The Councillor is right. We must be settled by the Fall.

SIXTH MAN
A man who's a farmer only has little sense for a business like this.

SECOND MAN
We'll make the offer, Murtagh Cosgar, and bide a while. But we must
be settled this side of the Fall. We'll offer twenty years first term.

MURTAGH COSGAR
Do, and God speed you.

CORNELIUS _(to the men going out)_
I told you Murtagh Cosgar and myself are on the one offer. And
Murtagh is right again when he says that you can bide your time. But
make sure of the mineral rights, men; make sure of the mineral rights.

_The men go out; Cornelius follows them._

MURTAGH COSGAR
_(with irony)_ Musha, but that's a well-discoursed lad. It must
be great to hear the two of you at it.

MARTIN DOURAS
God be good to Cornelius. There's little of the world's harm in the
boy.

MURTAGH COSGAR
He and my Sally would make a great match of it. She's a bright one,
too.

MARTIN DOURAS
Murtagh Cosgar, have you no feeling for your own flesh and blood?

MURTAGH COSGAR
Too much feeling, maybe. _(He stands at the door in silence. With
sudden enthusiasm)_ Ah, but that's the sight to fill one's heart.
Lands ploughed and spread. And all our own; all our own.

MARTIN DOURAS
All our own, ay. But we made a hard fight for them.

MURTAGH COSGAR
Ay.

MARTIN DOURAS
Them that come after us will never see them as we're seeing them now.

MURTAGH COSGAR
_(turning round)_ Them that come after us. Isn't that a great thought,
Martin Douras? and isn't it a great thing that we're able to pass this
land on to them, and it redeemed for ever? Ay, and their manhood spared
the shame that our manhood knew. Standing in the rain with our hats off
to let a landlord--ay, or a landlord's dog-boy--pass the way!

MARTIN DOURAS
_(mournfully)_ May it be our own generation that will be in it. Ay,
but the young are going fast; the young are going fast.

MURTAGH COSGAR
_(sternly)_ Some of them are no loss.

MARTIN DOURAS
Ten of your own children went, Murtagh Cosgar.

MURTAGH COSGAR
I never think of them. When they went from my control, they went
from me altogether. There's the more for Matt.

MARTIN DOURAS
_(moistening his mouth, and beginning very nervously)_ Ay, Matt.
Matt's a good lad.

MURTAGH COSGAR
There's little fear of him leaving now.

MARTIN DOURAS _(nervously)_
Maybe, maybe. But, mind you, Murtagh Cosgar, there are
things--little things, mind you. Least, ways, what we call little
thi