Martin and Cornelius look significantly at each other.

MARTIN DOURAS
And did you see Matt, Ellen?

ELLEN He was in the field and I coming up; but I did not wait for him, as I don’t want people to see us together. (Restlessly) I don’t know how I can come into this house, for it’s always like Murtagh Cosgar.  There’s nothing of Matt in it at all.  If Matt would come away.  There are little labourers’ houses by the side of the road.  Many’s the farmer’s son became a labourer for the sake of a woman he cared for!

CORNELIUS
And are you not thinking about the school at all, Ellen?

ELLEN
I’ll hear about it some time, I suppose.

MARTIN DOURAS You’re right to take it that way, Ellen.  School doesn’t mean scholarship now.  Many’s the time I’m telling Cornelius that a man farming the land, with a few books on his shelf and a few books in his head, has more of the scholar’s life about him than the young fellows who do be teaching in schools and teaching in colleges.

CORNELIUS That’s all very well, father.  School and scholarship isn’t the one.  But think of the word “Constantinople!” I could leave off herding and digging every time I think on that word!

MARTIN DOURAS
Ah, it’s a great word.  A word like that would make you
think for days.  And there are many words like that.

ELLEN
It’s not so much the long words that we’ve to learn and teach
now.  When will you be home, father?  Will Cornelius be with you?

MARTIN DOURAS
Ellen, I have news for you.  There is a school in
Leitrim that Father Bartley can let you have.

ELLEN
In Leitrim!  Did you tell Matt about it?

MARTIN DOURAS
I did not.

  Sally is heard calling “Cornelius.”  Cornelius goes to the door.

CORNELIUS
Here’s Matt now.  The benefit of the day to you, Matt.

He stands aside to let Matt enter.  Matt Cosgar is a young peasant of about twenty-eight.  He is handsome and well-built.  He is dressed in a trousers, shirt, and coat, and has a felt hat on.  Cornelius goes out.

MATT
(going to Ellen) You’re welcome, Ellen.  Good morrow, Martin. 
It’s a great day for the purchase, Martin.

MARTIN DOURAS
A great day, indeed, thank God.

MATT
Ah, it’s a great thing to feel the ownership of the land, Martin.

MARTIN DOURAS
I don’t doubt but it is.

MATT
Look at the young apple-trees, Ellen.  Walking up this morning,
I felt as glad of them as a young man would be glad of the
sweetheart he saw coming towards him.

ELLEN
Ay, there’s great gladness and shine in the day.

MATT
It seems to trouble you.

ELLEN
It does trouble me.

MATT
Why?

ELLEN
Everything seems to be saying, “There’s something here,
there’s something going.”