[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?