_Shawn Early:_ Take comfort now, Mrs. Fallon. The police are not so
smart as they think. Sure he might give them the slip yet, the same as
Lynchehaun.
_Mrs. Tully:_ If they do get him, and if they do put a rope around his
neck, there is no one can say he does not deserve it!
_Mrs. Fallon:_ Is that what you are saying, Bridget Tully, and is that
what you think? I tell you it’s too much talk you have, making
yourself out to be such a great one, and to be running down every
respectable person! A rope, is it? It isn’t much of a rope was needed
to tie up your own furniture the day you came into Martin Tully’s
house, and you never bringing as much as a blanket, or a penny, or a
suit of clothes with you and I myself bringing seventy pounds and two
feather beds. And now you are stiffer than a woman would have a
hundred pounds! It is too much talk the whole of you have. A rope is
it? I tell you the whole of this town is full of liars and schemers
that would hang you up for half a glass of whiskey. (_Turning to go._)
People they are you wouldn’t believe as much as daylight from without
you’d get up to have a look at it yourself. Killing Jack Smith indeed!
Where are you at all, Bartley, till I bring you out of this? My nice
quiet little man! My decent comrade! He that is as kind and as
harmless as an innocent beast of the field! He’ll be doing no harm at
all if he’ll shed the blood of some of you after this day’s work! That
much would be no harm at all. (_Calls out._) Bartley! Bartley Fallon!
Where are you? (_Going out._) Did any one see Bartley Fallon?
(_All turn to look after her._)
_James Ryan:_ It is hard for her to believe any such a thing, God help
her!
(_Enter Bartley Fallon from right, carrying hayfork._)
_Bartley:_ It is what I often said to myself, if there is ever any
misfortune coming to this world it is on myself it is sure to come!
(_All turn round and face him._)
_Bartley:_ To be going about with this fork and to find no one to take
it, and no place to leave it down, and I wanting to be gone out of
this—Is that you, Shawn Early? (_Holds out fork._) It’s well I met
you. You have no call to be leaving the fair for a while the way I
have, and how can I go till I’m rid of this fork? Will you take it and
keep it until such time as Jack Smith——
_Shawn Early:_ (_Backing._) I will not take it, Bartley Fallon, I’m
very thankful to you!
_Bartley:_ (_Turning to apple stall._) Look at it now, Mrs. Tarpey, it
was here I got it; let me thrust it in under the stall. It will lie
there safe enough, and no one will take notice of it until such time
as Jack Smith——
_Mrs. Tarpey:_ Take your fork out of that! Is it to put trouble on me
and to destroy me you want? Putting it there for the police to be
rooting it out maybe. (_Thrusts him back._)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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