CONN
I'll stretch myself on the bed before I begin work. Anne, did
you say you were leaving something in the room for me?

ANNE
I suppose I'll have to leave the tea in the room for you.

_She gets the tea ready. Maire remains motionless_.

CONN
Well, I have the pattern of daughters, anyway. I wouldn't give
this house for the praise of Ireland, no, not if they carried me on
their backs. _(Anne takes the tea up to the room)_ It's a pity you
weren't there, Maire, though of course I wouldn't bring you into
such a place. But they were decent fellows, decent, warm-hearted
fellows. If you were to see their faces when I played _An Chaitin
Donn_. I'll warrant they'll be whistling it, though they never heard
the tune before. And the manners they have! I offered the fiddle to
one of them. "No," says he, "not a string will I touch while the
master of us is here." That's something like the spirit. _(Maire has
turned to him and is attentive)_ But there, I won't fill myself up
with false music telling you about it all.

_He turns to the room_.

MAIRE
Bring up your fiddle.

CONN
_(taking fiddle and going towards room again)_ It will be as
good as sound sleeping for me. I'll never forget it. Flynn will
never forget it. It will be the making of Flynn.

_Maire rises_.

MAIRE
You've only your fiddle; we shouldn't forget that.

_Conn goes up to the room. Maire turns to the fire. Anne comes down_.

ANNE
O Maire, what will become of us at all?

MAIRE
He is very pleased with himself. He has only his fiddle, we
shouldn't forget that.

ANNE
It will be a long time till he does the like again.

MAIRE
It will be a long time, I suppose. Both of us might be in a
different house and have different cares.

ANNE
That would be terrible. I'll never leave him, Maire. MAIRE You
can't say the like now.

ANNE
Why?

MAIRE
How could you take such things upon you and life stretching
out before you? You're not young enough, Anne. Besides, it's not
what we say; it's what we feel. No, it's not what we feel either;
it's what grows up in us.

ANNE
He might never do the like again.

MAIRE
Many's the time mother said that, and she and me lying together.

ANNE
Will we ever get out of it, Maire?

_James enters_.

MAIRE
You have only a while to stay with us.

ANNE
O James, what will your father say if he hears of you giving us
another day?

JAMES
My father took a stick in his hand this morning, and went off
with