[ExitCorporaland twoSoldiers.
Mrs. CHe has escaped by this time.
O’Moore[AtL.table.] I hope Miss Chute will pardon me for my share in this transaction—believe me, Iregret—
AnneDon’t talk to me of your regret, while you are doing your worst. It is hate, not justice, that brings this accusation against Hardress, and this disgrace upon me.
KyrleAnne!
AnneHoldyourtongue—his life’s in danger, and if I can’t love him, I’ll fight for him, and that’s more than any of you men can do. [ToO’Moore.] Go on with your dirty work. You have done the worst now—you have dismayed our guests, scattered terror amid our festival, and made the remembrance of this night, which should have been a happy one, a thought of gloom and shame.
Mrs. CHark! I hear—I hear his voice. It can not be.
Re-enterCorrigan,L.3E.
CorrigThe prisoner is here!
Mrs. C[C.] Ah, [Utters a cry.] is he? Dark bloodhound, have you found him? May the tongue that tells me so be withered from the roots, and the eye that first detected him be darkened in its socket!
KyrleOh, madam! for heaven’s sake!
AnneMother! mother!
Mrs. CWhat! shall it be for nothing he has stung the mother’s heart, and set her brain on fire?
EnterHardress,handcuffed, and twoSoldiers,L.3E.
I tell you that my tongue may hold its peace, but there is not a vein in all my frame but curses him. [Turns—seesHardress;falls on his breast.] My boy! my boy!
Hard[L.] Mother, I entreat you to be calm. [Crosses toC.] Kyrle, there are my hands, do you think there is blood upon them?
[Kyrleseizes his hand—Gentlemenpress round him, take his hand, and retire up.
HardI thank you, gentlemen; your hands acquit me. Mother, be calm—sit there.[Points to chair,L.
AnneCome here, Hardress; your place is here by me.
Hard[R. C.] Now, sir, I am ready.
Corrig[L.of table.] I will lay before you, sir, the deposition upon which the warrant issues against the prisoner. Here is the confession of Daniel or Danny Mann, a person in the service of the accused, taken on his death-bed—in articulo mortis, you’ll observe.
O’MooreBut not witnessed.
Corrig[Calling.] Bring in that woman.
EnterSheelahand twoSoldiers,R.3E.
I have witnesses. Your worship will find the form of the law in perfect shape.
O’MooreRead the confession, sir.
Corrig[Reads.] “The deponent being on his death-bed, in the presence of Sheelah Mann and Thomas O’Brien, parish priest of Kinmare, deposed and said”—
EnterFather Tom,R.3E.
Oh, you are come in time, sir.
Father TI hope I am.
CorrigWe may have to call your evidence.
Father T[C.] I have brought it with me.
Corrig“Deposed and said, that he, deponent, killed Eily O’Connor; that said Eily was the wife of Hardress Cregan, and stood in the way of his marriage with Miss Anne Chute; deponent offered to put away the girl, and his master employed him to do so.”
O’MooreSheelah, did Danny confess this crime?
Sheelah[L. C.] Divil a word—it’s a lie from end to end; that ould thief was niver in my cabin—he invented the whole of it—sure you’re the divil’s own parverter of the truth.
CorrigAm I? Oh, oh! Father Tom will scarcely say as much? [To him.] Did Danny Mann confess this in your presence?
Father TI decline to answer that question!
CorrigAha! you must—the law will compel you!
Father TI’d like to see the law that can unseal the lips of the priest, and make him reveal the secrets of heaven.
AnneSo much for your two witnesses. Ladies, stand close. Gentlemen, give us room here.
[Bridesmaidsdown,R.ExitFather Tom,R.3E.
CorrigWe have abundant proof, your worship—enough to hang a whole country. Danny isn’t dead yet. Deponent agreed with Cregan that if the deed was to be done, that he, Cregan, should give his glove as a token.
Mrs. CAh!
HardHold! I confess that what he has read is true. Danny did make the offer, and I repelled his horrible proposition.
CorrigAha! but you gave him the glove.
HardNever, by my immortal soul—never!
Mrs. C[Advancing.] ButI—Idid! [Movement of surprise.]Iyour wretched mother—I gave it to him—I am guilty! thank heaven for that! remove those bonds from his hands and put them here on mine.
Hard’Tis false, mother, you did not know his purpose—you could not know it.[Corporaltakes off handcuffs.
Mrs. CI will not say anything that takes the welcome guilt from off me.
EnterMylesfrom steps,C.fromR.
MylesWon’t ye, ma’am? Well, if ye won’t, I will.
AllMyles!
