Why wouldn't you give him your blessing and he looking round in
the door? Isn't it sorrow enough is on every one in this house
without your sending him out with an unlucky word behind him,
and a hard word in his ear?

[Maurya takes up the tongs and begins raking the fire aimlessly
without looking round.]

NORA
[Turning towards her.]

You're taking away the turf from the cake.

CATHLEEN
[Crying out.]

The Son of God forgive us, Nora, we're after forgetting his bit
of bread.

[She comes over to the fire.]

NORA
And it's destroyed he'll be going till dark night, and he after
eating nothing since the sun went up.

CATHLEEN
[Turning the cake out of the oven.]

It's destroyed he'll be, surely. There's no sense left on any
person in a house where an old woman will be talking for ever.