MUSKERRY
We’ll consider it, Gorman. (He takes off muffler, and puts
it on back of armchair)

GORMAN
Well, I’m very much obliged to your honour.  Good night to you,
Master. (He passes Muskerry and goes towards the door.  Muskerry has
been regarding him)

MUSKERRY
Tell me this, Gorman, were you always on the roads?

GORMAN I was driving cattle, and I was dealing in horses.  Then I took up with an oul’ man, and he taught me the pipes.  I’m playing the pipes ever since, and that’s thirty years ago.  Well, the eyes began to wither up on me, and now I’ve only a stim of sight.  I’m a blinded man from this out, Master.

MUSKERRY
And what will you do?

GORMAN
Oh, sure the roads of Ireland are before me when I leave this;
I’ll be playing my bit of music. (He moves to the door)

MUSKERRY
Tell me; have you any family yourself?

GORMAN
Ne’er a chick nor child belonging to me.  Ne’er a woman lay by
me.  I went the road by myself.  Will you think of what I asked you,
Master?

MUSKERRY
I’ll consider it.

GORMAN
Good night to your honour.  Remember my name, Master—­Gorman,
Myles Gorman.

  Muskerry stands looking after Gorman.

MUSKERRY
Now, Christy Clarke, I consider that the man gone out is a
very exceptional man.

CHRISTY
Is it Myles Gorman?

MUSKERRY
Yes.  I’d even say that, considering his station in life,
Myles Gorman is a very superior man.

CHRISTY
They say he’s not a good musician.

MUSKERRY And maybe he’s not.  I consider, however, that there’s great intelligence in his face.  He stands before you, and you feel that he has the life of a young colt, and then you’re bound to think that, in spite of the fact that he’s blind and a wanderer, the man has not wasted his life. (Muskerry settles himself in the armchair)

CHRISTY
Will you give leave for to-morrow?

MUSKERRY
No, Christy, I will not.

CHRISTY
Why not, Mister Muskerry?

MUSKERRY
That man would break bounds and stay away.

CHRISTY
Do you think he would?

MUSKERRY
He’d fly off, like the woodquest flying away from the tame
pigeons.

CHRISTY He and his brother had a farm between them.  His brother was married, and one day the brother told Myles to go to Dublin to see a comrade of his who was sick.  Myles was home in a week, and when he came back he found that his brother had sold the place and was gone out of the country.

MUSKERRY
His brother did wrong, but he didn’t do so much wrong to
Myles Gorman.

CHRISTY
How is that, Mister Muskerry?

MUSKERRY He sent Myles Gorman to his own life.  He’s a man who went his own way always; a man who never had any family nor any affairs; a man far different from me, Christy Clarke.  I was always in the middle of affairs.  Then, too, I busied myself about other people.  It was for the best, I think; but that’s finished.  On the desk under your hand is a letter, and I want you to bring it to me.