AN.

[Without.]

Aye.

[She comes to door, opens it and stands
looking inquiringly at both of them.]

Well?

SAMUEL JAMES.

Da's just been talkin' about Robbie John, and he wants you to hear
what he says.

WILLIAM JOHN GRANAHAN.

Robbie John's an idle useless paghle. He'll aither mend himself or go
out o' this.

MRS. GRANAHAN.

[Sharply.]

Mend yourself first, me good man.

WILLIAM JOHN GRANAHAN.

Its not like as if he tuk a drop o' drink or fell in wi' bad company,
for you'll get quet o' drink and bad company if you hae no money.

SAMUEL JAMES.

[Slily.]

It was mother and I larnt you that.

WILLIAM JOHN GRANAHAN.

[Snappishly.]

Will you hould your tongue.

[To Mrs. Granahan.]

When he might ha' been lookin after the cattle or the pigs or somethin
else, where is he? Up in the loft playin that damnation fiddle o' his.
Night an mornin' he's at it.

MRS. GRANAHAN.

Deed and he's doin badly by it and no mistake. He's not been worth a
ha' penny till us, this last six months. I think you do right just to
stop him.

SAMUEL JAMES.

I heerd he won three poun' at the Feis last Monday at Newcastle.

WILLIAM JOHN GRANAHAN.

There you are. And he never offered me one ha'penny o' it. Me that
brought him up and raired and fed him. Them that plays the fiddle
comes to no good end, I can tell ye.

[Reminiscently and with a sort
of shame-faced pride.]

Not but I wasn't the great man at it myself wanst. And you were the
girl that could ha' danced to it Mary. But thank God I quet it.

SAMUEL JAMES.

[Curiously.]

Why?

WILLIAM JOHN GRANAHAN.

I might ha took to drink and bad company and the like.

MRS. GRANAHAN.

You're no rid o' that yet William Granahan. Ye mind what way ye come
home last Bann Fair on top o' the bread cart.

SAMUEL JAMES.

[Slily.]

Yis. And the way the Scarva man done him out o' the price o' the two
pigs.

MRS. GRANAHAN.

That's one thing I can't get over. Was it in a public house ye met
him?

WILLIAM JOHN GRANAHAN.

There. There. Thats enough to do about it. I hear enough about
drinkin' from John Graeme every session day without you etarnally
at it.

[Robbie Jo