Brian Friel Plays 1 (59 page)

MANUS:
He’s at the salmon.

HUGH:
And Nora Dan?

MAIRE:
She says she’s not coming back any more.

HUGH:
Ah. Nora Dan can now write her name – Nora Dan’s education is complete. And the Donnelly twins?

(
Brief
pause.
Then
:
–
)

BRIDGET:
They’re probably at the turf. (
She
goes
to
 
HUGH
.) There’s the one-and-eight I owe you for last quarter’s arithmetic and there’s my one-and-six for this quarter’s writing.

HUGH:
Gratias
tibi
ago.
(
He
sits
at
his
table.
)
Before we commence our
studia
I have three items of information to impart to you – (
To
MANUS
) A bowl of tea, strong tea, black –

(
MANUS
leaves.
)

Item A: on my perambulations today – Bridget? Too slow. Maire?

MAIRE:
Perambulare – to walk about.

HUGH:
Indeed – I encountered Captain Lancey of the Royal Engineers who is engaged in the ordnance survey of this area. He tells me that in the past few days two of his horses have strayed and some of his equipment seems to be mislaid. I expressed my regret and suggested he address you himself on these matters. He then explained that he
does not speak Irish. Latin? I asked. None. Greek? Not a syllable. He speaks – on his own admission – only English; and to his credit he seemed suitably verecund – James?

JIMMY:
Verecundus
– humble.

HUGH:
Indeed – he voiced some surprise that we did not speak his language. I explained that a few of us did, on occasion – outside the parish of course – and then usually for the purposes of commerce, a use to which his tongue seemed particularly suited
–
(
Shouts
)
and a slice of soda bread – and I went on to propose that our own culture and the classical tongues made a happier conjugation – Doalty?

DOALTY:
Conjugo –
I
join together.

(
DOALTY
is
so
pleased
with
himself
that
he
prods
and
winks
at
BRIDGET
.)

HUGH:
Indeed – English, I suggested, couldn’t really express us. And again to his credit he acquiesced to my logic.

Acquiesced – Maire?

(
MAIRE
turns
away
impatiently.
HUGH
is
unaware
of
the
gesture.
)

Too slow. Bridget?

BRIDGET:
Acquiesco.

HUGH:
Procede.

BRIDGET:
Acquiesco,
acquiescer
e,
acquievi,
acquietum.

HUGH:
Indeed – and Item B …

MAIRE:
Master.

HUGH:
Yes?

(
MAIRE
gets
to
her
feet
uneasily
but
determinedly.
Pause.
)

Well, girl?

MAIRE:
We should all be learning to speak English. That’s what my mother says. That’s what I say. That’s what Dan O’Connell said last month in Ennis. He said the sooner we all learn to speak English the better.

(
Suddenly
several
speak
together.
)

JIMMY:
What’s she saying? What? What?

DOALTY:
It’s Irish he uses when he’s travelling around scrounging votes.

BRIDGET:
And sleeping with married women. Sure no woman’s safe from that fella.

JIMMY:
Who-who-who? Who’s this? Who’s this?

HUGH:
Silentium
!
(
Pause.
)
Who is she talking about?

MAIRE:
I’m talking about Daniel O’Connell.

HUGH:
Does she mean that little Kerry politician?

MAIRE:
I’m
talking about the Liberator, Master, as you well know. And what he said was this: ‘The old language is a barrier to modern progress.’ He said that last month. And he’s right. I don’t want Greek. I don’t want Latin. I want English.

(
MANUS
reappears
on
the
platform
above.
)

I want to be able to speak English because I’m going to America as soon as the harvest’s all saved.

(
MAIRE
remains
standing.
HUGH
puts
his
hand
into
his
pocket
and
produces
a
flask
of
whiskey.
He
removes
the
cap,
pours
a
drink
into
it,
tosses
it
back,
replaces
the
cap,
puts
the
flask
back
into
his
pocket.
Then: –
)

HUGH:
We have been diverted –
diverto – divertere
– Where were we?

DOALTY:
Three items of information, Master. You’re at Item B.

HUGH:
Indeed – Item B – Item B – yes – On my way to the christening this morning I chanced to meet Mr George Alexander, Justice of the Peace. We discussed the new national school. Mr Alexander invited me to take charge of it when it opens. I thanked him and explained that I could do that only if I were free to run it as I have run this hedge-school for the past thirty-five years – filling what our friend Euripides calls the
‘aplestos
pithos’
– James?

JIMMY:
‘The cask that cannot be filled’.

HUGH:
Indeed – and Mr Alexander retorted courteously and emphatically that he hopes that is how it will be run.

(
MAIRE
now
sits.
)

Indeed. I have had a strenuous day and I am weary of you all. (
He
rises.
)
Manus will take care of you.

