_Muskerry turns away. His head is bent. Mrs. Crilly goes to him_. MUSKERRY Will you never be done taking from me? I want to leave this and go to a place of my own. _Muskerry puts his hand to his eyes. When he lowers his hand again Mrs. Crilly lays hers in it. Christy Clarke comes in. Muskerry turns to him. Muskerry has been crying_. MUSKERRY Well, Christy, I'll be sending you back on another message. _Mrs. Crilly makes a sign to Christy not to speak_. MUSKERRY Go to your mother and tell her--- CHRISTY I met my mother outside. MUSKERRY Did she get the things that were sent to her? CHRISTY My mother was sent away from the cottage. MUSKERRY Who sent your mother away from the cottage? CHRISTY Mrs. Crilly sent her away. MUSKERRY And why did you do that, ma'am? MRS. CRILLY I sent Mary to help to prepare the place for you, and the woman was impertinent to Mary-- MUSKERRY Well, ma'am? MRS. CRILLY I sent the woman away. MUSKERRY And so you take it on yourself to dispose of the servants in my house? MRS. CRILLY I daresay you'll take the woman's part against my daughter. MUSKERRY No, ma'am, I'll take no one's side, but I'll tell you this. I want my own life, and I won't be interfered with. MRS. CRILLY I'm sorry for what occurred, and I'll apologise to the boy's mother if you like. MUSKERRY I won't be interfered with, I tell you. From this day out I'm free of my own life. And now, Christy Clarke, go down stairs and tell the Master, Mr. Scollard, that I want to see him. _Christy Clarice goes out_. MRS. CRILLY I may as well tell you something else. None of the things you ordered were sent up to the cottage. MUSKERRY Do you tell me that? MRS. CRILLY I went round to the shop, and everything you ordered was sent to us. MUSKERRY And what is the meaning of that, ma'am? MRS. CRILLY If the town knew you were going from us, in a week we would have to put up the shutters. MUSKERRY Well, I'll walk out of this, and when I come to the road I'll go my own way. MRS. CRILLY We can't prevent you. MUSKERRY No, ma'am, you can't prevent me. MRS. CRILLY You've got your discharge, I suppose? MUSKERRY I've given three hours' notice, and I'll get my discharge now. MRS. CRILLY _(at corridor door)_ We can't prevent you going if you have the doctor's discharge. MUSKERRY The doctor's discharge! He would have given it to me-- MRS. CRILLY You can't leave without the doctor's sanction. MUSKERRY Out of this house I will go to-day. _James Scollard enters_. SCOLLARD I believe you want to see me, Mr. Muskerry. MUSKERRY I do, Mr. Scollard. I am leaving the house. SCOLLARD I will be glad to take up the necessary formalities for you, Mr. Muskerry. MRS. CRILLY First of all, has the doctor marked my father off the infirmary list? SCOLLARD No, Mrs. Crilly. Now that I recall the list, he has not. MUSKERRY I waited after Mass to-day, and I missed seeing him.