TOURNOUR This oul' fellow came into the office, and I was leading him back into his ward. MUSKERRY Leave the man alone. _Tournour retreats to the stove and takes up the bucket; after a look behind he goes out and closes the corridor door. Christy Clarke takes the periodicals over to table and sits down. Myles Gorman has been eager and attentive. Thomas Muskerry stands with his back to the stove. He is over sixty. He is a large man, fleshy in face and figure, sanguine and benevolent in disposition. He has the looks and movements of one in authority. His hair is white and long; his silver beard is trimmed. His clothes are loosely fitting. He wears no overcoat, but has a white knitted muffler round his neck. He has on a black, broad-brimmed hat, and carries a walking-stick._ [Footnote 6: _A mhic bhig,_ my little son.] MUSKERRY Well, my good man? GORMAN I'm here to ask a favour from you, Master. MUSKERRY You should proffer your request when I'm in the ward. However, I'm ready to give you my attention. GORMAN I'm a blinded man, Master, and when you're in the ward I can't get you by yourself conveniently. I can't come up to you like the other oul' men and speak to you private like. MUSKERRY Well, now, what can I do for you? GORMAN _(eagerly)_ They tell me that to-morrow's the market-day, and I thought that you might give me a pass, and let me go out about the town. MUSKERRY We'll consider it, Gorman. GORMAN Master, let me out in the town on the market-day. MUSKERRY We couldn't let you out to play your pipes through the town. GORMAN I'm not thinking of the music at all, Master, but to be out in the day and to feel the throng moving about, and to be talking to the men that do be on the roads. MUSKERRY We'll consider it, Gorman. _(He takes off muffler, and puts it on back of armchair)_ GORMAN Well, I'm very much obliged to your honour. Good night to you, Master. _(He passes Muskerry and goes towards the door. Muskerry has been regarding him)_ MUSKERRY Tell me this, Gorman, were you always on the roads? GORMAN I was driving cattle, and I was dealing in horses. Then I took up with an oul' man, and he taught me the pipes. I'm playing the pipes ever since, and that's thirty years ago. Well, the eyes began to wither up on me, and now I've only a stim of sight. I'm a blinded man from this out, Master. MUSKERRY And what will you do? GORMAN Oh, sure the roads of Ireland are before me when I leave this; I'll be playing my bit of music. _(He moves to the door)_ MUSKERRY Tell me; have you any family yourself? GORMAN Ne'er a chick nor child belonging to me. Ne'er a woman lay by me. I went the road by myself. Will you think of what I asked you, Master? MUSKERRY I'll consider it. GORMAN Good night to your honour. Remember my name, Master--Gorman, Myles Gorman. _Muskerry stands looking after Gorman_. MUSKERRY Now, Christy Clarke, I consider that the man gone out is a very exceptional man. CHRISTY Is it Myles Gorman?