The Plough and the Stars by Sean O'Casey Read Free Book Online

death, in a shower o’ shells! Young men with th’ sunny lust o’ life beamin’ in them, layin’ down their white bodies, shredded into torn an’ bloody pieces, on th’ althar that God Himself has built for th’ sacrifice of heroes!
    Mrs Gogan    Isn’t it a nice thing to have to be listenin’ to a lassie an’ hangin’ our heads in a dead silence, knowin’ that some persons think more of a ball of malt than they do of th’ blessed saints.
    Fluther    Whisht; she’s always dangerous an’ derogatory when she’s well oiled. Th’ safest way to hindher her from havin’ any enjoyment out of her spite, is to dip our thoughts into the fact of her bein’ a female person that has moved out of th’ sight of ordinary sensible people.
    Bessie    To look at some o’ th’ women that’s knockin’ about, now, is a thing to make a body sigh … A woman on her own, dhrinkin’ with a bevy o’ men, is hardly an example to her sex … A woman dhrinkin’ with a woman is one thing, an’ a woman dhrinkin’ with herself is still a woman – flappers may be put in another category altogether – but a middle-aged married woman makin’ herself th’ centre of a circle of men is as a woman that is loud an’ stubborn, whose feet abideth not in her own house.
    The Covey    ( to Bessie ) When I think of all th’ problems in front o’ th’ workers, it makes me sick to be lookin’ at oul’ codgers goin’ about dhressed up like green-accoutred figures gone asthray out of a toyshop!
    Peter    Gracious God, give me patience to be listenin’ to that blasted young Covey proddin’ at me from over at th’ other end of th’ shop!
    Mrs Gogan    ( dipping her finger in the whiskey, and moistening with it the lips of her baby ) Cissie Gogan’s a woman livin’ for nigh on twenty-five years in her own room, an’ beyond biddin’ th’ time o’ day to her neighbours, never yet as much as nodded her head in th’ direction of other people’s business, while she knows some as are never content unless they’re standin’ senthry over other people’s doin’s!
    Bessie is about to reply, when the tall, dark figure is again silhouetted against the window, and the voice of the Speaker is heard speaking passionately.
    Voice of Speaker    The last sixteen months have been the most glorious in the history of Europe. Heroism has come back to the earth. War is a terrible thing, but war is not an evil thing. People in Ireland dread war because they do not know it. Ireland has not known the exhilaration of war for over a hundred years. When war comes to Ireland she must welcome it as she would welcome the Angel of God! ( The figure passes out of sight and hearing .)
    The Covey    ( towards all present ) Dope, dope. There’s only one war worth havin’: th’ war for th’ economic emancipation of th’ proletariat.
    Bessie    They may crow away out o’ them; but it ud be fitther for some o’ them to mend their ways, an’ cease from havin’ scouts out watchin’ for th’ comin’ of th’ Saint Vincent de Paul man, for fear they’d be nailed lowerin’ a pint of beer, mockin’ th’ man with an angel face, shinin’ with th’ glamour of deceit an’ lies!
    Mrs Gogan    An’ a certain lassie standin’ stiff behind her own door with her ears cocked listenin’ to what’s being said, stuffed till she’s sthrained with envy of a neighbour thryin’ for a few little things that may be got be hard sthrivin’ to keep up to th’ letther an’ th’ law, an’ th’ practices of th’ Church!
    Peter    ( to Mrs Gogan ) If I was you, Mrs Gogan, I’d parry her jabbin’ remarks be a powerful silence that’ll keep her tantalizin’ words from penethratin’ into your feelin’s. It’s always betther to leave these people to th’ vengeance o’ God!
    Bessie    Bessie Burgess doesn’t put up to know much, never havin’ a swaggerin’ mind, thanks be to God, but goin’ on packin’ up knowledge accordin’ to