Three Plays: The Fiddler's House, The Land, Thomas Muskerry Part 35

_Christy Clarice enters by corridor door with papers_.

MUSKERRY They want me to resign from this place, Christy.

CHRISTY You're thirty years here! Aren't you, Mister Muskerry?

MUSKERRY Thirty years, thirty years. Ay, Christy, thirty years; it's a long time. And I'm at my failing time. Perhaps I'm not able to do any more. Day after day there would be troubles here, and I wouldn't be able to face them. And in the end I might lose my position. I'm going to write out my resignation. _(He goes to the desk and writes.

Christy is at table. Muskerry turns round after writing)_

MUSKERRY No one that comes here can have the same heart for the poor that I had. I was earning in the year of the famine. I saw able men struggling to get the work that would bring them a handful of Indian meal. And I saw the little children waiting on the roads for relief.

_(He turns back and goes on with letter. Suddenly a bell in the House begins to toll)_ What's that for, Christy?

CHRISTY Malachi O'Rourk, the Prince, as they called him, is dead.

MUSKERRY Aye, I gave orders to toll him when he died. He was an estated gentleman, and songs were made about his family. People used to annoy him, but he's gone from them now. Bring me a little whisky, Christy.

_Christy goes to Cabinet. Muskerry follows him_.

CHRISTY There's none in the bottle, Mister Muskerry.

MUSKERRY _(bitterly)_ No, I suppose not. And is that rascal, Albert Crilly, coming back?

CHRISTY He's coming, Mister Muskerry. I left the novelette on the table. Miss Coghlan says it's a nice love story. "The Heart of Angelina," it is called.

MUSKERRY I haven't the heart to read.

_The bell continues to toll. Christy goes to door_.

CHRISTY Good night, Mister Muskerry.

MUSKERRY Good night, Christy.

_Christy Clarke goes out through apartments. Thomas Muskerry is standing with hand on arm chair. The bell tolls_.

CURTAIN

ACT SECOND

_In Crilly's, a month later. The room is the parlour off the shop.

A gla.s.s door, right, leads into the shop, and the fireplace is above this door. In the back, right, is a cupboard door. Back is a window looking on the street. A door, left, leads to other rooms. There is a table near shop door and a horse-hair sofa back, an armchair at fire, and two leather-covered chairs about. Conventional pictures on walls, and two certificates framed, showing that some one in the house has pa.s.sed some Intermediate examinations._

_It is the forenoon of an April day. Mrs. Crilly is seated on sofa, going through a heap of account books. Anna Crilly is at window.

Crofton Crilly enters from the shop._

CRILLY It's all right, Marianne.

MRS. CRILLY Well?

CRILLY The Guardians insisted on appointing an outside person to take stock of the workhouse stores. It's the new regulation, you know.

Well, the job lay between young Dobbs and Albert, and Albert has got it. I don't say but it was a near thing.

MRS. CRILLY I hope Albert will know what to do.

CRILLY He'll want to watch the points. Where's the Master?

MRS. CRILLY He's in his room upstairs.

CRILLY Was he not out this morning?

MRS. CRILLY He's not dressed yet.

CRILLY He was more particular when he was in the workhouse.

ANNA I know who those two children are now. They are the new gas-manager's children.

CRILLY He's a Scotchman.

ANNA And married for the second time. Mother, Mrs. Dunne is going to the races. Such a sketch of a hat.

MRS. CRILLY It would be better for her if she stayed at home and looked after her business.

ANNA She won't have much business to look after soon. That's the third time her husband has come out of Farrell's public-house.

CRILLY He's drinking with the Dispensary Doctor. Companions! They're the curse of this town, Marianne. _(He sits down)_

ANNA She's walked into a blind man, hat and all. He's from the Workhouse.

CRILLY He's the blind piper out of the workhouse, Myles Gorman.

MRS. CRILLY There's no one within. You should go into the shop, Anna.

ANNA Yes, mother. _(She crosses)_ James Scollard is coming in, mother.

MRS. CRILLY Very well, Anna. Stay in the shop until Mary comes.

_Anna goes into the shop. Crilly moves about_.

MRS. CRILLY You're very uneasy.

CRILLY Yes, I am uneasy, Marianne. There's some presentment on me.

Fifty pounds a year is a good pension for the old man. He's a month out now. He ought to be getting an instalment.

_Anna comes in from shop_.

ANNA Mother, the doctor's daughter is in the shop.

MRS. CRILLY What does she want?