TOURNOUR
Be off out of this to your ward.

GORMAN
Is that Mister Muskerry?

CHRISTY
Mister Muskerry isn’t here.

GORMAN
And who am I talking to?

CHRISTY
You are talking to Felix Tournour.

GORMAN
Felix Tournour!  Ay, ay.  Good night, Felix Tournour.  When will
the Master be back?

TOURNOUR (coming to him) Not till you’re out of this, and back in your ward.

GORMAN
Wasn’t there a boy speaking to me?

CHRISTY
Yes (speaking as if to a deaf man) The Master will be
going the rounds in a while, and you can speak to him in the ward.

GORMAN I’ve a favour to ask the Master, and I don’t want to ask it before the others. (To Christy) Will the Master be here soon, a vick vig? [6]

TOURNOUR (taking him by the shoulders) Here, now, come on, this is your way out.

  He turns Gorman to the door.  As he is putting him out Thomas
  Muskerry enters

TOURNOUR This oul’ fellow came into the office, and I was leading him back into his ward.

MUSKERRY
Leave the man alone.

Tournour retreats to the stove and takes up the bucket; after a look behind he goes out and closes the corridor door.  Christy Clarke takes the periodicals over to table and sits down.  Myles Gorman has been eager and attentive.  Thomas Muskerry stands with his back to the stove.  He is over sixty.  He is a large man, fleshy in face and figure, sanguine and benevolent in disposition.  He has the looks and movements of one in authority.  His hair is white and long; his silver beard is trimmed.  His clothes are loosely fitting.  He wears no overcoat, but has a white knitted muffler round his neck.  He has on a black, broad-brimmed hat, and carries a walking-stick.

[Footnote 6:  A mhic bhig, my little son.]

MUSKERRY
Well, my good man?

GORMAN
I’m here to ask a favour from you, Master.

MUSKERRY
You should proffer your request when I’m in the ward. 
However, I’m ready to give you my attention.

GORMAN I’m a blinded man, Master, and when you’re in the ward I can’t get you by yourself conveniently.  I can’t come up to you like the other oul’ men and speak to you private like.

MUSKERRY
Well, now, what can I do for you?

GORMAN (eagerly) They tell me that to-morrow’s the market-day, and I thought that you might give me a pass, and let me go out about the town.

MUSKERRY
We’ll consider it, Gorman.

GORMAN
Master, let me out in the town on the market-day.

MUSKERRY
We couldn’t let you out to play your pipes through the town.

GORMAN I’m not thinking of the music at all, Master, but to be out in the day and to feel the throng moving about, and to be talking to the men that do be on the roads.