The Playboy of the Western World

this hour today.

Christy
What would any be but odd men and they living lonesome in the world?


Pegeen
I’m not odd, and I’m my whole life with my father only.


Christy
With infinite admiration. How would a lovely handsome woman the like of you be lonesome when all men should be thronging around to hear the sweetness of your voice, and the little infant children should be pestering your steps I’m thinking, and you walking the roads.


Pegeen
I’m hard set to know what way a coaxing fellow the like of yourself should be lonesome either.


Christy
Coaxing?


Pegeen
Would you have me think a man never talked with the girls would have the words you’ve spoken today? It’s only letting on you are to be lonesome, the way you’d get around me now.


Christy
I wish to God I was letting on; but I was lonesome all times, and born lonesome, I’m thinking, as the moon of dawn. Going to door.


Pegeen
Puzzled by his talk. Well, it’s a story I’m not understanding at all why you’d be worse than another, Christy Mahon, and you a fine lad with the great savagery to destroy your da.


Christy
It’s little I’m understanding myself, saving only that my heart’s scalded this day, and I going off stretching out the earth between us, the way I’ll not be waking near you another dawn of the year till the two of us do arise to hope or judgment with the saints of God, and now I’d best be going with my wattle in my hand, for hanging is a poor thing, Turning to go. and it’s little welcome only is left me in this house today.


Pegeen
Sharply. Christy! He turns round. Come here to me. He goes towards her. Lay down that switch and throw some sods on the fire. You’re potboy in this place, and I’ll not have you mitch off from us now.


Christy
You were saying I’d be hanged if I stay.


Pegeen
Quite kindly at last. I’m after going down and reading the fearful crimes of Ireland for two weeks or three, and there wasn’t a word of your murder. Getting up and going over to the counter. They’ve likely not found the body. You’re safe so with ourselves.


Christy
Astonished, slowly. It’s making game of me you were, Following her with fearful joy. and I can stay so, working at your side, and I not lonesome from this mortal day.


Pegeen
What’s to hinder you from staying, except the widow woman or the young girls would inveigle you off?


Christy
With rapture. And I’ll have your words from this day filling my ears, and that look is come upon you meeting my two eyes, and I watching you loafing around in the warm sun, or rinsing your ankles when the night is come.


Pegeen
Kindly, but a little embarrassed. I’m thinking you’ll be a loyal young lad to have working around, and if you vexed me a while since with your leaguing with the girls, I wouldn’t give a thraneen for a lad hadn’t a mighty spirit in him and a gamey heart.



Shawn Keogh runs in carrying a cleeve on his back, followed by the Widow Quin.


Shawn
To Pegeen. I was passing below, and I seen your mountainy sheep eating cabbages in Jimmy’s field. Run up or they’ll be bursting surely.


Pegeen
Oh, God mend them! She puts a shawl over her head and runs out.


Christy
Looking from one to the other. Still in high spirits. I’d best go to her aid maybe. I’m handy with ewes.


Widow Quin
Closing the door. She can do that much, and there is Shaneen has long speeches for to tell you now. She sits down with an amused smile.


Shawn
Taking something from his pocket and offering it to Christy. Do you see that, mister?


Christy
Looking at it. The half of a ticket to the Western States!


Shawn
Trembling with anxiety. I’ll give it to you and my new hat; Pulling it out of hamper. and my breeches with the double seat; Pulling it off. and my new coat is woven from the blackest shearings for three miles around; Giving him the coat. I’ll give you the whole of them, and my blessing, and the blessing of Father Reilly itself, maybe, if you’ll quit from this and leave us in the peace we had till last night at the fall of dark.


Christy
With a new arrogance. And for what is it you’re wanting to get shut of me?


Shawn
Looking to the Widow for help. I’m a poor scholar with middling faculties to coin a lie, so I’ll tell you the truth, Christy Mahon. I’m wedding with Pegeen beyond, and I don’t think well of having a clever fearless man the like of you dwelling in her house.


Christy
Almost pugnaciously. And you’d be using bribery for to banish me?


Shawn
In an imploring voice. Let you not take it badly, mister honey; isn’t beyond the best place for you where you’ll have golden chains and shiny coats and you riding upon hunters with the ladies of the land. He makes an eager sign to the Widow Quin to come to help him.


Widow Quin
Coming over. It’s true for him, and you’d best quit off and not have that poor girl setting her mind on you, for there’s Shaneen thinks she wouldn’t suit you though all is saying that she’ll wed you now. Christy beams with delight.


Shawn
In terrified earnest. She wouldn’t suit you, and she with the divil’s own temper the way you’d be strangling one another in a score of days. He makes the movement of strangling with his hands. It’s the like of me only that she’s fit for, a quiet simple fellow wouldn’t raise a hand upon her if she scratched itself.


Widow Quin
Putting