ELLEN (to Sally, who has been watching Cornelius) Tell me, Sally, are they always that busy in your house?  Is your father as harsh as they say?

SALLY
Father ’ud keep us all working.  He’s a powerful great man.

ELLEN
Matt will be bringing a wife into the house soon from all I hear. 
How would your father treat her?

SALLY
Oh, he’d have his way, and she’d have her way, I suppose.

ELLEN
And do you think your father will let him marry?

SALLY
Sure he must if the boy likes.

ELLEN
What would he say if Matt married a girl without a fortune?

SALLY
In my mother’s country there are lots of girls with fortunes
that Matt could have.

ELLEN
Supposing he wanted a girl that had no fortune?

SALLY
Oh, I suppose father would give in in the end.  It wouldn’t be
clay against flint when Matt and father would be to it.

ELLEN
You’re a good girl, Sally.  If I was Matt’s wife, do you think
you’d be fond of me?

SALLY
I’d like you as well as another, Ellen.

  Cornelius comes down from room.

CORNELIUS
I suppose they’ll be here soon.

ELLEN
I have tea ready for them.

SALLY
Who’s coming at all?

CORNELIUS
Some of the boys and girls that are for America.  They are going
to Gilroy’s to-night, and are leaving from that in the morning. 
They are coming in to see Ellen on their way down.

SALLY There are a good many going this flight.  The land never troubles them in America, and they can wear fine clothes, and be as free as the larks over the bogs.  It’s a wonder you never thought of going, Ellen.

ELLEN
Father wouldn’t like me to be far from him, and so I went in
for the school instead.

SALLY
And now you’ve got a fine boy like Matt.  It was lucky for you
to be staying here.

ELLEN
Hush, Sally.

SALLY
Oh, I knew all about it before you talked to me at all.  Matt
always goes to the place where he thinks you’d be.

ELLEN
(rising) I’ll be in the room when the girls come, Cornelius.

  She goes into room left.

SALLY (going to Cornelius) God help us, but she’s the silent creature.  Isn’t it a wonder she’s not filled with talk of him after seeing him to-day?  But Ellen’s right.  We shouldn’t be talking about men, nor thinking about them either; and that’s the way to keep them on our hands on the long run.  I’ll be going myself.

  She goes towards door.

CORNELIUS
(going to her) Don’t be minding Ellen at all, Sally.

SALLY Well, as high as she is, and as mighty as she is, she came into his own house to see Matt.  God between us and harm, Cornelius, maybe they’ll be saying I came into your house to see you.