Three Plays: The Fiddler's House, The Land, Thomas Muskerry Part 16

_He goes out. With a cry Maire follows him to the door. She stands before door for a minute, then she goes back to table, and throwing herself down, remains with her head buried in her hands. James Moynihan comes in. Maire raises her head, and remains looking before her. James comes to table, and puts flowers beside Maire_.

JAMES We gathered them for you, Maire. They're the woodbine. We were saying that you would be glad of the flower of the road. _(Maire puts her hand on the flowers. James goes to the fire)_ Anne remembers a good deal about the road. She minds of the gra.s.sy ditches, where the two of you used to catch the young birds.

MAIRE I mind of them too.

JAMES And the women that used to be with your mother, that used to tell you the stories.

MAIRE And the things we used to talk about after a story! There's the turn of the road, and who's waiting for you? If it's your sweetheart, what will you say to him?

JAMES I'm often taken with the thought of the road! Going to the fair on a bright morning, I'd often wish to leave everything aside and follow the road.

_A fiddle is heard outside. Conn Hourican comes down, dressed for the road. He has on the greatcoat. He carries fiddle. He puts fiddle on dresser_.

CONN What music is that, James?

JAMES Some of the boys are coming to meet you, and they have a fiddle with them.

CONN Well, now, that's friendly of the boys.

JAMES I'll go out now, and let them know that you're coming. _(He goes to door)_ Brian MacConnell turned the other way, and Anne went after him.

_He goes out_.

CONN _(anxiously)_ Why did Brian MacConnell go away?

MAIRE We didn't agree; no, not after all you said.

CONN Maybe we'll see Brian at Ardagh.

MAIRE How would he ever come back when I bid him go from me?

CONN You bid Brian go from you! _(He goes to the window)_ And there was myself that had the mind to go on the road that I see stretched out before me.

MAIRE _(going to him)_ You need never come back here.

CONN I'll come back with yourself.

MAIRE I remember the time when we were on the roads. I remember sights we used to see! Little towns here, and big towns far away, and always the road.

CONN And the lasting kindness of the road!

MAIRE There is no need for you to come back here, father.

CONN And would you follow the road?

MAIRE Go back to the fiddler's life, and I'll go back with you. Well see Anne and James at Ardagh, and we'll be at their marriage.

_(She turns round as though to take farewell of the house)_ It's right that this place should go to Anne. The house wasn't for you, and it wasn't for me either, I begin to think.

_Anne comes in_.

ANNE _(with a cry)_ Maire, you are going on the roads!

MAIRE How do you know that?

ANNE You bid Brian MacConnell go from you, and where else would you go but on the roads?

_She goes to the settle and throws herself down, her hands before her face. Maire puts cloak on. Conn goes to Anne. He takes her hands from her face and holds them_.

CONN Don't be grieving that we're going from you, Anne. When you come back here again, your own care will begin. I know that you grieve for Maire going from you, and my own heart is unquiet for her.

_(He goes to dresser, takes fiddle and wraps it up. He puts hat on.

Maire goes to settle, and sits beside Anne)_ Well, here's Conn Hourican the fiddler going on his travels again. No man knows how his own life will end; but them who have the gift have to follow the gift. I'm leaving this house behind me; and maybe the time will come when I'll be climbing the hills and seeing this little house with the tears in my eyes. I'm leaving the land behind me, too; but what's land after all against the music that comes from the far, strange places, when the night is on the ground, and the bird in the gra.s.s is quiet?

_The fiddle is heard again. Conn Hourican goes to door. Maire embraces Anne again, rises and goes to door. Anne follows slowly.

Conn goes out. Maire turns to Anne_.

MAIRE Tell Brian MacConnell that when we meet again maybe we can be kinder to each other.

_Maire Hourican goes out with Conn. Anne is left standing at the door in the dusk_.

_END OF PLAY_

THE FIDDLER'S HOUSE was first produced on 21st March, 1907, by the Theatre of Ireland, in the Rotunda, Dublin, with the following cast: --

CONN HOURICAN Joseph Goggin MAIRE HOURICAN Maire Macs.h.i.+ubhlaigh ANNE HOURICAN Eileen O'Doherty BRIAN MACCONNELL Ed. Keegan JAMES MOYNIHAN P. Macs.h.i.+ubhlaigh.

_THE LAND: AN AGRARIAN COMEDY IN THREE ACTS_

CHARACTERS

MURTAGH COSGAR, a farmer MATT, his son SALLY, his daughter MARTIN DOURAS, a farmer CORNELIUS, his son ELLEN, his daughter A group of men, A group of boys and girls.

The scene is laid in the Irish Midlands, present time.

_ACT I_

_The interior of Murtagh Cosgar's. It is a large flagged kitchen with the entrance on the right. The dresser is below the entrance.

There is a large fireplace in the back, and a room door to the left of the fireplace; the harness-rack is between room door and fireplace.

The yard door is on the left. The table is down from the room door.