Brian Friel Plays 1 (65 page)

OWEN:
You know that old limekiln beyond Con Connie Tim’s pub, the place we call The Murren? – do you know why it’s called The Murren?

(
MANUS
does
not
answer.
)

I’ve only just discovered: it’s a corruption of Saint Muranus. It seems Saint Muranus had a monastery somewhere about there at the beginning of the seventh century. And over the years the name became shortened to the Murren. Very unattractive name, isn’t it? I think we should go back to the original – Saint Muranus. What do you think? The original’s Saint Muranus. Don’t you think we should go back to that?

(
No
response.
OWEN
begins
writing
the
name
into
the
Name-Book.
MANUS
is
now
rooting
about
among
the
forgotten
implements
for
a
piece
of
rope.
He
finds
a
piece.
He
begins
to
tie
the
mouth
of
the
flimsy,
overloaded
bag
– and
it
bursts,
the
contents
spilling
out
on
the
floor.
)

MANUS:
Bloody, bloody, bloody hell!

(
His
voice
breaks
in
exasperation:
he
is
about
to
cry.
OWEN
leaps
to
his
feet
.)

OWEN:
Hold on. I’ve a bag upstairs.

(
He
runs
upstairs.
SARAH
waits
until
OWEN
is
off.
Then
:–)

SARAH:
Manus … Manus, I …

(
MANUS
hears
SARAH
but
makes
no
acknowledgement.
He
gathers
up
his
belongings.
OWEN
reappears
with
the
bag
he
had
on
his
arrival.
)

OWEN:
Take this one – I’m finished with it anyway. And it’s supposed to keep out the rain.

(
MANUS
transfers
his
few
belongings.
OWEN
drifts
back
to
his
task.
The
packing
is
now
complete.
)

MANUS:
You’ll be here for a while? For a week or two anyhow?

OWEN:
Yes.

MANUS:
You’re not leaving with the army?

OWEN:
I haven’t made up my mind. Why?

MANUS:
Those Inis Meadhon men will be back to see why I haven’t turned up. Tell them – tell them I’ll write to them as soon as I can. Tell them I still want the job but that it might be three or four months before I’m free to go.

OWEN:
You’re being damned stupid, Manus.

MANUS:
Will you do that for me?

OWEN:
Clear out now and Lancey’ll think you’re involved somehow.

MANUS:
Will you do that for me?

OWEN:
Wait a couple of days even. You know George – he’s a bloody romantic – maybe he’s gone out to one of the islands and he’ll suddenly reappear tomorrow morning. Or maybe the search party’ll find him this evening lying drunk somewhere in the sandhills. You’ve seen him drinking that poteen – doesn’t know how to handle it. Had he drink on him last night at the dance?

MANUS:
I had a stone in my hand when I went out looking for him – I was going to fell him. The lame scholar turned violent.

OWEN:
Did anybody see you?

MANUS:
(
Again
close
to
tears
) But when I saw him standing there at the side of the road – smiling – and her face buried in his shoulder – I couldn’t even go close to them. I just shouted something stupid – something like, ‘You’re a bastard, Yolland.’ If I’d even said it in English … ’cos he kept saying ‘Sorry-sorry?’ The wrong gesture in the wrong language.

OWEN:
And you didn’t see him again?

MANUS:
‘Sorry?’

OWEN:
Before you leave tell Lancey that – just to clear yourself.

MANUS:
What have I to say to Lancey? You’ll give that message to the islandmen?

OWEN:
I’m warning you: run away now and you’re bound to be –

MANUS:
(
To
SARAH
) Will you give that message to the Inis Meadhon men?

SARAH:
I will.

(
MANUS
picks
up
an
old
sack
and
throws
it
across
his
shoulders.
)

OWEN:
Have you any idea where you’re going?

MANUS:
Mayo, maybe. I remember Mother saying she had cousins somewhere away out in the Erris Peninsula. (
He
picks
up
his
bag.
)
Tell Father I took only the Virgil and the Caesar and the Aeschylus because they’re mine anyway – I bought them with the money I got for that pet lamb I
reared – do you remember that pet lamb? And tell him that Nora Dan never returned the dictionary and that she still owes him two-and-six for last quarter’s reading – he always forgets those things.

OWEN:
Yes.

MANUS:
And his good shirt’s ironed and hanging up in the press and his clean socks are in the butter-box under the bed.

OWEN:
All right.

MANUS:
And tell him I’ll write.

OWEN:
If Maire asks where you’ve gone…?

MANUS:
He’ll need only half the amount of milk now, won’t he? Even less than half – he usually takes his tea black. (
Pause.
) And when he comes in at night – you’ll hear him; he makes a lot of noise – I usually come down and give him a hand up. Those stairs are dangerous without a banister. Maybe before you leave you’d get Big Ned Frank to put up some sort of a handrail. (
Pause.
)
And if you can bake, he’s very fond of soda bread.

