CONN
I’ll stretch myself on the bed before I begin work.  Anne, did
you say you were leaving something in the room for me?

ANNE
I suppose I’ll have to leave the tea in the room for you.

  She gets the tea ready.  Maire remains motionless.

CONN Well, I have the pattern of daughters, anyway.  I wouldn’t give this house for the praise of Ireland, no, not if they carried me on their backs. (Anne takes the tea up to the room) It’s a pity you weren’t there, Maire, though of course I wouldn’t bring you into such a place.  But they were decent fellows, decent, warm-hearted fellows.  If you were to see their faces when I played An Chaitin Donn.  I’ll warrant they’ll be whistling it, though they never heard the tune before.  And the manners they have!  I offered the fiddle to one of them.  “No,” says he, “not a string will I touch while the master of us is here.”  That’s something like the spirit. (Maire has turned to him and is attentive) But there, I won’t fill myself up with false music telling you about it all.

  He turns to the room.

MAIRE
Bring up your fiddle.

CONN (taking fiddle and going towards room again) It will be as good as sound sleeping for me.  I’ll never forget it.  Flynn will never forget it.  It will be the making of Flynn.

  Maire rises.

MAIRE
You’ve only your fiddle; we shouldn’t forget that.

  Conn goes up to the room.  Maire turns to the fire.  Anne comes down.

ANNE
O Maire, what will become of us at all?

MAIRE
He is very pleased with himself.  He has only his fiddle, we
shouldn’t forget that.

ANNE
It will be a long time till he does the like again.

MAIRE
It will be a long time, I suppose.  Both of us might be in a
different house and have different cares.

ANNE
That would be terrible.  I’ll never leave him, Maire.  MAIRE You
can’t say the like now.

ANNE
Why?

MAIRE How could you take such things upon you and life stretching out before you?  You’re not young enough, Anne.  Besides, it’s not what we say; it’s what we feel.  No, it’s not what we feel either; it’s what grows up in us.

ANNE
He might never do the like again.

MAIRE
Many’s the time mother said that, and she and me lying together.

ANNE
Will we ever get out of it, Maire?

  James enters.

MAIRE
You have only a while to stay with us.

ANNE
O James, what will your father say if he hears of you giving us
another day?

JAMES
My father took a stick in his hand this morning, and went off
with himself.

MAIRE
You’re welcome, James.  It was a pleasant time we had in your
house last evening.

JAMES I hope you liked the company, Maire.  I’m afraid there was very little to be called refined or scholarly, and the conversation at times was homely enough.  But we did our best, and we were proud to see you.