in_) I think I'll have a
little drop from meself this time.

MRS. COTTER (_as she takes the money_)
Will I bring it up-stairs?

HEAD
Erra, don't bother! I'm beginnin' to feel meself again.

[_Fills his pipe until she returns_.

MRS. COTTER (_entering and handing drink_)
Did you bring your overcoat with you, Head?

HEAD
Why so, ma'am?

MRS. COTTER
Because the cold o' the rain is there. I wouldn't
make any delay but go home immediately. You
might get a wettin'.

HEAD (_feeling his tunic_)
This wouldn't leave in a drop o' rain in a hundred
years, ma'am.

[_Knock at door_.

MRS. COTTER
Who's there?

VOICE
Police!

HEAD
Police, did I hear?

MRS. COTTER
'Tis the Sergeant's voice.

HEAD
Glory to be God! I'm ruined! If he finds the smell o'
whiskey from me, he'll tell the Inspector, an' then
Head Constable Mulligan is no more!

MRS. COTTER
Is he as bad as that?

HEAD
He has no conscience at all. He's a friend o' the
Inspector's. (_Knocking continues at door_) Don't open
that door till I tell you--that's if you don't want to
find a corpse on the floor.

MRS. COTTER
Sure, I must open the door.

HEAD
Time enough. He's paid for waitin'. Have you such
a thing as an onion in the house?

MRS. COTTER
I didn't see an onion for the last three weeks.

HEAD (_scratching his head_)
What the blazes will I do? (_Looking towards coal hole_)
Whist! I'm saved. I'll go in here until he's gone.
(_Goes in and puts out his head_) You can open now,
but get rid of him as soon as you can.

[_Exit Mrs. Cotter. Enter the Sergeant_.

SERGEANT
So you opened at last. Well, better late than never!

MRS. COTTER
I'm sorry for keepin' you waitin', Sergeant. I don't
open the door for any one on Sunday nights, an' whin
you said "Police," I thought it was one o' the boys
tryin' to desaive me.

SERGEANT
I see! I see! There's a lot o' desaitful people in the
town, ma'am.

MRS. COTTER
There are, Sergeant.

SERGEANT
There are indeed. (_Coughs_) I'm sick an' tired o' the
place altogether.

MRS. COTTER
I thought it agreed with you. You're lookin' very
well, anyway.

SERGEANT
I'm not feelin' well at all thin. (_Coughs_) There's
nothin' more deceptive than looks at times. (_Coughs_)

MRS. COTTER
True.

SERGEANT
'Tis in me bed I should be instead of troublin' dacent
people like yourself a night like this. (_Coughs_) But
duty is duty, an' it must be done. If I didn't do
what I'm told, that bla'gard of a