the well of the saints-第8章
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sight； but I seen my fill in a short while with the look of my
wife； and the look of yourself； Molly Byrne； when you'd the queer
wicked grin in your eyes you do have the time you're making game
with a man。
MOLLY BYRNE。 Let you not mind him； holy father； for it's bad
things he was saying to me a while back bad things for a
married man； your reverence and you'd do right surely to leave
him in darkness； if it's that is best fitting the villainy of his
heart。
TIMMY ＇to Saint。＇ Would you cure Mary Doul； your reverence；
who is a quiet poor woman； never did hurt to any； or said a hard
word； saving only when she'd be vexed with himself； or with young
girls would be making game of her below？
SAINT ＇to Mary Doul。＇ If you have any sense； Mary； kneel
down at my feet； and I'll bring the sight again into your eyes。
MARTIN DOUL ＇more defiantly。＇ You will not； holy father。
Would you have her looking on me； and saying hard words to me；
till the hour of death？
SAINT ＇severely。＇ If she's wanting her sight I wouldn't
have the like of you stop her at all。 （To Mary Doul。） Kneel
down； I'm saying。
MARY DOUL ＇doubtfully。＇ Let us be as we are； holy father；
and then we'll be known again in a short while as the people is
happy and blind； and be having an easy time； with no trouble to
live； and we getting halfpence on the road。
MOLLY BYRNE。 Let you not be a raving fool； Mary Doul。 Kneel
down now； and let him give you your sight； and himself can be
sitting here if he likes it best； and taking halfpence on the
road。
TIMMY。 That's the truth； Mary； and if it's choosing a wilful
blindness you are； I'm thinking there isn't anyone in this place
will ever be giving you a hand's turn or a hap'orth of meal； or
be doing the little things you need to keep you at all living in
the world。
MAT SIMON。 If you had your sight； Mary； you could be walking up
for him and down with him； and be stitching his clothes； and
keeping a watch on him day and night the way no other woman would
come near him at all。
MARY DOUL ＇half persuaded。＇ That's the truth； maybe。
SAINT。 Kneel down now； I'm saying； for it's in haste I am to be
going on with the marriage and be walking my own way before the
fall of night。
THE PEOPLE。 Kneel down； Mary！ Kneel down when you're bid by the
Saint！
MARY DOUL ＇looking uneasily towards Martin Doul。＇ Maybe
it's right they are； and I will if you wish it； holy father。
＇She kneels down。 The Saint takes off his hat and gives it to
some one near him。 All the men take off their hats。 He goes
forward a step to take Martin Doul's hand away from Mary Doul。＇
SAINT ＇to Martin Doul。＇ Go aside now； we're not wanting you
here。
MARTIN DOUL ＇pushes him away roughly； and stands with his left
hand on Mary Doul's shoulder。＇ Keep off yourself； holy father；
and let you not be taking my rest from me in the darkness of my
wife。 。 。 。 What call has the like of you to be coming between
married people that you're not understanding at all and be
making a great mess with the holy water you have； and the length
of your prayers？ Go on now； I'm saying； and leave us here on the
road。
SAINT。 If it was a seeing man I heard talking to me the like of
that I'd put a black curse on him would weigh down his soul till
it'd be falling to hell； but you're a poor blind sinner； God
forgive you； and I don't mind you at all。 （He raises his can。）
Go aside now till I give the blessing to your wife； and if you
won't go with your own will； there are those standing by will
make you； surely。
MARTIN DOUL ＇pulling Mary Doul。＇ Come along now； and don't
mind him at all。
SAINT ＇imperiously； to the People。＇ Let you take that man
and drive him down upon the road。 ＇Some men seize Martin Doul。＇
MARTIN DOUL ＇struggling and shouting。＇ Make them leave me
go； holy father！ Make them leave me go； I'm saying； and you may
cure her this day； or do anything that you will。
SAINT ＇to People。＇ Let him be。 。 。 。 。 Let him be if his
sense is come to him at all。
MARTIN DOUL ＇shakes himself loose； feels for Mary Doul；
sinking his voice to a plausible whine。＇ You may cure herself；
