THOMAS [_taking up banner_]. To be shaping a lad through his lifetime, and he to go his own way at the last, and a queer way. It is very queer the world itself is, whatever shape was put upon it at the first! ANDREW. To be too headstrong and too open, that is the beginning of trouble. To keep to yourself the thing that you know, and to do in quiet the thing you want to do, there would be no disturbance at all in the world, all people to bear that in mind! CURTAIN CATHLEEN NI HOULIHAN CHARACTERS PETER GILLANE. MICHAEL GILLANE _his son, going to be married_. PATRICK GILLANE _a lad of twelve, Michael's brother_. BRIDGET GILLANE _Peter's wife_. DELIA CAHEL _engaged to_ MICHAEL. THE POOR OLD WOMAN. NEIGHBOURS. SCENE: _Interior of a cottage close to Killala, in 1798._ BRIDGET _is standing at a table undoing a parcel._ PETER _is sitting at one side of the fire,_ PATRICK _at the other_. PETER. What is that sound I hear? PATRICK. I don't hear anything. [_He listens._] I hear it now. It's like cheering. [_He goes to the window and looks out._] I wonder what they are cheering about. I don't see anybody. PETER. It might be a hurling match. PATRICK. There's no hurling to-day. It must be down in the town the cheering is. BRIDGET. I suppose the boys must be having some sport of their own. Come over here, Peter, and look at Michael's wedding-clothes. PETER [_shifts his chair to table_]. Those are grand clothes, indeed. BRIDGET. You hadn't clothes like that when you married me, and no coat to put on of a Sunday any more than any other day. PETER. That is true, indeed. We never thought a son of our own would be wearing a suit of that sort for his wedding, or have so good a place to bring a wife to. PATRICK [_who is still at the window_]. There's an old woman coming down the road. I don't know, is it here she's coming? BRIDGET. It will be a neighbour coming to hear about Michael's wedding. Can you see who it is? PATRICK. I think it is a stranger, but she's not coming to the house. She's turned into the gap that goes down where Murteen and his sons are shearing sheep. [_He turns towards_ BRIDGET.] Do you remember what Winny of the Cross Roads was saying the other night about the strange woman that goes through the country whatever time there's war or trouble coming? BRIDGET. Don't be bothering us about Winny's talk, but go and open the door for your brother. I hear him coming up the path. PETER. I hope he has brought Delia's fortune with him safe, for fear her people might go back on the bargain and I after making it. Trouble enough I had making it. [PATRICK _opens the door and_ MICHAEL _comes in._] BRIDGET. What kept you, Michael? We were looking out for you this long time. MICHAEL. I went round by the priest's house to bid him be ready to marry us to-morrow. BRIDGET. Did he say anything?