The Well of the Saints: A Comedy in Three Acts — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The Well of the Saints: A Comedy in Three Acts
John Stuart Mill · en
SAINT.
Kneel down, I’m saying, the ground’s dry at your feet.
MARTIN DOUL.
_with distress._ — Let you go on your own way, holy father. We’re not
calling you at all.
SAINT.
I’m not saying a word of penance, or fasting itself, for I’m thinking
the Lord has brought you great teaching in the blindness of your eyes;
so you’ve no call now to be fearing me, but let you kneel down till I
give you your sight.
MARTIN DOUL.
_more troubled._ — We’re not asking our sight, holy father, and let you
walk on your own way, and be fasting, or praying, or doing anything
that you will, but leave us here in our peace, at the crossing of the
roads, for it’s best we are this way, and we’re not asking to see.
SAINT.
_to the People._ — Is his mind gone that he’s no wish to be cured this
day, or to be living or working, or looking on the wonders of the
world?
MARTIN DOUL.
It’s wonders enough I seen in a short space for the life of one man
only.
SAINT.
_severely._ — I never heard tell of any person wouldn’t have great joy
to be looking on the earth, and the image of the Lord thrown upon men.
MARTIN DOUL.
_raising his voice._ — Them is great sights, holy father.... What was
it I seen when I first opened my eyes but your own bleeding feet, and
they cut with the stones? That was a great sight, maybe, of the image
of God.... And what was it I seen my last day but the villainy of hell
looking out from the eyes of the girl you’re coming to marry — the Lord
forgive you — with Timmy the smith. That was a great sight, maybe. And
wasn’t it great sights I seen on the roads when the north winds would
be driving, and the skies would be harsh, till you’d see the horses and
the asses, and the dogs itself, maybe, with their heads hanging, and
they closing their eyes——.
SAINT.
And did you never hear tell of the summer, and the fine spring, and the
places where the holy men of Ireland have built up churches to the
Lord? No man isn’t a madman, I’m thinking, would be talking the like of
that, and wishing to be closed up and seeing no sight of the grand
glittering seas, and the furze that is opening above, and will soon
have the hills shining as if it was fine creels of gold they were,
rising to the sky.
MARTIN DOUL.
Is it talking now you are of Knock and Ballavore? Ah, it’s ourselves
had finer sights than the like of them, I’m telling you, when we were
sitting a while back hearing the birds and bees humming in every weed
of the ditch, or when we’d be smelling the sweet, beautiful smell does
be rising in the warm nights, when you do hear the swift flying things
racing in the air, till we’d be looking up in our own minds into a
grand sky, and seeing lakes, and big rivers, and fine hills for taking
the plough.
SAINT.
_to People._ — There’s little use talking with the like of him.
MOLLY BYRNE.
It’s lazy he is, holy father, and not wanting to work; for a while
before you had him cured he was always talking, and wishing, and
longing for his sight.