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

her conscience: precept upon precept, line upon line; here a little, an’ there a little. But ( with a passionate swing of her shawl ), thanks be to Christ, she knows when she was got, where she was got, an’ how she was got; while there’s some she knows, decoratin’ their finger with a well-polished weddin’ ring, would be hard put to it if they were assed to show their weddin’ lines!
    Mrs Gogan    ( plunging out into the centre of the floor in a wild tempest of hysterical rage ) Y’ oul’ rip of a blasted liar, me weddin’ ring’s been well earned be twenty years be th’ side o’ me husband, now takin’ his rest in heaven, married to me be Father Dempsey, in th’ Chapel o’ Saint Jude’s, in th’ Christmas Week of eighteen hundhred an’ ninety-five; an’ any kid, livin’ or dead, that Jinnie Gogan’s had since, was got between th’ bordhers of th’ Ten Commandments! … An’ that’s more than some o’ you can say that are kep’ from th’ dhread o’ desthruction be a few drowsy virtues, that th’ first whisper of temptation lulls into a sleep, that’ll know one sin from another only on th’ day of their last anointin’, an’ that use th’ innocent light o’ th’ shinin’ stars to dip into th’ sins of a night’s diversion!
    Bessie    ( jumping out to face Mrs Gogan, and bringing the palms of her hands together in sharp claps to emphasize her remarks ) Liar to you, too, ma’am, y’ oul’ hardened thresspasser on other people’s good nature,wizenin’ up your soul in th’ arts o’ dodgeries, till every dhrop of respectability in a female is dhried up in her, lookin’ at your ready-made manoeuverin’ with th’ menkind!
    Barman    Here, there; here, there; speak asy there. No rowin’ here, no rowin’ here, now.
    Fluther    ( trying to calm Mrs Gogan ) Now Jinnie, Jinnie, it’s a derogatory thing to be smirchin’ a night like this with a row; it’s rompin’ with th’ feelin’s of hope we ought to be, instead o’ bein’ vice versa!
    Peter    ( trying to quiet Bessie ) I’m terrible dawny, Mrs Burgess, an’ a fight leaves me weak for a long time aftherwards … Please, Mrs Burgess, before there’s damage done, thry to have a little respect for yourself.
    Bessie    ( with a push of her hand that sends Peter tottering to the end of the shop ) G’way, you little sermonizing, little yella-faced, little consequential, little pudgy, little bum, you!
    Mrs Gogan    ( screaming ) Fluther, leggo! I’m not goin’ to keep an unresistin’ silence, an’ her scattherin’ her festherin’ words in me face, stirrin’ up every dhrop of decency in a respectable female, with her restless rally o’ lies that would make a saint say his prayer backwards!
    Bessie    ( shouting ) Ah, everybody knows well that th’ best charity that can be shown to you is to hide th’ thruth as much as our thrue worship of God Almighty will allow us!
    Mrs Gogan    ( frantically ) Here, houl’ th’ kid, one o’ yous; houl’ th’ kid for a minute! There’s nothin’ for it but to show this lassie a lesson or two … ( To Peter ) Here, houl’ th’ kid, you. ( Before Peter is aware of it, she places the infant in his arms. To Bessie, standing before her in a fighting attitude ) Come on, now, me loyal lassie, dyin’with grief for little Catholic Belgium! When Jinnie Gogan’s done with you, you’ll have a little leisure lyin’ down to think an’ pray for your king an’ counthry!
    Barman    ( coming from behind the counter, getting between the women, and proceeding to push them towards the door ) Here, now, since yous can’t have a little friendly argument quietly, you’ll get out o’ this place in quick time. Go on, an’ settle your differences somewhere else – I don’t want to have another endorsement on me licence.
    Peter    ( anxiously, over to Mrs Gogan ) Here, take your kid back, ower this. How nicely I was picked, now, for it to be plumped into me arms!
    The