Sir. It's been fairly good oop t' now."
"The first brick of the structural work was laid on Tuesday, Jan. 6th, and is proceeding rapidly."—Clacton Times.
Destination unknown.
