come, Matt.

MATT
He was a foolish man to put shame on me after all I did for the land.

ELLEN
You had too much thought for the land.

MATT
I had in troth. The others went when there was less to be done. They
could not stand him. Even the girls stole away.

ELLEN
There was the high spirit in the whole of you.

MATT
I showed it to him. "Stop," said I; "no more, or I fling lands
and house and everything aside."

ELLEN
You said that.

MATT
Ay. "Your other children went for less," said I; "do you think
there's no blood in me at all?"

ELLEN
What happened then?

MATT
"I'm your last son," I said; "keep your land and your twenty
years' purchase. I'm with the others; and it's poor your land will
leave you, and you without a son to bring down your name. A bit of
land, a house," said I; "do you think these will keep me here?"

ELLEN
I knew they could not keep you here, Matt. You have broken
from them at last; and now the world is before us. Think of all that
is before us--the sea, and the ships, the strange life, and the great
cities.

MATT
Ay--there before us--if we like.

ELLEN
Surely we like.

MATT
I was always shy of crowds. I'm simple, after all, Ellen, and
have no thought beyond the land.

ELLEN
You said that house and land could not keep you. You told him you
were going as your brothers went.

MATT
And I felt I was going. I frightened him. He'll be glad to see me
back. It will be long before he treats me that way again.

ELLEN
_(suddenly)_ Matt!

MATT
What is it, Ellen?

ELLEN
I don't know--I was upset--thinking of the quarrel _(putting her
hands on his shoulders)_ My poor Matt. It was about me you quarrelled.

MATT
Ay, he spoke against you. I couldn't put up with that.

ELLEN
He does not know your high spirit. He does not know your strength.

MATT
Ellen, it's no shame for a man to have harsh words said to him when
it's about a woman like you.

ELLEN
Let nothing come between us now. I saw you in the winter making
drains and ditches, and it wet. It's a poor story, the life of a man
on the land.

MATT
I had too much thought for the land.

ELLEN
You had. Have thought for me now. There is no one in fair or market
but would notice me. I was never a favourite. I lived to myself. I
did not give my love about. You have never offered me anything. In
the song a man offers towns to his sweetheart. You can offer me the
sights of great towns, and the fine manners, and the fine life