_Charlie Ward._ Faith, you haven"t far to go to find one. Paddy there will give you over his wife quick enough; he won"t make a hard bargain over her.
_Paul Ruttledge._ But I am in earnest. I want to cut myself off from my old life.
_Charlie Ward._ Oh! I was forgetting that.
_Sabina Silver._ [_To_ MOLLY.] I wonder what was it he did? I wonder had he the misfortune to kill anybody?
_Charlie Ward._ [_Calling_ SABINA _over._] Here"s a girl should make a good wife, Sabina Silver her name is. Her father is just dead; he didn"t treat her over well.
_Sabina Silver._ [_Coming over._] What is it?
_Charlie Ward._ This gentleman wants to speak to you. I think he"s looking out for a wife.
_Sabina Silver._ [_Hanging her head._] Don"t be humbugging me.
_Paul Ruttledge._ Indeed he"s not, Sabina.
_Sabina Silver._ You"re only joking a poor girl. Sure, what would make you think of me at all?
_Paul Ruttledge._ Sabina, have you been always on the road with Charlie Ward and the others?
_Sabina Silver._ I have, indeed.
_Paul Ruttledge._ And you"d make a good tinker"s wife?
_Sabina Silver._ You"re joking me, but I would be a better wife for a tinker than for anyone else.
_Paul Ruttledge._ Sabina, will you marry me?
_Sabina Silver._ Oh! but I"d be afraid.
_Paul Ruttledge._ Why, Sabina?
_Sabina Silver._ I"d be afraid you"d beat me.
_Charlie Ward._ You see her father used to beat her. She"s afraid of the look of a man now.
_Paul Ruttledge._ I would not beat you, Sabina. How can you have got such an idea?
_Sabina Silver._ Will you promise me that you won"t beat me? Will you swear it to me?
_Paul Ruttledge._ Of course I will.
_Sabina Silver._ [_To_ CHARLIE WARD.] Will you make him swear it?
Haven"t you a little book in your pack? Bring it out and make him swear to me on it, and you"ll be my witness.
_Charlie Ward._ I think, Sibby, you need not be afraid.
_Sabina Silver._ What"s your name, gentleman?
_Paul Ruttledge._ My name is Paul. Do you like it?
_Sabina Silver._ Then I won"t marry you, Mr. Paul, till you swear to me upon the book that you will never beat me with any stick that you could call a stick, and that you will never strike a kick on me from behind.
_Paul Ruttledge._ Charlie, go and bring out that book to satisfy her. Of course I swear that; it is absurd.
[CHARLIE WARD _brings the book out of his pack._
_Paul Ruttledge._ I swear, Sabina, that I will never strike you with any stick of any kind, and that I will never kick you. There, will that do?
[_He takes book and kisses it._
_Sabina Silver._ I mis...o...b.. you. Kiss the book again. [PAUL RUTTLEDGE _kisses it._
_Charlie Ward._ That"s all right.
_A Child._ [_Crying from a distance._] He"s coming now, the priest"s coming!
_Paul Ruttledge._ Then the priest will marry us. That comes in very handy.
_Charlie Ward._ [_Scornfully._] A priest marry you, indeed he"ll do nothing of the kind. I hate priests and friars. It"s unlucky to get talking to them at all. You never know what trouble you"re in for.
_A Child._ [_Coming up._] That"s true, indeed. The last time I spoke to a priest it"s what he leathered me with a stick; may the divil fly away with him.
_Paul Ruttledge._ But somebody must marry us.
_Charlie Ward._ Of course. You"ll lep over the tinker"s budget the usual way. You"ll just marry her by lepping over the budget the same as the rest of us marry.
_Paul Ruttledge._ That"s all I want to know. Please marry me in whatever is your usual way.
JEROME _enters, leading the a.s.s. He carries a pig"s cheek, some groceries, a string of onions, etc., on the a.s.s, which still has its nursery trappings. He goes up to_ CHARLIE WARD _thinking he is_ PAUL RUTTLEDGE.
_Jerome._ Paul, what are you doing here?
_Charlie Ward._ [_Turning._] What do you want?
_Jerome._ Oh! I"m mistaken. I thought----
_Paul Ruttledge._ I am here, Father Jerome, but you"re talking to the wrong man.
_Jerome._ Good G.o.d, Paul, what has happened?
_Paul Ruttledge._ Nothing has happened that need surprise you. Don"t you remember what we talked of to-day? You told me I was too much by myself.
After you went away I thought I would make a change.
_Jerome._ But a change like this!