The Plough and the Stars by Sean O'Casey

Author:Sean O'Casey [Sean O’Casey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780571331291
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Published: 2016-08-23T04:00:00+00:00

Nora (in a quiet and monotonous tone) No … Not there, Jack … I can feel comfortable only in our own familiar place beneath th’ bramble tree … We must be walking for a long time; I feel very, very tired … Have we to go farther, or have we passed it by? (Passing her hand across her eye) Curious mist on my eyes … Why don’t you hold my hand, Jack … (Excitedly) No, no, Jack, it’s not. Can’t you see it’s a goldfinch. Look at th’ black-satiny wings with th’ gold bars, an’ th’ splash of crimson on its head … (Wearily) Something ails me, something ails me … Don’t kiss me like that; you take my breath away, Jack … Why do you frown at me? … You’re going away, and (frightened) I can’t follow you. Something’s keeping me from moving … (Crying out) Jack, Jack, Jack!

Bessie (who has gone over and caught Nora’s arm) Now, Mrs Clitheroe, you’re a terrible woman to get up out of bed … You’ll get cold if you stay here in them clothes.

Nora Cold? I’m feelin’ very cold; it’s chilly out here in th’ counthry … (Looking around frightened) What place is this? Where am I?

Bessie (coaxingly) You’re all right, Nora; you’re with friends, an’ in a safe place. Don’t you know your uncle an’ your cousin, an poor oul’ Fluther?

Peter (about to go over to Nora) Nora, darlin’, now –

Fluther (pulling him back) Now, leave her to Bessie, man. A crowd’ll only make her worse.

Nora (thoughtfully) There is something I want to remember, an’ I can’t. (With agony) I can’t, I can’t, I can’t! My head, my head! (Suddenly breaking from Bessie, and running over to the men, and gripping Fluther by the shoulders) Where is it? Where’s my baby? Tell me where you’ve put it, where’ve you hidden it? My baby, my baby; I want my baby! My head, my poor head … Oh, I can’t tell what is wrong with me. (Screaming) Give him to me, give me my husband!

Bessie Blessin’ o’ God on us, isn’t this pitiful!

Nora (struggling with Bessie) I won’t go away for you; I won’t. Not till you give me back my husband. (Screaming) Murderers, that’s what yous are; murderers, murderers!

Bessie S-s-sh. We’ll bring Mr Clitheroe back to you, if you’ll only lie down an’ stop quiet … (Trying to lead her in) Come on, now, Nora, an’ I’ll sing something to you.

Nora I feel as if my life was thryin’ to force its way out of my body … I can hardly breathe … I’m frightened, I’m frightened, I’m frightened! For God’s sake, don’t leave me, Bessie. Hold my hand, put your arms around me!

Fluther (to Brennan) Now you can see th’ way she is, man.

Peter An’ what way would she be if she heard Jack had gone west?

The Covey (to Peter) Shut up, you, man!

Bessie (to Nora) We’ll have to be brave, an’ let patience clip away th’ heaviness of th’ slow-movin’

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