Cathleen (counts the stitches). It’s that number is in it (crying out). Ah, Nora, isn’t it a bitter thing to think of him floating that way to the far north, and no one to keen him but the black hags that do be flying on the sea?

Nora (swinging herself half round, and throwing out her arms on the clothes). And isn’t it a pitiful thing when there is nothing left of a man who was a great rower and fisher but a bit of an old shirt and a plain stocking?

Cathleen (after an instant). Tell me is herself coming, Nora? I hear a little sound on the path.

Nora (looking out). She is, Cathleen. She’s coming up to the door.

Cathleen. Put these things away before she’ll come in. Maybe it’s easier she’ll be after giving her blessing to Bartley, and we won’t let on we’ve heard anything the time he’s on the sea.

Nora (helping Cathleen to close the bundle). We’ll put them here in the corner.

They put them into a hole in the chimney corner. Cathleen goes back to the spinning-wheel.

Nora. Will she see it was crying I was?

Cathleen. Keep your back to the door the way the light ’ll not be on you.

Nora sits down at the chimney corner, with her back to the door. Maurya comes in very slowly, without looking at the girls, and goes over to her stool at the other side of the fire. The cloth with the bread is still in her hand. The girls look at each other, and Nora points to the bundle of bread.

Cathleen (after spinning for a moment). You didn’t give him his bit of bread?

Maurya begins to keen softly, without turning round.

Cathleen. Did you see him riding down?

Maurya goes on keening.

Cathleen (a little impatiently). God forgive you; isn’t it a better thing to raise your voice and tell what you seen, than to be making lamentation for a thing that’s done? Did you see Bartley, I’m saying to you?

Maurya (with a weak voice). My heart’s broken from this day.

Cathleen (as before). Did you see Bartley?

Maurya. I seen the fearfulest thing.

Cathleen (leaves her wheel and looks out). God forgive you; he’s riding the mare now over the green head, and the grey pony behind him.

Maurya (starts, so that her shawl falls back from her head and shows her white tossed hair. With a frightened voice). The grey pony behind him…

Cathleen (coming to the fire). What is it ails you at all?

Maurya (speaking very slowly). I’ve seen the fearfulest thing any person has seen since the day Bride Dara seen the dead man with the child in his arms.

Cathleen and Nora. Uah.