CORNELIUS [remonstrating].Father Dempsey is the priest of the parish,Mr Broadbent.What would he be doing with a theory?
FATHER DEMPSEY [with gentle emphasis].I have a KNOWLEDGE of what the Roun Towers were,if that's what you mean.They are the forefingers of the early Church,pointing us all to God.
Patsy,intolerably overburdened,loses his balance,and sits down involuntarily.His burdens are scattered over the hillside.
Cornelius and Father Dempsey turn furiously on him,leaving Broadbent beaming at the stone and the tower with fatuous interest.
CORNELIUS.Oh,be the hokey,the sammin's broke in two!You schoopid ass,what d'ye mean?
FATHER DEMPSEY.Are you drunk,Patsy Farrell?Did I tell you to carry that hamper carefully or did I not?
PATSY [rubbing the back of his head,which has almost dented a slab of granite]Sure me fut slpt.Howkn I carry three men's luggage at wanst?
FATHER DEMPSEY.You were told to leave behind what you couldn't carry,an go back for it.
PATSY.An whose things was I to lave behind?Hwat would your reverence think if I left your hamper behind in the wet grass;n hwat would the masther say if I left the sammin and the goose be the side o the road for annywan to pick up?
CORNELIUS.Oh,you've a dale to say for yourself,you,butther-fingered omadhaun.Wait'll Ant Judy sees the state o that sammin:SHE'LL talk to you.Here!gimme that birdn that fish there;an take Father Dempsey's hamper to his house for him;n then come back for the rest.
FATHER DEMPSEY.Do,Patsy.And mind you don't fall down again.
PATSY.Sure I--
CORNELIUS [bustling him up the bill]Whisht!heres Ant Judy.
[Patsy goes grumbling in disgrace,with Father Dempsey's hamper].
Aunt Judy comes down the hill,a woman of 50,in no way remarkable,lively and busy without energy or grip,placid without tranquillity,kindly without concern for others:indeed without much concern for herself:a contented product of a narrow,strainless life.She wears her hair parted in the middle and quite smooth,with a fattened bun at the back.Her dress is a plain brown frock,with a woollen pelerine of black and aniline mauve over her shoulders,all very trim in honor of the occasion.
She looks round for Larry;is puzzled;then stares incredulously at Broadbent.
AUNT JUDY.Surely to goodness that's not you,Larry!
CORNELIUS.Arra how could he be Larry,woman alive?Larry's in no hurry home,it seems.I haven't set eyes on him.This is his friend,Mr Broadbent.Mr Broadbent,me sister Judy.
AUNT JUDY [hospitably:going to Broadbent and shaking hands heartily].Mr.Broadbent!Fancy me takin you for Larry!Sure we haven't seen a sight of him for eighteen years,n he only a lad when he left us.
BROADBENT.It's not Larry's fault:he was to have been here before me.He started in our motor an hour before Mr Doyle arrived,to meet us at Athenmullet,intending to get here long before me.
AUNT JUDY.Lord save us!do you think he's had n axidnt?
BROADBENT.No:he's wired to say he's had a breakdown and will come on as soon as he can.He expects to be here at about ten.
AUNT JUDY.There now!Fancy him trustn himself in a motor and we all expectn him!Just like him!he'd never do anything like anybody else.Well,what can't be cured must be injoored.Come on in,all of you.You must be dyin for your tea,Mr Broadbent.
BROADBENT [with a slight start].Oh,I'm afraid it's too late for tea [he looks at his watch].
AUNT JUDY.Not a bit:we never have it airlier than this.I hope they gave you a good dinner at Athenmullet.
BROADBENT [trying to conceal his consternation as he realizes that he is not going to get any dinner after his drive]Oh--er--excellent,excellent.By the way,hadn't I better see about a room at the hotel?[They stare at him].
CORNELIUS.The hotel!
FATHER DEMPSEY.Hwat hotel?
AUNT JUDY.Indeedn you'e not goin to a hotel.You'll stay with us.I'd have put you into Larry's room,only the boy's pallyass is too short for you;but we'll make a comfortable bed for you on the sofa in the parlor.
BROADBENT.You're very kind,Miss Doyle;but really I'm ashamed to give you so much trouble unnecessarily.I shan't mind the hotel in the least.
FATHER DEMPSEY.Man alive!There's no hotel in Rosscullen.
BROADBENT.No hotel!Why,the driver told me there was the finest hotel in Ireland here.[They regard him joylessly].
AUNT JUDY.Arra would you mind what the like of him would tell you?Sure he'd say hwatever was the least trouble to himself and the pleasantest to you,thinkin you might give him a thruppeny bit for himself or the like.
BROADBENT.Perhaps there's a public house.
FATHER DEMPSEY [grimly.]There's seventeen.
AUNT JUDY.Ah then,how could you stay at a public house?They'd have no place to put you even if it was a right place for you to go.Come!is it the sofa you're afraid of?If it is,you can have me own bed.I can sleep with Nora.
BROADBENT.Not at all,not at all:I should be only too delighted.But to upset your arrangements in this way--CORNELIUS [anxious to cut short the discussion,which makes him ashamed of his house;for he guesses Broadbent's standard of comfort a little more accurately than his sister does]That's all right:it'll be no trouble at all.Hweres Nora?
AUNT JUDY.Oh,how do I know?She slipped out a little while ago:
I thought she was goin to meet the car.
CORNELIUS [dissatisfied]It's a queer thing of her to run out o the way at such a time.
AUNT JUDY.Sure she's a queer girl altogether.Come.Come in,come in.
FATHER DEMPSEY.I'll say good-night,Mr Broadbent.If there's anything I can do for you in this parish,let me know.[He shakes hands with Broadbent].
BROADBENT [effusively cordial].Thank you,Father Dempsey.
Delighted to have met you,sir.
FATHER DEMPSEY [passing on to Aunt Judy].Good-night,Miss Doyle.
AUNT JUDY.Won't you stay to tea?
FATHER DEMPSEY.Not to-night,thank you kindly:I have business to do at home.[He turns to go,and meets Patsy Farrell returning unloaded].Have you left that hamper for me?
PATSY.Yis,your reverence.
