MRS. TULLY.  It’s likely Kitty Keary is gone with him, and not minding a sheet or a wake at all.  The poor man, to be deserted by his own wife, and the breath hardly gone out yet from his body that is lying bloody in the field!

(Enter MRS. FALLON.)

MRS. FALLON.  What is it the whole of the town is talking about?  And what is it you yourselves are talking about?  Is it about my man Bartley Fallon you are talking?  Is it lies about him you are telling, saying that he went killing Jack Smith?  My grief that ever he came into this place at all!

JAMES RYAN.  Be easy now, Mrs. Fallon.  Sure there is no one at all in the whole fair but is sorry for you!

MRS. FALLON.  Sorry for me, is it?  Why would anyone be sorry for me?  Let you be sorry for yourselves, and that there may be shame on you forever and at the day of judgment, for the words you are saying and the lies you are telling to take away the character of my poor man, and to take the good name off of him, and to drive him to destruction!  That is what you are doing!

SHAWN EARLY.  Take comfort now, Mrs. Fallon.  The police are not so smart as they think.  Sure he might give them the slip yet, the same as Lynchehaun.

MRS. TULLY.  If they do get him, and if they do put a rope around his neck, there is no one can say he does not deserve it!

MRS. FALLON.  Is that what you are saying, Bridget Tully, and is that what you think?  I tell you it’s too much talk you have, making yourself out to be such a great one, and to be running down every respectable person!  A rope, is it?  It isn’t much of a rope was needed to tie up your own furniture the day you came into Martin Tully’s house, and you never bringing as much as a blanket, or a penny, or a suit of clothes with you, and I myself bringing seventy pounds and two feather beds.  And now you are stiffer than a woman would have a hundred pounds!  It is too much talk the whole of you have.  A rope is it?  I tell you the whole of this town is full of liars and schemers that would hang you up for half a glass of whiskey (turning to go).  People they are you wouldn’t believe as much as daylight from, without you’d get up to have a look at it yourself.  Killing Jack Smith indeed!  Where are you at all, Bartley, till I bring you out of this?  My nice quiet little man!  My decent comrade!  He that is as kind and as harmless as an innocent beast of the field!  He’ll be doing no harm at all if he’ll shed the blood of some of you after this day’s work!  That much would be no harm at all. (Calls out) Bartley!  Bartley Fallen!  Where are you? (Going out) Did anyone see Bartley Fallon?

(All turn to look after her.)

JAMES RYAN.  It is hard for her to believe any such a thing, God help her!

(Enter BARTLEY FALLON from right, carrying hayfork.)

BARTLEY.  It is what I often said to myself, if there is ever any misfortune coming to this world it is on myself it is sure to come!