MAIRE
Good-bye, Brian MacConnell.

BRIAN (at door) Good-bye, Maire Hourican; gold and jewels, ships on the sea, may you have them all.

He goes out.  With a cry Maire follows him to the door.  She stands before door for a minute, then she goes back to table, and throwing herself down, remains with her head buried in her hands.  James Moynihan comes in.  Maire raises her head, and remains looking before her.  James comes to table, and puts flowers beside Maire.

JAMES We gathered them for you, Maire.  They’re the woodbine.  We were saying that you would be glad of the flower of the road. (Maire puts her hand on the flowers.  James goes to the fire) Anne remembers a good deal about the road.  She minds of the grassy ditches, where the two of you used to catch the young birds.

MAIRE
I mind of them too.

JAMES
And the women that used to be with your mother, that used to
tell you the stories.

MAIRE And the things we used to talk about after a story!  There’s the turn of the road, and who’s waiting for you?  If it’s your sweetheart, what will you say to him?

JAMES I’m often taken with the thought of the road!  Going to the fair on a bright morning, I’d often wish to leave everything aside and follow the road.

  A fiddle is heard outside.  Conn Hourican comes down, dressed for
  the road.  He has on the greatcoat.  He carries fiddle.  He puts fiddle
  on dresser.

CONN
What music is that, James?

JAMES
Some of the boys are coming to meet you, and they have a
fiddle with them.

CONN
Well, now, that’s friendly of the boys.

JAMES I’ll go out now, and let them know that you’re coming. (He goes to door) Brian MacConnell turned the other way, and Anne went after him.

  He goes out.

CONN
(anxiously) Why did Brian MacConnell go away?

MAIRE
We didn’t agree; no, not after all you said.

CONN
Maybe we’ll see Brian at Ardagh.

MAIRE
How would he ever come back when I bid him go from me?

CONN You bid Brian go from you! (He goes to the window) And there was myself that had the mind to go on the road that I see stretched out before me.

MAIRE
(going to him) You need never come back here.

CONN
I’ll come back with yourself.

MAIRE I remember the time when we were on the roads.  I remember sights we used to see!  Little towns here, and big towns far away, and always the road.

CONN
And the lasting kindness of the road!

MAIRE
There is no need for you to come back here, father.

CONN
And would you follow the road?

MAIRE Go back to the fiddler’s life, and I’ll go back with you.  Well see Anne and James at Ardagh, and we’ll be at their marriage. (She turns round as though to take farewell of the house) It’s right that this place should go to Anne.  The house wasn’t for you, and it wasn’t for me either, I begin to think.