JAMES
I give in to the truth of that, Maire.

MAIRE
What will come of you giving in to the truth of it?  But sure
you ought to remember, Anne.

ANNE
(taking James’s hand) James has the good way with people.

MAIRE Well, I suppose it will come out right for you in the end.  You are both very deserving. (She rises) But some time or another we have to take things into our own hands.

JAMES
Indeed that’s true, Maire.

  Maire goes to back.

ANNE
(holding James’s hand) Did you make any more songs, James?

JAMES
I have a song in my head since last night.

ANNE
The one in the paper is lovely.  I know it by heart.

JAMES
The next I make will be ten times better.

  Conn Hourican comes down.

CONN
I heard your voice, James, and I thought I’d come down.  It’s
very good of you to come here again.  I’ll be out with you to-day.

JAMES
It’ll be a good day from this on.  Were you practising above,
Mister Hourican?

CONN Well, no, James, I wasn’t practising.  I was at a big gathering last night, and my hands are unstrung like.  We’ll talk for a while, and then I’ll go out with you.

ANNE
(taking James’s arm) Come out with me for a minute, James.

JAMES
(going off) I’ll see you again, Mister Hourican.

  James and Anne go out,

CONN
Well, God help us. (He turns to go back to the room.  Maire
comes down from back) Are you going out, Maire?

MAIRE
No, I’m staying here.

CONN
(aggrieved) Do you mind them two, how they went out together. 
I think I’ll go out and see what’s to be done about the place.

  Conn goes towards the entrance.  Maire goes towards the fire.

CONN
(pausing at door) I broke my word to you, Maire.

MAIRE
I don’t know what to say to you now.

CONN
It was the music and the strange faces that drew me.

MAIRE
I know that now.

CONN
It will be a long time till I break my word to you again.

MAIRE
I’ll never ask for your word again.

CONN (warmly) I can tell you this, Maire.  There’s many’s the place in Ireland where Conn Hourican’s word would be respected.

MAIRE I’ll never ask for your word again.  You have only your fiddle, and you must go among people that will praise you.  When I heard you talking of your listeners, I knew that.  I was frightened before that.  When I saw you coming, I went and sat there, and I thought the walls of the house were crowding in on me.

CONN
You were partly to blame, Maire.  You left me there very lonesome.

MAIRE I was to blame, I suppose.  I should have treated you differently.  Well, I know you better now.  Let you sit down and we’ll talk together. (Conn sits on chair to right of table) What’s to become of myself I don’t know.  Anne and James Moynihan will marry, I hope.  Neither of us have fortunes, and for that reason our house should be well spoken of.