SOME OF THE MEN Well take the word from him. MARTIN DOURAS He mentioned twenty years. SECOND MAN Not as a limit, surely? OTHER MEN We're not for any higher offer. SECOND MAN Well, men, this is all I have to say. If you can get it for twenty, take it, and my blessing with it. But I want to be dealing with the Government, and not with landlords and agents. To have a straight bargain between myself and the Government, I'd put it up to twenty-three, ay, up to twenty-five years' purchase. THIRD MAN More power to you, Councillor. There's some sense in that. SIXTH MAN I'm with the Councillor. FIRST MAN It's all very well for graziers and shopkeepers to talk, but what about the small farmer? FOURTH MAN The small farmer. That's the man that goes under. FIFTH MAN _(knocking at the table)_ Murtagh Cosgar! Murtagh Cosgar! CORNELIUS I tell you, men, that Murtagh Cosgar is in agreement with myself. Twenty years, I say, first term, no more. Let my father speak. MARTIN DOURAS There's a great deal to be said on both sides, men. FIRST MAN Here's Murtagh now. MURTAGH COSGAR Twenty years first term, that's what I agreed to. SECOND MAN And if they don't rise to that, Murtagh? MURTAGH COSGAR Let them wait. We can wait. I won't be going with you, men. I had a few words with the agent about the turbary this morning, and maybe you're better without me. FIRST MAN All right, Murtagh. We can wait. FOURTH MAN We know our own power now. FIFTH MAN Come on, men. MURTAGH COSGAR If they don't rise to it, bide a while. We can make a new offer. SECOND MAN We want to be settled by the Fall. THIRD MAN The Councillor is right. We must be settled by the Fall. SIXTH MAN A man who's a farmer only has little sense for a business like this. SECOND MAN We'll make the offer, Murtagh Cosgar, and bide a while. But we must be settled this side of the Fall. We'll offer twenty years first term. MURTAGH COSGAR Do, and God speed you. CORNELIUS _(to the men going out)_ I told you Murtagh Cosgar and myself are on the one offer. And Murtagh is right again when he says that you can bide your time. But make sure of the mineral rights, men; make sure of the mineral rights. _The men go out; Cornelius follows them._ MURTAGH COSGAR _(with irony)_ Musha, but that's a well-discoursed lad. It must be great to hear the two of you at it. MARTIN DOURAS God be good to Cornelius. There's little of the world's harm in the boy. MURTAGH COSGAR He and my Sally would make a great match of it. She's a bright one, too. MARTIN DOURAS Murtagh Cosgar, have you no feeling for your own flesh and blood? MURTAGH COSGAR Too much feeling, maybe. _(He stands at the door in silence. With sudden enthusiasm)_ Ah, but that's the sight to fill one's heart. Lands ploughed and spread. And all our own; all our own. MARTIN DOURAS All our own, ay. But we made a hard fight for them. MURTAGH COSGAR Ay. MARTIN DOURAS Them that come after us will never see them as we're seeing them now.