MUSKERRY (with emotion) God help me with you all, and God direct me what to do.

MRS. CRILLY
It’s not in you to let us down.

  Muskerry turns away.  His head is bent.  Mrs. Crilly goes to him.

MUSKERRY
Will you never be done taking from me?  I want to leave this
and go to a place of my own.

  Muskerry puts his hand to his eyes.  When he lowers his hand again
  Mrs. Crilly lays hers in it.  Christy Clarke comes in.  Muskerry turns
  to him.  Muskerry has been crying.

MUSKERRY
Well, Christy, I’ll be sending you back on another message.

  Mrs. Crilly makes a sign to Christy not to speak.

MUSKERRY
Go to your mother and tell her—–­

CHRISTY
I met my mother outside.

MUSKERRY
Did she get the things that were sent to her?

CHRISTY
My mother was sent away from the cottage.

MUSKERRY
Who sent your mother away from the cottage?

CHRISTY
Mrs. Crilly sent her away.

MUSKERRY
And why did you do that, ma’am?

MRS. CRILLY
I sent Mary to help to prepare the place for you, and
the woman was impertinent to Mary—­

MUSKERRY
Well, ma’am?

MRS. CRILLY
I sent the woman away.

MUSKERRY
And so you take it on yourself to dispose of the servants
in my house?

MRS. CRILLY
I daresay you’ll take the woman’s part against my
daughter.

MUSKERRY
No, ma’am, I’ll take no one’s side, but I’ll tell you this. 
I want my own life, and I won’t be interfered with.

MRS. CRILLY
I’m sorry for what occurred, and I’ll apologise to the
boy’s mother if you like.

MUSKERRY
I won’t be interfered with, I tell you.  From this day out
I’m free of my own life.  And now, Christy Clarke, go down stairs and
tell the Master, Mr. Scollard, that I want to see him.

  Christy Clarice goes out.

MRS. CRILLY
I may as well tell you something else.  None of the
things you ordered were sent up to the cottage.

MUSKERRY
Do you tell me that?

MRS. CRILLY
I went round to the shop, and everything you ordered was
sent to us.

MUSKERRY
And what is the meaning of that, ma’am?

MRS. CRILLY
If the town knew you were going from us, in a week we
would have to put up the shutters.

MUSKERRY
Well, I’ll walk out of this, and when I come to the road
I’ll go my own way.

MRS. CRILLY
We can’t prevent you.

MUSKERRY
No, ma’am, you can’t prevent me.

MRS. CRILLY
You’ve got your discharge, I suppose?

MUSKERRY
I’ve given three hours’ notice, and I’ll get my discharge
now.

MRS. CRILLY (at corridor door) We can’t prevent you going if you have the doctor’s discharge.