Crowd (jeeringly). There’s the playboy! There’s the lad thought he’d rule the roost in Mayo. Slate him now, mister.

Christy (getting up in shy terror). What is it drives you to torment me here, when I’d asked the thunders of the might of God to blast me if I ever did hurt to any saving only that one single blow.

Mahon (loudly). If you didn’t, you’re a poor good-for-nothing, and isn’t it by the like of you the sins of the whole world are committed?

Christy (raising his hands). In the name of the Almighty God.…

Mahon Leave troubling the Lord God. Would you have him sending down droughts, and fevers, and the old hen and the cholera morbus?

Christy (to Widow Quin). Will you come between us and protect me now?

Widow Quin I’ve tried a lot, God help me, and my share is done.

Christy (looking round in desperation). And I must go back into my torment is it, or run off like a vagabond straying through the Unions with the dusts of August making mudstains in the gullet of my throat, or the winds of March blowing on me till I’d take an oath I felt them making whistles of my ribs within?

Sara Ask Pegeen to aid you. Her like does often change.

Christy I will not then, for there’s torment in the splendour of her like, and she a girl any moon of midnight would take pride to meet, facing southwards on the heaths of Keel. But what did I want crawling forward to scorch my understanding at her flaming brow?

Pegeen (to Mahon, vehemently, fearing she will break into tears). Take him on from this or I’ll set the young lads to destroy him here.

Mahon (going to him, shaking his stick). Come on now if you wouldn’t have the company to see you skelped.

Pegeen (half-laughing, through her tears). That’s it, now the world will see him pandied, and he an ugly liar was playing off the hero, and the fright of men.

Christy (to Mahon, very sharply). Leave me go!

Crowd That’s it. Now Christy. If them two set fighting, it will lick the world.

Mahon (making a grab at Christy). Come here to me.

Christy (more threateningly). Leave me go, I’m saying.

Mahon I will maybe, when your legs is limping, and your back is blue.

Crowd Keep it up, the two of you. I’ll back the old one. Now the playboy.

Christy (in low and intense voice). Shut your yelling, for if you’re after making a mighty man of me this day by the power of a lie, you’re setting me now to think if it’s a poor thing to be lonesome, it’s worse maybe to go mixing with the fools of earth.

Mahon makes a movement towards him

Christy (almost shouting). Keep off … lest I do show a blow unto the lot of you would set the guardian angels winking in the clouds above.