_Sergeant:_ (_Furious._) Be off the two of you, yourselves and your lantern! (_They go out. Man comes from behind barrel. He and Sergeant stand looking at one another._) _Sergeant:_ What are you waiting for? _Man:_ For my hat, of course, and my wig. You wouldn’t wish me to get my death of cold? (_Sergeant gives them._) _Man:_ (_Going towards steps._) Well, good-night, comrade, and thank you. You did me a good turn to-night, and I’m obliged to you. Maybe I’ll be able to do as much for you when the small rise up and the big fall down ... when we all change places at the Rising (_waves his hand and disappears_) of the Moon. _Sergeant:_ (_Turning his back to audience and reading placard._) A hundred pounds reward! A hundred pounds! (_Turns towards audience._) I wonder, now, am I as great a fool as I think I am? _Curtain._ THE JACKDAW PERSONS JOSEPH NESTOR _An Army Pensioner._ MICHAEL COONEY _A Farmer._ MRS. BRODERICK _A Small Shopkeeper._ TOMMY NALLY _A Pauper._ SIBBY FAHY _An Orange Seller._ TIMOTHY WARD _A Process Server._ THE JACKDAW _Scene: Interior of a small general shop at Cloon. Mrs. Broderick sitting down. Tommy Nally sitting eating an orange Sibby has given him. Sibby, with basket on her arm, is looking out of door._ _Sibby:_ The people are gathering to the door of the Court. The Magistrates will be coming there before long. Here is Timothy Ward coming up the street. _Timothy Ward:_ (_Coming to door._) Did you get that summons I left here for you ere yesterday, Mrs. Broderick? _Mrs. Broderick:_ I believe it’s there in under the canister. (_Takes it out._) It had my mind tossed looking at it there before me. I know well what is in it if I made no fist of reading it itself. It’s no wonder with all I had to go through if the reading and writing got scattered on me. _Ward:_ You know it is on this day you have to appear in the Court? _Mrs. Broderick:_ It isn’t easy to forget that, though indeed it is hard for me to be keeping anything in my head these times, but maybe remembering to-morrow the thing I was saying to-day. _Ward:_ Up to one o’clock the magistrates will be able to attend to you, ma’am, before they will go out eating their meal. _Mrs. Broderick:_ Haven’t I the mean, begrudging creditors now that would put me into the Court? Sure it’s a terrible thing to go in it and to be bound to speak nothing but the truth. When people would meet with you after, they would remember your face in the Court. What way would they be certain was it in or outside of the dock? _Ward:_ It is not in the dock you will be put this time. And there will be no bodily harm done to you, but to seize your furniture and your goods. It’s best for me to be going there myself and not to be wasting my time. (_Goes out._)