I would not begrudge you, Denis, and you leaving praises after you.
The neighbours keening along with me would be better to me than an
estate.
But my grief your name to be blackened in the time of the blackening
of the rushes! Your name never to rise up again in the growing time of
the year! (_She ceases keening and turns towards the old woman._) But
tell me, Mary, do you think would they give us the body of Denis? I
would lay him out with myself only; I would hire some man to dig the
grave.
(_The Gatekeeper opens the gate and hands out some clothes._)
_Gatekeeper:_ There now is all he brought in with him; the flannels
and the shirt and the shoes. It is little they are worth altogether;
those mountainy boys do be poor.
_Mary Cushin:_ They had a right to give him time to ready himself the
day they brought him to the magistrates. He to be wearing his Sunday
coat, they would see he was a decent boy. Tell me where will they bury
him, the way I can follow after him through the street? There is no
other one to show respect to him but Mary Cahel, his mother, and
myself.
_Gatekeeper:_ That is not to be done. He is buried since yesterday in
the field that is belonging to the gaol.
_Mary Cushin:_ It is a great hardship that to have been done, and not
one of his own there to follow after him at all.
_Gatekeeper:_ Those that break the law must be made an example of. Why
would they be laid out like a well behaved man? A long rope and a
short burying, that is the order for a man that is hanged.
_Mary Cushin:_ A man that was hanged! O Denis, was it they that made
an end of you and not the great God at all? His curse and my own curse
upon them that did not let you die on the pillow! The curse of God be
fulfilled that was on them before they were born! My curse upon them
that brought harm on you, and on Terry Fury that fired the shot!
_Mary Cahel:_ (_Standing up._) And the other boys, did they hang them
along with him, Terry Fury and Pat Ruane that were brought from
Daire-caol?
_Gatekeeper:_ They did not, but set them free twelve hours ago. It is
likely you may have passed them in the night time.
_Mary Cushin:_ Set free is it, and Denis made an end of? What justice
is there in the world at all?
_Gatekeeper:_ He was taken near the house. They knew his footmark.
There was no witness given against the rest worth while.
_Mary Cahel:_ Then the sergeant was lying and the people were lying
when they said Denis Cahel had informed in the gaol?
_Gatekeeper:_ I have no time to be stopping here talking. The judge
got no evidence and the law set them free.
(_He goes in and shuts gate after him._)
_Mary Cahel:_ (_Holding out her hands._) Are there any people in the
streets at all till I call on them to come hither? Did they ever hear
in Galway such a thing to be done, a man to die for his neighbour?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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