l of the
world I am, and me tormented with the wickedness you'd told of
yourself, and drinking oceans of booze that'd make me forget. Forget?
Divil a word I'd forget, and your face grinning always in front of my
eyes, awake or asleep, 'til I do be thinking a madhouse is the proper
place for me.

ANNA--[Glancing at his hands and--face--scornfully] You look like you
ought to be put away some place. Wonder you wasn't pulled in. You been
scrapping, too, ain't you?

BURKE--I have--with every scut would take off his coat to me!
[Fiercely.] And each time I'd be hitting one a clout in the mug, it
wasn't his face I'd be seeing at all, but yours, and me wanting to
drive you a blow would knock you out of this world where I wouldn't be
seeing or thinking more of you.

ANNA--[Her lips trembling pitifully] Thanks!

BURKE--[Walking up and down--distractedly.] That's right, make game of
me! Oh, I'm a great coward surely, to be coming back to speak with you
at all. You've a right to laugh at me.

ANNA--I ain't laughing at you, Mat.

BURKE--[Unheeding.] You to be what you are, and me to be Mat Burke, and
me to be drove back to look at you again! 'Tis black shame is on me!

ANNA--[Resentfully.] Then get out. No one's holding you!

BURKE--[Bewilderedly] And me to listen to that talk from a woman like
you and be frightened to close her mouth with a slap! Oh, God help me,
I'm a yellow coward for all men to spit at! [Then furiously] But I'll
not be getting out of this 'till I've had me word. [Raising his fist
threateningly] And let you look out how you'd drive me! [Letting his
fist fall helplessly] Don't be angry now! I'm raving like a real
lunatic, I'm thinking, and the sorrow you put on me has my brains
drownded in grief. [Suddenly bending down to her and grasping her arm
intensely] Tell me it's a lie, I'm saying! That's what I'm after coming
to hear you say.

ANNA--[Dully] A lie? What?

BURKE--[With passionate entreaty] All the badness you told me two days
back. Sure it must be a lie! You was only making game of me, wasn't
you? Tell me 'twas a lie, Anna, and I'll be saying prayers of thanks on
my two knees to the Almighty God!

ANNA--[Terribly shaken--faintly.] I can't. Mat. [As he turns
away--imploringly.] Oh, Mat, won't you see that no matter what I was I
ain't that any more? Why, listen! I packed up my bag this afternoon and
went ashore. I'd been waiting here all alone for two days, thinking
maybe you'd come back--thinkin