Aunt Judy.  N d’ye call this airly, God help you?

Larry.  Aunt Judy probably breakfasted about half past six.

Aunt Judy.  Whisht, you!—­draggin the parlor chairs out into the gardn n givin Mr Broadbent his death over his meals out here in the cold air. [To Broadbent] Why d’ye put up with his foolishness, Mr Broadbent?

Broadbent.  I assure you I like the open air.

Aunt Judy.  Ah galong!  How can you like what’s not natural?  I hope you slept well.

Nora.  Did anything wake yup with a thump at three o’clock?  I thought the house was falling.  But then I’m a very light sleeper.

Larry.  I seem to recollect that one of the legs of the sofa in the parlor had a way of coming out unexpectedly eighteen years ago.  Was that it, Tom?

Broadbent [hastily].  Oh, it doesn’t matter:  I was not hurt—­at least—­er—­

Aunt Judy.  Oh now what a shame!  An I told Patsy Farrll to put a nail in it.

Broadbent.  He did, Miss Doyle.  There was a nail, certainly.

Aunt Judy.  Dear oh dear!

An oldish peasant farmer, small, leathery, peat faced, with a deep voice and a surliness that is meant to be aggressive, and is in effect pathetic—­the voice of a man of hard life and many sorrows—­comes in at the gate.  He is old enough to have perhaps worn a long tailed frieze coat and knee breeches in his time; but now he is dressed respectably in a black frock coat, tall hat, and pollard colored trousers; and his face is as clean as washing can make it, though that is not saying much, as the habit is recently acquired and not yet congenial.

The new-Comer [at the gate].  God save all here! [He comes a little way into the garden].

Larry [patronizingly, speaking across the garden to him].  Is that yourself, Mat Haffigan?  Do you remember me?

Matthew [intentionally rude and blunt].  No.  Who are you?

Nora.  Oh, I’m sure you remember him, Mr Haffigan.

Matthew [grudgingly admitting it].  I suppose he’ll be young Larry
Doyle that was.

Larry.  Yes.

Matthew [to Larry].  I hear you done well in America.

Larry.  Fairly well.

Matthew.  I suppose you saw me brother Andy out dhere.

Larry.  No.  It’s such a big place that looking for a man there is like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay.  They tell me he’s a great man out there.

Matthew.  So he is, God be praised.  Where’s your father?

Aunt Judy.  He’s inside, in the office, Mr Haffigan, with Barney
Doarn n Father Dempsey.

Matthew, without wasting further words on the company, goes curtly into the house.

Larry [staring after him].  Is anything wrong with old Mat?