The Colleen Bawn

Hardress. – Green broad-skirted body coat of the time; double-breasted light silk waistcoat, leather pantaloons, top boots, hair rather long, steeple-crowned gold-laced hat, and white muslin cravat.

2nd Dress: Blue body coat, white waistcoat, white kerseymere breeches, silk stockings, and shoes.

Daly. – Brown coat, etc., same fashion as above. 2nd Dress: Full dress.

Creagh, O’Moore, and Gentlemen. – Evening dress.

Father Tom. – Broad-brimmed, low-crowned hat, faded black suit, black riding boots, and white cravat.

Danny. [A hunchback.] Blue frieze jacket, corduroy breeches, yellow waistcoat, gray stockings, shoes and buckles, and old seal-skin cap.

Myles. – Drab great coat, with cape, red cloth waistcoat, old velveteen breeches, darned gray stockings, and shoes.

Corrigan. – Black suit, top boots, and brown wig.

Mrs. Cregan. – Puce silk dress of the time, white muslin neckerchief and powdered hair. 2nd Dress: Handsome embroidered silk dress, jewels and fan.

Anne. – Gold-laced riding habit, hat and vail. 2nd Dress: White embroidered muslin dress, and colored sash.

Eily. – Blue merino petticoat, chintz tuck-up body and skirts, short sleeves, blue stockings, hair plain, with neat comb, red cloak, and hood.

ACT I

Hard [Going up C.] Hist! Danny, are you there?

Danny Is it yourself, Masther Hardress?

Hard Is the boat ready?

Danny Snug under the blue rock, sir.

Hard Does Eily expect me to-night?

Danny Expict is it? Here is a lether she bade me give yes; sure the young thing is never aisy when you are away. Look, masther, dear, do ye see that light, no bigger than a star beyant on Muckross Head?

Hard Yes, it is the signal which my dear Eily leaves burning in our chamber.

Danny All night long she sits beside that light, wid her face fixed on that lamp in your windy above.

Hard Dear, dear Eily! after all here’s asleep, I will leap from my window, and we’ll cross the lake.

Danny [Searching.] Where did I put that lether?

Kyrle [L.] Hardress, who is that with you?

Hard [C.] Only Mann, my boatman.

Kyrle That fellow is like your shadow.

Danny [R.] Is it a cripple like me, that would be the shadow of an illegant gintleman like Mr. Hardress Cregan?

Kyrle [L.] Well, I mean that he never leaves your side.

Hard [C.] And he never shall leave me. Ten years ago he was a fine boy – we were foster-brothers, and playmates – in a moment of passion, while we were struggling, I flung him from the gap rock into the reeks below, and thus he was maimed for life.

Danny Arrah! whist aroon! wouldn’t I die for yez? didn’t the same mother foster us? Why, wouldn’t ye break my back if it plazed ye, and welkim! Oh, Masther Kyrle, if ye’d seen him nursin’ me for months, and cryin’ over me, and keenin’! Sin’ that time, sir, my body’s been crimpin’ up smaller and smaller every year, but my heart is gettin’ bigger for him every day.

Hard Go along, Danny.

Danny Long life t’ye, sir! I’m off.

Kyrle Hardress, a word with you. Be honest with me – do you love Anne Chute?

Hard Why do you ask?

Kyrle Because we have been fellow-collegians and friends through life, and the five years that I have passed at sea have strengthened, but have not cooled, my feelings towards you. [Offers hand.

Hard [L.] Nor mine for you, Kyrle. You are the same noble fellow as ever. You ask me if I love my cousin Anne?

Mrs. C [C., between them.] And I will answer you, Mr. Daly.

Hard [R.] My mother!

Mrs. C [C.] My son and Miss Chute are engaged. Excuse me, Kyrle, for intruding on your secret, but I have observed your love for Anne with some regret. I hope your heart is not so far gone as to be beyond recovery.

Kyrle [L.] Forgive me, Mrs. Cregan, but are you certain that Miss Chute really is in love with Hardress?

Mrs. C Look at him! I’m sure no girl could do that and doubt it.

Kyrle But I’m not a girl, ma’am; and sure, if you are mistaken —

Hard My belief is that Anne does not care a token for me, and likes Kyrle better.

Mrs. C [C.] You are an old friend of my son, and I may confide to you a family secret. The extravagance of my husband left this estate deeply involved. By this marriage with Anne Chute we redeem every acre of our barony. My son and she have been brought up as children together, and don’t know their true feelings yet.

Hard Stop, mother, I know this: I would not wed my cousin if she did not love me, not if she carried the whole county Kerry in her pocket, and the barony of Kenmare in the crown of her hat.

Mrs. C Do you hear the proud blood of the Cregans?

