TRAMP. Is it getting the curse on me you’ld be, woman of the house? I wouldn’t lay my hand on him for the Lough Nahanagan and it filled with gold. NORA. (_Looking uneasily at the body._) Maybe cold would be no sign of death with the like of him, for he was always cold, every day since I knew him,—and every night, stranger,—(_she covers up his face and comes away from the bed_); but I’m thinking it’s dead he is surely, for he’s complaining a while back of a pain in his heart, and this morning, the time he was going off to Brittas for three days or four, he was taken with a sharp turn. Then he went into his bed and he was saying it was destroyed he was, the time the shadow was going up through the glen, and when the sun set on the bog beyond he made a great lep, and let a great cry out of him, and stiffened himself out the like of a dead sheep. TRAMP. (_Crosses himself._) God rest his soul. NORA. (_Pouring him out a glass of whisky._) Maybe that would do you better than the milk of the sweetest cow in County Wicklow. TRAMP. The Almighty God reward you, and may it be to your good health. (_He drinks._) NORA. (_Giving him a pipe and tobacco._) I’ve no pipes saving his own, stranger, but they’re sweet pipes to smoke. TRAMP. Thank you kindly, lady of the house. NORA. Sit down now, stranger, and be taking your rest. TRAMP. (_Filling a pipe and looking about the room._) I’ve walked a great way through the world, lady of the house, and seen great wonders, but I never seen a wake till this day with fine spirits, and good tobacco, and the best of pipes, and no one to taste them but a woman only. NORA. Didn’t you hear me say it was only after dying on me he was when the sun went down, and how would I go out into the glen and tell the neighbours, and I a lone woman with no house near me? TRAMP. (_Drinking._) There’s no offence, lady of the house? NORA. No offence in life, stranger. How would the like of you, passing in the dark night, know the lonesome way I was with no house near me at all? TRAMP. (_Sitting down._) I knew rightly. (_He lights his pipe so that there is a sharp light beneath his haggard face._) And I was thinking, and I coming in through the door, that it’s many a lone woman would be afeard of the like of me in the dark night, in a place wouldn’t be so lonesome as this place, where there aren’t two living souls would see the little light you have shining from the glass. NORA. (_Slowly._) I’m thinking many would be afeard, but I never knew what way I’d be afeard of beggar or bishop or any man of you at all. (_She looks towards the window and lowers her voice._) It’s other things than the like of you, stranger, would make a person afeard. TRAMP. (_Looking round with a half-shudder._) It is surely, God help us all! NORA. (_Looking at him for a moment with curiosity._) You’re saying that, stranger, as if you were easy afeard.