CATHLEEN. Put these things away before she'll come in. Maybe it's easier she'll be after giving her blessing to Bartley, and we won't let on we've heard anything the time he's on the sea.
NORA (helping CATHLEEN to close the bundle). We'll put them here in the corner.
(They put them into a hole in the chimney corner. CATHLEEN goes back to the spinning wheel.)
NORA. Will she see it was crying I was?
CATHLEEN. Keep your back to the door the way the light'll not be on you.
(NORA sits down at the chimney corner, with her back to the door. MAURYA comes in very slowly, without looking at the girls, and goes over to her stool at the other side of the fire. The cloth with the bread is still in her hand. The girls look at each other, and NORA points to the bundle of bread.)
CATHLEEN (offer spinning for a moment), You didn't give him his bit of bread?
(MAURYA begins to keen softly, without turning round.)
CATHLEEN. Did you see him riding down?
(MAURYA goes on keening.)