(
HUGH
goes
towards
the
steps.
OWEN
enters.
OWEN
is
the
younger
son,
a
handsome,
attractive
young
man
in
his
twenties.
He
is
dressed
smartly – a
city
man.
His
manner
is
easy
and
charming:
everything
he
does
is
invested
with
consideration
and
enthusiasm.
He
now
stands
framed
in
the
doorway,
a
travelling
bag
across
his
shoulder.
)

OWEN:
Could anybody tell me is this where Hugh Mor O’Donnell holds his hedge-school?

DOALTY:
It’s Owen – Owen Hugh! Look, boys – it’s Owen Hugh!

(
OWEN
enters.
As
he
crosses
the
room
he
touches
and
has
a
word
for
each
person.
)

OWEN:
Doalty! (
Playful punch.
)
How are you, boy?
Jacobe,
quid
agis?
Are you well?

JIMMY:
Fine. Fine.

OWEN:
And Bridget! Give us a kiss. Aaaaaah!

BRIDGET:
You’re welcome, Owen.

OWEN:
It’s not –? Yes, it
is
Maire Chatach! God! A young woman!

MAIRE:
How are you, Owen?

(
OWEN
is
now
in
front
of
HUGH
.
He
puts
his
two
hands
on
his
FATHER
’
s
shoulders.
)

OWEN:
And how’s the old man himself?

HUGH:
Fair – fair.

OWEN:
Fair? For God’s sake you never looked better! Come here to me.

(
He
embraces
HUGH
warmly
and
genuinely.
)
Great to see you, Father. Great to be back.

(
HUGH
’
s
eyes
are
moist – partly
joy,
partly
the
drink.
)

HUGH:
I – I’m – I’m – pay no attention to –

OWEN:
Come on – come on – come on
–
(
He
gives
HUGH
his
handkerchief.
)
Do you know what you and I are going to do tonight? We are going to go up to Anna na mBreag’s …

DOALTY:
Not there, Owen.

OWEN:
Why not?

DOALTY:
Her poteen’s worse than ever.

BRIDGET:
They say she puts frogs in it!

OWEN:
All the better. (
To
HUGH
) And you and I are going to get footless drunk. That’s arranged.

(
OWEN
sees
MANUS
coming
down
the
steps
with
tea
and
soda
bread.
They
meet
at
the
bottom.
)

And Manus!

MANUS:
You’re welcome, Owen.

OWEN:
I know I am. And it’s great to be here. (
He
turns
round
,
arms
outstretched.
)
I can’t believe it. I come back after six years and everything’s just as it was! Nothing’s changed! Not a thing! (
Sniffs.
)
Even that smell – that’s the same smell this place always had. What is it anyway? Is it the straw?

DOALTY:
Jimmy Jack’s feet.

(
General
laughter.
It
opens
little
pockets
of
conversation
round
the
room.
)

OWEN:
And Doalty Dan Doalty hasn’t changed either!

DOALTY:
Bloody right, Owen.

OWEN:
Jimmy, are you well?

JIMMY:
Dodging about.

OWEN:
Any word of the big day?

(
This
is
greeted
with
‘
ohs
’
and
‘
ahs
’
.
)

Time enough, Jimmy. Homer’s easier to live with, isn’t he?

MAIRE:
We heard stories that you own ten big shops in Dublin – is it true?

OWEN:
Only nine.

BRIDGET:
And you’ve twelve horses and six servants.

OWEN:
Yes – that’s true. God Almighty, would you listen to them – taking a hand at me!

MANUS:
When did you arrive?

OWEN:
We left Dublin yesterday morning, spent last night in Omagh and got here half an hour ago.

MANUS:
You’re hungry then.

HUGH:
Indeed – get him food – get him a drink.

OWEN:
Not now, thanks; later. Listen – am I interrupting you all?

HUGH:
By no means. We’re finished for the day.

OWEN:
Wonderful. I’ll tell you why. Two friends of mine are waiting outside the door. They’d like to meet you and I’d like you to meet them. May I bring them in?

HUGH:
Certainly. You’ll all eat and have …

OWEN:
Not just yet, Father. You’ve seen the sappers working in this area for the past fortnight, haven’t you? Well, the older man is Captain Lancey …

HUGH:
I’ve met Captain Lancey.

OWEN:
Great. He’s the cartographer in
charge of this whole area. Cartographer – James?

(
OWEN
begins
to
play
this
game – his
father’s
game – partly
to
involve
his
classroom
audience,
partly
to
show
he
has
not
forgotten
it
,
and
indeed
partly
because
he
enjoys
it.
)

JIMMY:
A maker of maps.