_Cornelius goes to him_. MARTIN DOURAS There is something on my mind, Cornelius. CORNELIUS What is it, father? MARTIN DOURAS It's about our Ellen. Father Bartley gave me news for her. "I've heard of a school that'll suit Ellen," says he. "It's in the County Leitrim." CORNELIUS If it was in Dublin itself, Ellen is qualified to take it on. And won't it be grand to have one of our family teaching in a school? MARTIN DOURAS _(with a sigh)_ I wouldn't stand in her way, Cornelius; I wouldn't stand in her way. But won't it be a poor thing for an old man like me to have no one to discourse with in the long evenings? For when I'm talking with you, Cornelius, I feel like a boy who lends back all the marbles he's won, and plays again, just for the sake of the game. CORNELIUS We were in dread of Ellen going to America at one time, and then she went in for the school. Now Matt Cosgar may keep her from the school. Maybe we won't have to go further than this house to see Ellen. MARTIN DOURAS I'm hoping it'll be like that; but I'm in dread that Murtagh Cosgar will never agree to it. He's a hard man to deal with. Still Murtagh and myself will be on the long road to-night, and we might talk of it. I'm afeard of Ellen going. CORNELIUS _(at the door)_ It's herself that's coming here, father. MARTIN DOURAS Maybe she has heard the news and is coming to tell us. _Ellen comes in. She has a shawl over her head which she lays aside. She is about twenty-five, slightly built, nervous, emotional_. ELLEN Is it only ourselves that's here? MARTIN DOURAS Only ourselves. Did you get any news to bring you over, Ellen? ELLEN No news. It was the shine of the day that brought me out; and I was thinking, too, of the girls that are going to America in the morning, and that made me restless. _Martin and Cornelius look significantly at each other_. MARTIN DOURAS And did you see Matt, Ellen? ELLEN He was in the field and I coming up; but I did not wait for him, as I don't want people to see us together. _(Restlessly)_ I don't know how I can come into this house, for it's always like Murtagh Cosgar. There's nothing of Matt in it at all. If Matt would come away. There are little labourers' houses by the side of the road. Many's the farmer's son became a labourer for the sake of a woman he cared for! CORNELIUS And are you not thinking about the school at all, Ellen? ELLEN I'll hear about it some time, I suppose. MARTIN DOURAS You're right to take it that way, Ellen. School doesn't mean scholarship now. Many's the time I'm telling Cornelius that a man farming the land, with a few books on his shelf and a few books in his head, has more of the scholar's life about him than the young fellows who do be teaching in schools and teaching in colleges. CORNELIUS That's all very well, father. School and scholarship isn't the one. But think of the word "Constantinople!" I could leave off herding and digging every time I think on that word!