BARTLEY. It was soon for his ghost to appear to me--is it coming
after me always by day it will be, and stripping the clothes off
in the nighttime?--I wouldn't wonder at all at that, being as I
am an unfortunate man!
MAGISTRATE (_sternly_). Tell me this truly. What was the motive of
this crime?
BARTLEY. The motive, is it?
MAGISTRATE. Yes, the motive; the cause.
BARTLEY. I'd sooner not say that.
MAGISTRATE. You'd better tell me truly. Was it money?
BARTLEY. Not at all! What did poor Jack Smith ever have in his
pockets unless it might be his hands that would be in them?
MAGISTRATE. Any dispute about land?
BARTLEY (_indignantly_). Not at all! He never was a grabber or
grabbed from anyone!
MAGISTRATE. You will find it better for you if you tell me at
once.
BARTLEY. I tell you I wouldn't for the whole world wish to say
what it was--it is a thing I would not like to be talking about.
MAGISTRATE. There is no use in hiding it. It will be discovered
in the end.
BARTLEY. Well, I suppose it will, seeing that mostly everybody
knows it before. Whisper here now. I will tell no lie; where
would be the use? (_Puts his hand to his mouth and MAGISTRATE
stoops._) Don't be putting the blame on the parish, for such a
thing was never done in the parish before--it was done for the
sake of Kitty Keary, Jack Smith's wife.
MAGISTRATE (_to_ POLICEMAN). Put on the handcuffs. We have been
saved some trouble. I knew he would confess if taken in the right
way.
(POLICEMAN _puts on handcuffs._)
BARTLEY. Handcuffs now! Glory be! I always said, if there was
ever any misfortune coming to this place it was on myself it
would fall. I to be in handcuffs! There's no wonder at all in
that.
(_Enter MRS. FALLON, followed by the rest. She is looking back at
them as she speaks._)
MRS. FALLON. Telling lies the whole of the people of this town
are; telling lies, telling lies as fast as a dog will trot!
Speaking against my poor respectable man! Saying he made an end
of Jack Smith! My decent comrade! There is no better man and no
kinder man in the whole of the five parishes! It's little
annoyance he ever gave to anyone! (_Turns and sees him._) What in
the earthly world do I see before me? Bartley Fallon in charge of
the police! Handcuffs on him! O Bartley, Bartley, what did you do
at all at all?
BAHTLEY. O Mary, there has a great misfortune come upon me! It is
what I always said, that if there is ever any misfortune--
MRS. FALLON. What did he do at all, or is it bewitched I am?
MAGISTRATE. This man has been arrested on a charge of murder.
MRS. FALLON. Whose charge is that? Don't believe them! They are
all liars in this place! Give me back my man!
MAGISTRATE. It is natural you should take his part, but you have
no cause of complaint against your neighbors. He has been
arrested for the murder of John Smith, on his own confession.
MRS. FALLON. The saints of heaven protect us! And what did he
want killing Jack Smith?
MAGISTRATE. It is best you should know all. He did it on account
of a love-affair with the murdered man's wife.
MRS. FALLON (_sitting down_). With Jack Smith's wife! With Kitty
Keary!--Ochone, the traitor!
THE CROWD. A great shame, indeed. He is a traitor, indeed.
MRS. TULLY. To America he was bringing her, Mrs. Fallon.