MARTIN DOURAS Ah, it's a great word. A word like that would make you think for days. And there are many words like that. ELLEN It's not so much the long words that we've to learn and teach now. When will you be home, father? Will Cornelius be with you? MARTIN DOURAS Ellen, I have news for you. There is a school in Leitrim that Father Bartley can let you have. ELLEN In Leitrim! Did you tell Matt about it? MARTIN DOURAS I did not. _Sally is heard calling "Cornelius." Cornelius goes to the door._ CORNELIUS Here's Matt now. The benefit of the day to you, Matt. _He stands aside to let Matt enter. Matt Cosgar is a young peasant of about twenty-eight. He is handsome and well-built. He is dressed in a trousers, shirt, and coat, and has a felt hat on. Cornelius goes out._ MATT _(going to Ellen)_ You're welcome, Ellen. Good morrow, Martin. It's a great day for the purchase, Martin. MARTIN DOURAS A great day, indeed, thank God. MATT Ah, it's a great thing to feel the ownership of the land, Martin. MARTIN DOURAS I don't doubt but it is. MATT Look at the young apple-trees, Ellen. Walking up this morning, I felt as glad of them as a young man would be glad of the sweetheart he saw coming towards him. ELLEN Ay, there's great gladness and shine in the day. MATT It seems to trouble you. ELLEN It does trouble me. MATT Why? ELLEN Everything seems to be saying, "There's something here, there's something going." MATT Ay, a day like this often makes you feel that way. It's a great day for the purchase though. How many years ought we to offer, Ellen? _Martin goes out_. ELLEN Twenty years, I suppose---_(suddenly)_ Matt! MATT What is it, Ellen? ELLEN I have got an offer of a school in the County Leitrim. MATT I wish they'd wait, Ellen. I wish they'd wait till I had something to offer you. ELLEN I'm a long time waiting here, Matt. MATT Sure we're both young. ELLEN This is summer now. There will be autumn in a month or two. The year will have gone by without bringing me anything. MATT He'll be letting me have my own way soon, my father will. ELLEN Murtagh Cosgar never let a child of his have their own way. MATT When the land's bought out, he'll be easier to deal with. ELLEN When he owns the land, he'll never let a son of his marry a girl without land or fortune. MATT Ellen, Ellen, I'd lose house and land for you. Sure you know that, Ellen. My brothers and sisters took their freedom. They went from this house and away to the ends of the world. Maybe I don't differ from them so much. But I've put my work into the land, and I'm beginning to know the land. I won't lose it, Ellen. Neither will I lose you. ELLEN O Matt, what's the land after all? Do you ever think of America? The streets, the shops, the throngs? MATT The land is better than that when you come to know it, Ellen. ELLEN May be it is. MATT I've set my heart on a new house. Ay and he'll build one for us when he knows my mind.