surely； holy father； I wouldn't stop you at all and it's great
joy she'll have looking on your face but let you cure myself
along with her； the way I'll see when it's lies she's telling；
and be looking out day and night upon the holy men of God。
＇He kneels down a little before Mary Doul。＇
SAINT ＇speaking half to the People。＇ Men who are dark a
long while and thinking over queer thoughts in their heads；
aren't the like of simple men； who do be working every day； and
praying； and living like ourselves； so if he has found a right
mind at the last minute itself； I'll cure him； if the Lord will；
and not be thinking of the hard； foolish words he's after saying
this day to us all。
MARTIN DOUL ＇listening eagerly。＇ I'm waiting now； holy
father。
SAINT ＇with can in his hand； close to Martin Doul。＇ With
the power of the water from the grave of the four beauties of
God； with the power of this water； I'm saying； that I put upon
your eyes 。 ＇He raises can。＇
MARTIN DOUL ＇with a sudden movement strikes the can from the
Saint's hand and sends it rocketing across stage。 He stands up；
People murmur loudly。＇ If I'm a poor dark sinner I've sharp
ears； God help me； and have left you with a big head on you and
it's well I heard the little splash of the water you had there in
the can。 Go on now； holy father； for if you're a fine Saint
itself； it's more sense is in a blind man； and more power maybe
than you're thinking at all。 Let you walk on now with your worn
feet； and your welted knees； and your fasting； holy ways a thin
pitiful arm。 （The Saint looks at him for a moment severely； then
turns away and picks up his can。 He pulls Mary Doul up。） For if
it's a right some of you have to be working and sweating the like
of Timmy the smith； and a right some of you have to be fasting
and praying and talking holy talk the like of yourself； I'm
thinking it's a good right ourselves have to be sitting blind；
hearing a soft wind turning round the little leaves of the spring
and feeling the sun； and we not tormenting our souls with the
sight of the gray days； and the holy men； and the dirty feet is
trampling the world。
＇He gropes towards his stone with Mary Doul。＇
MAT SIMON。 It'd be an unlucky fearful thing； I'm thinking； to
have the like of that man living near us at all in the townland
of Grianan。 Wouldn't he bring down a curse upon us； holy father；
from the heavens of God？
SAINT ＇tying his girdle。＇ God has great mercy； but great
wrath for them that sin。
THE PEOPLE。 Go on now； Martin Doul。 Go on from this place。 Let
you not be bringing great storms or droughts on us maybe from the
power of the Lord。 ＇Some of them throw things at him。＇
MARTIN DOUL ＇turning round defiantly and picking up a stone。＇
Keep off now； the yelping lot of you； or it's more than one
maybe will get a bloody head on him with the pitch of my stone。
Keep off now； and let you not be afeard； for we're going on the
two of us to the towns of the south； where the people will have
kind voices maybe； and we won't know their bad looks or their
villainy at all。 （He takes Mary Doul's hand again。） Come along
now and we'll be walking to the south； for we've seen too much of
everyone in this place； and it's small joy we'd have living near
them； or hearing the lies they do be telling from the gray of
dawn till the night。
MARY DOUL ＇despondingly。＇ That's the truth； surely； and
we'd have a right to be gone； if it's a long way itself； as I've
heard them say； where you do have to be walking with a slough of
wet on the one side and a slough of wet on the other； and you
going a stony path with a north wind blowing behind。 ＇They go
out。＇
TIMMY。 There's a power of deep rivers with floods in them where
you do have to be lepping the stones and you going to the south；
so I'm thinking the two of them will be drowned together in a
short while； surely。
SAINT。 They have chosen their lot； and the Lord have mercy on
their souls。 （He rings his bell。） And let the two of you come
up now into the church； Molly Byrne and Timmy the smith； till I
make your marriage and put my blessing on you all。
＇He turns to the church； procession forms； and the curtain comes
down； as they go slowly into the church。＇
End
