Lake_--[_1st grooves._]
_Enter_ ANNE CHUTE, R.
_Anne_ Married! the wretch is married! and with that crime already on
his conscience he was ready for another and similar piece of villainy.
It’s the Navy that does it. It’s my belief those sailors have a wife in
every place they stop at.
_Myles_ [_Sings outside_, R.]
“Oh! Eily astoir, my love is all crost,
Like a bud in the frost.”
_Anne_ Here’s a gentleman who has got my complaint--his love is all
crost, like a bud in the frost.
_Enter_ MYLES, R.
_Myles_ “And there’s no use at all in my goin’ to bed,
For it’s drames, and not sleep, that comes into my head,
And it’s all about you,” etc., etc.
_Anne_ My good friend, since you can’t catch your love, d’ye think you
could catch my horse? [_Distant thunder._
_Myles_ Is it a black mare wid a white stockin on the fore off leg?
_Anne_ I dismounted to unhook a gate--a peal of thunder frightened her,
and she broke away.
_Myles_ She’s at Torc Cregan stables by this time--it was an admiration
to watch her stride across the Phil Dolan’s bit of plough.
_Anne_ And how am I to get home?
_Myles_ If I had four legs, I wouldn’t ax betther than to carry ye, and
a proud baste I’d be. [_Thunder--rain._
_Anne_ The storm is coming down to the mountain--is there no shelter
near?
_Myles_ There may be a corner in this ould chapel. [_Rain._] Here comes
the rain--murdher! ye’ll be wet through.
[_Music--pulls off coat._] Put this round yez.
_Anne_ What will you do? You’ll catch your death of cold.
_Myles_ [_Taking out bottle._] Cowld is it? Here’s a wardrobe of top
coats. [_Thunder._] Whoo! this is a fine time for the water--this way,
ma’am.
[_Exeunt_ MYLES _and_ ANNE, L.
_Enter_ EILY, _cloak and hood_, R.
_Eily_ Here’s the place where Danny was to meet me with the boat. Oh!
here he is.
_Enter_ DANNY, L.
How pale you are!
_Danny_ The thunder makes me sick.
_Eily_ Shall we not wait till the storm is over?
_Danny_ If it comes on bad we can put into the Divil’s Island Cave.
_Eily_ I feel so happy that I am going to see him, yet there is a
weight about my heart that I can’t account for.
_Danny_ I can. [_Aside._] Are you ready now?
_Eily_ Yes; come--come.
_Danny_ [_Staggering._] I’m wake yet. My throat is dry--if I’d a
draught of whisky now.
_Eily_ Sheelah gave you a bottle.
_Danny_ I forgot--it’s in the boat. [_Rain._
_Eily_ Here comes the rain--we shall get wet.
_Danny_ There’s the masther’s boat cloak below.
_Eily_ Come, Danny, lean on me. I’m afraid you are not sober enough to
sail the skiff.
_Danny_ Sober! The dhrunker I am, the better I can do the work I’ve got
to do.
_Eily_ Come, Danny, come--come.
[_Exeunt_ EILY _and_ DANNY, R.--_Music ceases._
_Re-enter_ ANNE CHUTE _and_ MYLES, L.
_Myles_ It was only a shower, I b’lieve--are ye wet, ma’am?
_Anne_ Dry as a biscuit.
_Myles_ Ah! then it’s yerself is the brave and beautiful lady--as bould
an’ proud as a ship before the blast. [ANNE _looks off_, R.
_Anne_ Why, there is my mare, and who comes with--[_Crosses to_ R.
_Myles_ It’s Mr. Hardress Cregan himself.
_Anne_ Hardress here?
_Myles_ Eily gave me a letter for him this morning.
_Enter_ HARDRESS, R.
_Hard_ Anne, what has happened? Your horse galloped wildly into the
stable--we thought you had been thrown.
_Myles_ Here is a lether Eily tould me to give him. [_To_ HARDRESS.] I
beg your pardon, sir, but here’s the taste of a lether I was axed to
give your honor. [_Gives letter._
_Hard_ [_Aside._] From Eily!
_Anne_ Thanks, my good fellow, for your assistance.
_Myles_ Not at all, ma’am. Sure, there isn’t a boy in the County
Kerry that would not give two thumbs off his hands to do a service to
the Colleen Ruaidh, as you are called among us--iss indeed, ma’am.
[_Going--aside._] Ah! then it’s the purty girl she is, in them long
clothes. [_Exit_ MYLES, R.
_Hard_ [_Reads, aside._] “I am the cause of your ruin; I can’t live
with that thought killin’ me. If I do not see you before night you will
never again be throubled with your poor Eily.” Little simpleton! she is
capable of doing herself an injury.
_Anne_ Hardress! I have been very blind and very foolish, but today I
have learned to know my own heart. There’s my hand; I wish to seal my
fate at once. I know the delicacy which prompted you to release me
from my engagement to you. I don’t accept that release; I am yours.
_Hard_ Anne, you don’t know all.
_Anne_ I know more than I wanted, that’s enough. I forbid you ever to
speak on this subject.
_Hard_ You don’t know my past life.
_Anne_ And I don’t want to know. I’ve had enough of looking into past
lives; don’t tell me anything you wish to forget.
_Hard_ Oh, Anne--my dear cousin; if I could forget--if silence could be
oblivion. [_Exeunt_ HARDRESS _and_ ANNE, L.