The bell sounds near by.

Martin Doul (in despair). He’s coming now, and we won’t get off from him at all.

Mary Doul. Could we hide in the bit of a briar is growing at the west butt of the church?

Martin Doul. We’ll try that, surely. (He listens a moment.) Let you make haste; I hear them trampling in the wood.

They grope over to church.

Mary Doul. It’s the words of the young girls making a great stir in the trees. (They find the bush.) Here’s the briar on my left, Martin; I’ll go in first, I’m the big one, and I’m easy to see.

Martin Doul (turning his head anxiously). It’s easy heard you are; and will you be holding your tongue?

Mary Doul (partly behind bush). Come in now beside of me. (They kneel down, still clearly visible.) Do you think can they see us now, Martin Doul?

Martin Doul. I’m thinking they can’t, but I’m hard set to know; for the lot of them young girls, the devil save them, have sharp, terrible eyes, would pick out a poor man, I’m thinking, and he lying below hid in his grave.

Mary Doul. Let you not be whispering sin, Martin Doul, or maybe it’s the finger of God they’d see pointing to ourselves.

Martin Doul. It’s yourself is speaking madness, Mary Doul; haven’t you heard the Saint say it’s the wicked do be blind?

Mary Doul. If it is you’d have a right to speak a big, terrible word would make the water not cure us at all.

Martin Doul. What way would I find a big, terrible word, and I shook with the fear; and if I did itself, who’d know rightly if it’s good words or bad would save us this day from himself?

Mary Doul. They’re coming. I hear their feet on the stones.

The Saint comes in on right, with Timmy and Molly Byrne in holiday clothes, the others as before.

Timmy. I’ve heard tell Martin Doul and Mary Doul were seen this day about on the road, holy father, and we were thinking you’d have pity on them and cure them again.

Saint. I would, maybe, but where are they at all? I’ll have little time left when I have the two of you wed in the church.

Mat Simon (at their seat). There are the rushes they do have lying round on the stones. It’s not far off they’ll be, surely.

Molly Byrne (pointing with astonishment). Look beyond, Timmy.

They all look over and see Martin Doul.

Timmy. Well, Martin’s a lazy fellow to be lying in there at the height of the day. (He goes over shouting.) Let you get up out of that. You were near losing a great chance by your sleepiness this day, Martin Doul.… The two of them’s in it, God help us all!

Martin Doul (scrambling up with Mary Doul). What is it you want, Timmy, that you can’t leave us in peace?