Seven Short Plays Part 19

_Man:_ I am a friend of Granuaile. There is a hundred pounds on my head.

_Sergeant:_ It's a pity, it's a pity!

_Man:_ Will you let me pa.s.s, or must I make you let me?

_Sergeant:_ I am in the force. I will not let you pa.s.s.

_Man:_ I thought to do it with my tongue. (Puts hand in breast.) What is that?

(_Voice of Policeman X outside:_) Here, this is where we left him.

_Sergeant:_ It's my comrades coming.

_Man:_ You won't betray me ... the friend of Granuaile. (_Slips behind barrel._)

(_Voice of Policeman B:_) That was the last of the placards.

_Policeman X:_ (_As they come in._) If he makes his escape it won't be unknown he'll make it.

(_Sergeant puts hat and wig behind his back._)

_Policeman B:_ Did any one come this way?

_Sergeant:_ (_After a pause._) No one.

_Policeman B:_ No one at all?

_Sergeant:_ No one at all.

_Policeman B:_ We had no orders to go back to the station; we can stop along with you.

_Sergeant:_ I don't want you. There is nothing for you to do here.

_Policeman B:_ You bade us to come back here and keep watch with you.

_Sergeant:_ I'd sooner be alone. Would any man come this way and you making all that talk? It is better the place to be quiet.

_Policeman B:_ Well, we'll leave you the lantern anyhow. (_Hands it to him._)

_Sergeant:_ I don't want it. Bring it with you.

_Policeman B:_ You might want it. There are clouds coming up and you have the darkness of the night before you yet. I'll leave it over here on the barrel. (_Goes to barrel._)

_Sergeant:_ Bring it with you I tell you. No more talk.

_Policeman B:_ Well, I thought it might be a comfort to you. I often think when I have it in my hand and can be flas.h.i.+ng it about into every dark corner (_doing so_) that it's the same as being beside the fire at home, and the bits of bogwood blazing up now and again.

(_Flashes it about, now on the barrel, now on Sergeant._)

_Sergeant:_ (_Furious._) Be off the two of you, yourselves and your lantern!

(_They go out. Man comes from behind barrel. He and Sergeant stand looking at one another._)

_Sergeant:_ What are you waiting for?

_Man:_ For my hat, of course, and my wig. You wouldn't wish me to get my death of cold?

(_Sergeant gives them._)

_Man:_ (_Going towards steps._) Well, good-night, comrade, and thank you. You did me a good turn to-night, and I'm obliged to you. Maybe I'll be able to do as much for you when the small rise up and the big fall down ... when we all change places at the Rising (_waves his hand and disappears_) of the Moon.

_Sergeant:_ (_Turning his back to audience and reading placard._) A hundred pounds reward! A hundred pounds! (_Turns towards audience._) I wonder, now, am I as great a fool as I think I am?

_Curtain._

THE JACKDAW

PERSONS

JOSEPH NESTOR _An Army Pensioner._ MICHAEL c.o.o.nEY _A Farmer._ MRS. BRODERICK _A Small Shopkeeper._ TOMMY NALLY _A Pauper._ SIBBY FAHY _An Orange Seller._ TIMOTHY WARD _A Process Server._

THE JACKDAW

_Scene: Interior of a small general shop at Cloon. Mrs.

Broderick sitting down. Tommy Nally sitting eating an orange Sibby has given him. Sibby, with basket on her arm, is looking out of door._

_Sibby:_ The people are gathering to the door of the Court. The Magistrates will be coming there before long. Here is Timothy Ward coming up the street.

_Timothy Ward:_ (_Coming to door._) Did you get that summons I left here for you ere yesterday, Mrs. Broderick?

_Mrs. Broderick:_ I believe it's there in under the canister. (_Takes it out._) It had my mind tossed looking at it there before me. I know well what is in it if I made no fist of reading it itself. It's no wonder with all I had to go through if the reading and writing got scattered on me.

_Ward:_ You know it is on this day you have to appear in the Court?

_Mrs. Broderick:_ It isn't easy to forget that, though indeed it is hard for me to be keeping anything in my head these times, but maybe remembering to-morrow the thing I was saying to-day.

_Ward:_ Up to one o'clock the magistrates will be able to attend to you, ma'am, before they will go out eating their meal.

_Mrs. Broderick:_ Haven't I the mean, begrudging creditors now that would put me into the Court? Sure it's a terrible thing to go in it and to be bound to speak nothing but the truth. When people would meet with you after, they would remember your face in the Court. What way would they be certain was it in or outside of the dock?

_Ward:_ It is not in the dock you will be put this time. And there will be no bodily harm done to you, but to seize your furniture and your goods. It's best for me to be going there myself and not to be wasting my time. (_Goes out._)