ANNE
I’ll stay in to-night.

MAIRE
Then Brian and myself will go to Moynihan’s.

ANNE
You’d get an indulgence, Maire, if you missed a dance.

MAIRE Would it be so hard to get an indulgence? (She takes flowers from dresser and puts them in window) The house looks nice this evening.  We’ll keep Brian here for a while, and then we’ll go to Moynihan’s.

ANNE
Father will be going out to-night.

MAIRE
(turning suddenly from window) Will he?

ANNE
He will.  I think I ought to stay in.  Maire, father was in only
a while before you the night before last and another night.

MAIRE
O, and I thinking things were going so well with us.  He’s
drinking again.

ANNE
He’s going to Flynn’s again.

MAIRE
Disgracing us again.

ANNE
I’ll stay in to-night.

MAIRE
I’m tired of this.

ANNE
Don’t say it that way, Maire.

MAIRE
What will people say of us two now?

ANNE
I’ll talk to him to-night.

MAIRE
No, you’re going out—­you’re going to Moynihan’s—­you’re going
to see your sweetheart.

ANNE
I think you’re becoming a stranger to us, Maire.

MAIRE
You’re going to Moynihan’s to-night, and I’m going, too.  But I’m going
to settle this first.  Once and for all I’m going to settle this.

  The fiddle has ceased.  As Maire goes towards the room, Conn
  Hourican comes down, the fiddle in his hand.

CONN Were you listening to the tune I was playing?  Ah, that was a real oul tune, if there was anyone that knew it.  Maire, my jewel, were you listening?

MAIRE
I heard you.

CONN It was a real oul’ tune, and while I was playing it a great scheme came into my head.  Now, listen to me, Maire; and you listen, too, Anne.  Both of you would like to see your father having what’s his due after all, honour and respect.

MAIRE
Both of us would like to see our father earn the same.

CONN
I could earn the same, ay, and gold and silver cups besides, if
I had the mind to earn them.

  He puts fiddle on table and prepares to speak impressively.

CONN Let ye listen to me now; I’ve a scheme to put before ye.  When I was going over the oul tune, I remembered that I’d heard of a Feis [2] that’s coming on soon, the Feis of Ardagh.  I’m thinking of going there.  There will be great prizes for some one; I don’t doubt but I’d do at Ardagh better than I did at the Feis of Granard, where people as high as bishops were proud and glad to know Conn Hourican the Fiddler.

[Footnote 2:  Feis, pronounced Fesh, a musical or literary gathering, with competitions.]

ANNE
Father, you’ve a place to mind.

CONN I’m tired of that kind of talk; sure I’m always thinking of the place.  Maire hasn’t little notions.  What do you say to it, Maire, my girl?