oo.
They're growin' so big you'd not know them. Tom's no good at the
school. He's like Billy was. I've had to take the strap to him often.
He's always playin' hooky and roamin' the streets. And Nora. (_With
pride._) There's the divil for you! Up to everything she is and no
holdin' her high spirits. As pretty as a picture, and the smartest girl
in her school, Father Fitz says. Am I lyin', Maggie?

MRS. BRENNAN (_grudgingly_). She's smart enough--and too free with her
smartness.

CARMODY (_pleased_). Ah, don't be talkin'! She'll know more than the
lot of us before she's grown even. (_He pauses in his walk and stares
down at_ Eileen, _frowning._) Are you sick, Eileen, that you're keepin'
your eyes shut without a word out of you?

EILEEN (_wearily_). No. I'm tired, that's all.

CARMODY (_resuming his walk_). And who else is there, let me think? Oh,
Mary--she's the same as ever, you can see for yourself.

EILEEN (_bitterly_). The same? Oh, no!

CARMODY. She's grown, you mean? I suppose. You'd notice, not seeing her
so long?

(_He can think of nothing else to say, but walks up and down with
a restless, uneasy expression._)

MRS. BRENNAN (_sharply_). What time is it gettin'?

CARMODY (_fumbles for his watch_). Half-past four, a bit after.

MRS. BRENNAN. We'll have to leave soon. It's a long jaunt down that
hill in that buggy.

(_She catches his eye and makes violent signs to him to tell_
Eileen _what he has come to tell._)

CARMODY (_after an uncertain pause--clenching his fists and clearing
his throat_). Eileen.

EILEEN. Yes.

CARMODY (_irritably_). Can't you open your eyes on me? It's like
talkin' to myself I am.

EILEEN (_looking at him--dully_). What is it?

CARMODY (_stammering--avoiding her glance_). It's this, Eileen--me and
Maggie--Mrs. Brennan, that is--we----

EILEEN (_without surprise_). You're going to marry her?

CARMODY (_with an effort_). Not goin' to. It's done.

EILEEN (_without a trace of feeling_). Oh, so you've been married
already?

(_Without further comment, she closes her eyes._)

CARMODY. Two weeks back we were, by Father Fitz.

(_He stands staring down at his daughter, irritated, perplexed
and confounded by her silence, looking as if he longed to shake
her._)

MRS. BRENNAN (_angry at the lack of enthusiasm shown by_ Eileen). Let
us get out of this, Bill. We're not wanted, that's plain as the nose on
your face. It's little s