Hard Woo her, Kyrle, if you like, and win her if you can. I’ll back you.

Anne [L. C.] So will I – What’s the bet?

Mrs. C Hush!

Anne I’d like to have bet on Kyrle.

Hard Well, Anne, I’ll tell you what it was.

Mrs. C [C.] Hardress!

Anne [L. C.] Pull in one side aunt, and let the boy go on.

Hard [R.] Kyrle wanted to know if the dark brown colt, Hardress Cregan, was going to walk over the course for the Anne Chute Stakes, or whether it was a scrub-race open to all.

Anne I’m free-trade – coppleens, mules and biddys.

Mrs. C How can you trifle with a heart like Kyrle’s?

Anne Trifle! his heart can be no trifle, if he’s all in proportion.

Servant Squire Corrigan, ma’am, begs to see you.

Mrs C At this hour, what can the fellow want? Show Mr. Corrigan here. [Exit Servant into house, L.] I hate this man; he was my husband’s agent, or what the people here call a middle-man – vulgarly polite, and impudently obsequious.

Hard [R.] Genus squireen – a half sir, and a whole scoundrel.

Anne I know – a potatoe on a silver plate: I’ll leave you to peel him. Come, Mr. Daly, take me for a moonlight walk, and be funny.

Kyrle Funny, ma’am, I’m afraid I am —

Anne You are heavy, you mean; you roll through the world like a hogshead of whisky; but you only want tapping for pure spirits to flow out spontaneously. Give me your arm. [Crossing, R.] Hold that glove now. You are from Ballinasloe, I think?

Kyrle I’m Connaught to the core of my heart.

Anne To the roots of your hair, you mean. I bought a horse at Ballinasloe fair that deceived me; I hope you won’t turn out to belong to the same family.

Kyrle [R. C.] What did he do?

Anne Oh! like you, he looked well enough – deep in the chest as a pool – a-dhiol, and broad in the back as the Gap of Dunloe – but after two days’ warm work he came all to pieces, and Larry, my groom, said he’d been stuck together with glue.

Kyrle [R.] Really, Miss Chute! [Music.—Exeunt, R. 1 E.

Hard [Advancing, laughing.] That girl is as wild as a coppleen, – she won’t leave him a hair on the head. [Goes up.

Corrigan [L.] Your humble servant, Mrs. Cregan – my service t’ye, ’Squire – it’s a fine night, entirely.

Mrs. C [C.] May I ask to what business, sir, we have the honor of your call?

Corrig [Aside, L. C.] Proud as a Lady Beelzebub, and as grand as a queen. [Aloud.] True for you, ma’am; I would not have, come, but for a divil of a pinch I’m in entirely. I’ve got to pay £8,000 to-morrow or lose the Knockmakilty farms.

Mrs. C Well, sir?

Corrig And I wouldn’t throuble ye —

Mrs. C Trouble me, sir?

Corrig Iss, ma’am – ye’d be forgettin’ now that mortgage I have on this property. It ran out last May, and by rights —

Mrs. C It will be paid next month.

Corrig Are you reckonin’ on the marriage of Mister Hardress and Miss Anne Chute?

Hard [Advancing, R.] Mr. Corrigan, you forget yourself.

Mrs. C Leave us, Hardress, a while. [Hardress retires, R.] Now, Mr. Corrigan, state, in as few words as possible, what you demand.

Corrig Mrs. Cregan, ma’am, you depend on Miss Anne Chute’s fortune to pay me the money, but your son does not love the lady, or, if he does, he has a mighty quare way of showing it. He has another girl on hand, and betune the two he’ll come to the ground, and so bedad will I.

Mrs. C That is false – it is a calumny, sir!

Corrig I wish it was, ma’am. D’ye see that light over the lake? your son’s eyes are fixed on it. What would Anne Chute say if she knew that her husband, that is to be, had a mistress beyant – that he slips out every night after you’re all in bed, and like Leandher, barrin’ the wettin’, he sails across to his sweetheart?

Mrs. C Is this the secret of his aversion to the marriage? Fool! fool! what madness, and at such a moment.

Corrig That’s what I say, and no lie in it.

Mrs. C He shall give up this girl – he must!

Corrig I would like to have some security for that. I want, by to-morrow, Anne Chute’s written promise to marry him, or my £8,000.

Mrs. C It is impossible, sir; you hold ruin over our heads.

Corrig Madam, it’s got to hang over your head or mine.

Mrs. C Stay; you know that what you ask is out of our power – you know it – therefore this demand only covers the true object of your visit.

Corrig ’Pon my honor! and you are as ’cute, ma’am, as you are beautiful!

Mrs. C Go on, sir.

