51
MICHAEL. What would he care for an
oath?
MARY. Don't you know his like do live
in terror of the wrath of God?
(Putting her
mouth to the Priest's ear in the sacking.)Would you swear an oath, holy father, to
leave us in our freedom, and not talk at all?
(Priest nods in sacking.) Didn't I tell you?
Look at the poor fellow nodding his head off
in the bias of the sacks. Strip them off from
him, and he'll be easy now.
MICHAEL --
as if speaking to a horse. --
Hold up, holy father.
[
He pulls the sacking off, and shows the
priest with his hair on end. They free
his mouth. MARY. Hold him till he swears.
PRIEST --
in a faint voice. -- I swear
surely. If you let me go in peace, I'll not
inform against you or say a thing at all, and
may God forgive me for giving heed unto
your like to-day.
SARAH --
puts the ring on his finger. --
There's the ring, holy father, to keep you
minding of your oath until the end of time;
for my heart's scalded with your fooling; and
it'll be a long day till I go making talk of
marriage or the like of that.
MARY --
complacently, standing up slow-52
ly. -- She's vexed now, your reverence; and
let you not mind her at all, for she's right
surely, and it's little need we ever had of the
like of you to get us our bit to eat, and our
bit to drink, and our time of love when we
were young men and women, and were fine
to look at.
Pages:
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43