OWEN:
I can give you money. I’m wealthy. Do you know what they pay me? Two shillings a day for this – this – this –

(
MANUS
rejects
the
offer
by
holding
out
his
hand.
)

Goodbye, Manus.

(
MANUS
and
OWEN
shake
hands.
Then
MANUS
picks
up
his
bag
briskly
and
goes
towards
the
door.
He
stops
a
few
paces
beyond
SARAH
,
turns,
comes
back
to
her.
He
addresses
her
as
he
did
in
Act
One
but
now
without
warmth
or
concern
for
her.
)

MANUS:
What is your name? (
Pause.
)
Come on. What is your name?

SARAH:
My name is Sarah.

MANUS:
Just Sarah? Sarah what? (
Pause.
)
Well?

SARAH:
Sarah Johnny Sally.

MANUS:
And where do you live? Come on.

SARAH:
I live in Bun na hAbhann.

(
She
is
now
crying
quietly.
)

MANUS:
Very good, Sarah Johnny Sally. There’s nothing to stop you now – nothing in the wide world. (
Pause.
He
looks
down
at
her.
)
It’s all right – it’s all right – you did no harm – you did no harm at all.

(
He
stoops
over
her
and
kisses
the
top
of
her
head
– as
if
in
absolution.
Then
briskly
to
the
door
and
off
.)

OWEN:
Good luck, Manus!

SARAH:
(
Quietly
)
I’m sorry … I’m sorry … I’m so sorry, Manus …

(
OWEN
tries
to
work
but
cannot
concentrate.
He
begins
folding
up
the
map.
As
he
does
:–)

OWEN:
Is there a class this evening?

(
SARAH
nods:
yes.
)

I suppose Father knows. Where is he anyhow?

(
SARAH
points.
)

Where?

(
SARAH
mimes
rocking
a
baby.
)

I don’t understand – where?

(
SARAH
repeats
the
mime
and
wipes
away
tears.
OWEN
is
still
puzzled.
)

It doesn’t matter. He’ll probably turn up.

(
BRIDGET
and
DOALTY
enter,
sacks
over
their
heads
against
the
rain.
They
are
self-consciously
noisier,
more
ebullient,
more
garrulous
than
ever
–
brimming
over
with
excitement
and
gossip
and
brio.
)

DOALTY:
You’re missing the crack, boys! Cripes, you’re missing the crack! Fifty more soldiers arrived an hour ago!

BRIDGET:
And they’re spread out in a big line from Sean Neal’s over to Lag and they’re moving straight across the fields towards Cnoc na nGabhar!

DOALTY:
Prodding every inch of the ground in front of them with their bayonets and scattering animals and hens in all directions!

BRIDGET:
And tumbling everything before them – fences, ditches, haystacks, turf-stacks!

DOALTY:
They came to Barney Petey’s field of corn – straight through it be God as if it was heather!

BRIDGET:
Not a blade of it left standing!

DOALTY:
And Barney Petey just out of his bed and running after them in his drawers: ‘You hoors you! Get out of my corn, you hoors you!’

BRIDGET:
First time he ever ran in his life.

DOALTY:
Too lazy, the wee get, to cut it when the weather was good.

(
SARAH
begins
putting
out
the
seats.
)

BRIDGET:
Tell them about Big Hughie.

DOALTY:
Cripes, if you’d seen your aul fella, Owen.

BRIDGET:
They were all inside in Anna na mBreag’s pub – all the crowd from the wake –

DOALTY:
And they hear the commotion and they all come out to the street –

BRIDGET:
Your father in front; the Infant Prodigy footless behind him!

DOALTY:
And your aul fella, he sees the army stretched across the country side –

BRIDGET:
O my God!

DOALTY:
And Cripes he starts roaring at them!

BRIDGET:
‘Visigoths! Huns! Vandals!’

DOALTY:
‘Ignari!
Stulti!
Rustici!’

BRIDGET:
And wee Jimmy Jack jumping up and down and shouting, ‘Thermopylae! Thermopylae!’

DOALTY:
You never saw crack like it in your life, boys. Come away on out with me, Sarah, and you’ll see it all.

BRIDGET:
Big Hughie’s fit to take no class. Is Manus about?

OWEN:
Manus is gone.

BRIDGET:
Gone where?

OWEN:
He’s left – gone away.

DOALTY:
Where to?

OWEN:
He doesn’t know. Mayo, maybe.

DOALTY:
What’s on in Mayo?

OWEN:
(
To
BRIDGET
) Did you see George and Maire Chatach leave the dance last night?