Michael. Are you lonely going the roads, ma'am?
Old Woman. I have my thoughts and I have my hopes.
Michael. What hopes have you to hold to?
Old Woman. The hope of getting my beautiful fields back again; the hope of putting the strangers out of my house.
Michael. What way will you do that, ma'am?
Old Woman. I have good friends that will help me. They are gathering to help me now. I am not afraid. If they are put down to-day, they will get the upper hand to-morrow. [She gets up.] I must be going to meet my friends. They are coming to help me, and I must be there to welcome them. I must call the neighbours together to welcome them.
Michael. I will go with you.
Bridget. It is not her friends you have to go and welcome, Michael; it is the girl coming into the house you have to welcome. You have plenty to do, it is food and drink you have to bring to the house. The woman that is coming home is not coming with empty hands; you would not have an empty house before her. [To the Old Woman.] Maybe you don't know, ma'am, that my son is going to be married to-morrow.
Old Woman. It is not a man going to his marriage that I look to for help.
Peter [to Bridget]. Who is she, do you think, at all?