MAURYA.
Starts, so that her shawl falls back from her head and shows her white tossed hair. With a frightened voice.—The gray pony behind him.
CATHLEEN.
Coming to the fire.—What is it ails you, at all?
MAURYA.
Speaking very slowly.—I’ve seen the fearfulest thing any person has seen, since the day Bride Dara seen the dead man with the child in his arms.
CATHLEEN AND NORA.
Uah.
[They crouch down in front of the old woman at the fire.]
NORA.
Tell us what it is you seen.
MAURYA.
I went down to the spring well, and I stood there saying a prayer to myself. Then Bartley came along, and he riding on the red mare with the gray pony behind him [she puts up her hands, as if to hide something from her eyes.] The Son of God spare us, Nora!
CATHLEEN.
What is it you seen.
MAURYA.
I seen Michael himself.
CATHLEEN.
Speaking softly.—You did not, mother; it wasn’t Michael you seen, for his body is after being found in the far north, and he’s got a clean burial by the grace of God.