MylesSave all here. If you plaze, I’d like to say a word; there’s been a murder done, and I done it.
AllYou!
MylesMyself. Danny was killed by my hand. [ToCorrig.] Were yez any way nigh that time?
Corrig[Quickly.] No.
Myles[Quickly.] That’s lucky; then take down what I’m sayin’. I shot the poor boy—but widout manin’ to hurt him. It’s lucky I killed him that time, for it’s lifted a mighty sin off the sowl of the crature.
O’MooreWhat does he mean?
MylesI mane, that if you found one witness to Eily O’Connor’s death, I found another that knows a little more about it, and here she is.
EnterEilyandFather Tomdown steps,C.fromR.
AllEily!
MylesThe Colleen Bawn herself!
EilyHardress! }
HardMy wife—my own Eily. }
EilyHere, darlin’, take the paper, and tear it if you like.
[Offers him the certificate.
HardEily, I could not live without you.
Mrs. CIf ever he blamed you, it was my foolish pride spoke in his hard words—he loves you with all his heart. Forgive me, Eily.
EilyForgive!
Mrs. CForgive your mother, Eily.
Eily[Embracing her.] Mother!
[Mrs. Cregan,Hardress,Eily,Father Tom,group together—Anne,Kyrle,andGentlemen—Ladiestogether—their backs toCorrigan—Corrigantakes bag, puts in papers, looks about, puts on hat, buttons coat, slinks up stage, runs up stairs, and offR.—Mylespoints off after him—severalGentlemenrun afterCorrigan.
[Mrs. Cregan,Hardress,Eily,Father Tom,group together—Anne,Kyrle,andGentlemen—Ladiestogether—their backs toCorrigan—Corrigantakes bag, puts in papers, looks about, puts on hat, buttons coat, slinks up stage, runs up stairs, and offR.—Mylespoints off after him—severalGentlemenrun afterCorrigan.
AnneBut what’s to become of me? is all my emotion to be summoned for nothing? Is my wedding dress to go to waste, and here’s all my blushes ready? I must have a husband.
Hyland and GentlemenTake me.
O’MooreTake me.
AnneDon’t all speak at once! Where’s Mr. Daly?
Kyrle[R.] Here I am, Anne!
Anne[R. C.] Kyrle, come here! You said you loved me, and I think you do.
KyrleOh!
AnneBehave yourself now. If you’ll ask me, I’ll have you.
Kyrle[EmbracingAnne.] Anne![Shouts outside,L. U. E.
AllWhat’s that?
Myles[Looking off out at back.] Don’t be uneasy! it’s only the boys outside that’s caught ould Corrigan thryin’ to get off, and they’ve got him in the horse-pond.
KyrleThey’ll drown him.
MylesNiver fear, he wasn’t born to be drowned—he won’t sink—he’ll rise out of the world, and divil a fut nearer heaven he’ll get than the top o’ the gallows.
Eily[ToHard.] And ye won’t be ashamed of me?
AnneI’ll be ashamed of him if he does.
EilyAnd when I spake—no—speak—
AnneSpake is the right sound. Kyrle Daly, pronounce that word.
KyrleThat’s right; if you ever spake it any other way I’ll divorce ye—mind that.
Father TEily, darlin’, in the middle of your joy, sure you would not forget one who never forsook you in your sorrow.
EilyOh, Father Tom!
Father TOh, it’s not myself I mane.
AnneNo, it’s that marauder there, that lent me his top coat in the thunder storm.[Pointing toMyles.
MylesBedad, ma’am, your beauty left a linin’ in it that has kept me warm ever since.
EilyMyles, you saved my life—it belongs to you. There’s my hand—what will you do with it?
Myles[Takes her hand andHardress’s.] Take her, wid all my heart. I may say that, for ye can’t take her without. I am like the boy who had a penny to put in the poor-box—I’d rather keep it for myself. It’s a shamrock itself ye have got, sir; and like that flower she’ll come up every year fresh and green foreninst ye. When ye cease to love her may dyin’ become ye, and when yedodie, lave yer money to the poor, your widdy to me, and we’ll both forgive ye.
[Joins hands.
EilyI’m only a poor simple girl, and it’s frightened I am to be surrounded by somany—
AnneFriends, Eily, friends.
EilyOh, if I could think so—if I could hope that I had established myself in a little corner of their hearts, there wouldn’t be a happier girl alive thanThe Colleen Bawn.
Soldiers.Soldiers.Guests.Guests.Hyland.O’Moore.Sheelah.Kyrle.Anne.Myles.Hardress.Eily.Father Tom.Mrs. Cregan.R.L.
THE END.