Corrig Mrs. Cregan, I’m goin’ to do a foolish thing – now, by gorra I am! I’m richer than ye think, maybe, and if you’ll give me your personal security, I’ll take it.

Mrs. C What do you mean?

Corrig I meant that I’ll take a lien for life on you, instead of the mortgage I hold on the Cregan property. [Aside.] That’s nate, I’m thinkin’.

Mrs. C Are you mad?

Corrig I am – mad in love with yourself, and that’s what I’ve been these fifteen years. [Music through dialogue, till Anne Chute is off.

Mrs. C Insolent wretch! my son shall answer and chastise you. [Calls.] Hardress!

Hard [Advancing.] Madam.

Corrig Miss Chute! }

Hard Well, mother?} [Together.]

Anne Well, sir? }

Mrs. C [Aside.] Scoundrel! he will tell her all and ruin us! [Aloud.] Nothing. [Turns aside.

Corrig Your obedient.

Anne Oh! [Crosses with Kyrle and exit, L. U. E. —Music ceases.

Corrig You are in my power, ma’am. See, now, not a sowl but myself knows of this secret love of Hardress Cregan, and I’ll keep it as snug as a bug in a rug, if you’ll only say the word.

Mrs. C Contemptible hound, I loathe and despise you!

Corrig I’ve known that fifteen years, but it hasn’t cured my heart ache.

Mrs. C And you would buy my aversion and disgust!

Corrig Just as Anne Chute buys your son, if she knew but all. Can he love his girl beyant, widout haten this heiress he’s obliged to swallow? – ain’t you sthriven to sell him? But you didn’t feel the hardship of being sold till you tried it on yourself.

Mrs. C I beg you, sir, to leave me.

Corrig That’s right, ma’am – think over it, sleep on it. To-morrow, I’ll call for your answer. Good evenin’ kindly.

Mrs. C Hardress.

Hard What did he want?

Mrs. C He came to tell me the meaning of yonder light upon Muckross Head.

Hard Ah! has it been discovered? Well, mother, now you know the cause of my coldness, my indifference for Anne.

Mrs. C Are you in your senses, Hardress? Who is this girl?

Hard She is known at every fair and pattern in Munster as the Colleen Bawn – her name is Eily O’Connor.

Mrs. C A peasant girl – a vulgar, barefooted beggar!

Hard Whatever she is, love has made her my equal, and when you set your foot upon her you tread upon my heart.

Mrs. C ’Tis well, Hardress. I feel that perhaps I have no right to dispose of your life and your happiness – no, my dear son – I would not wound you – heaven knows how well I love my darling boy, and you shall feel it. Corrigan has made me an offer by which you may regain the estate, and without selling yourself to Anne Chute.

Hard What is it? Of course you accepted it?

Mrs. C No, but I will accept, yes, for your sake – I – I will. He offers to cancel this mortgage if – if – I will consent to – become his wife.

Hard You – you, mother? Has he dared —

Mrs. C Hush! he is right. A sacrifice must be made – either you or I must suffer. Life is before you – my days are well nigh past – and for your sake, Hardress – for yours; my pride, my only one. – Oh! I would give you more than my life.

Hard Never – never! I will not – can not accept it. I’ll tear that dog’s tongue from his throat that dared insult you with the offer.

Mrs. C Foolish boy, before to-morrow night we shall be beggars – outcasts from this estate. Humiliation and poverty stand like specters at yonder door – to-morrow they will be realities. Can you tear out the tongues that will wag over our fallen fortunes? You are a child, you can not see beyond your happiness.

Hard Oh, mother, mother! what can be done? My marriage with Anne is impossible.

Danny [R. C.] Whisht, if ye plaze – ye’re talkin’ so loud she’ll hear ye say that – she’s comin’.

Mrs. C Has this fellow overheard us?

Hard If he has, he is mine, body and soul. I’d rather trust him with a secret than keep it myself.

Mrs. C [L. C.] I can not remain to see Anne; excuse me to my friends. The night perhaps will bring counsel, or at least resolution to hear the worst! Good night, my son.

Danny [R. C.] Oh, masther! she doesn’t know the worst! She doesn’t know that you are married to the Colleen Bawn.

Hard Hush! what fiend prompts you to thrust that act of folly in my face?

Danny Thrue for ye, masther! I’m a dirty mane scut to remind ye of it.

Hard What will my haughty, noble mother say, when she learns the truth! how can I ask her to receive Eily as a daughter? – Eily, with her awkward manners, her Kerry brogue, her ignorance of the usages of society. Oh, what have I done?

Danny Oh! vo – vo, has the ould family come to this! Is it the daughter of Mihil-na-Thradrucha, the old rope-maker of Garryowen, that ’ud take the flure as your wife?

Hard Be silent, scoundrel! How dare you speak thus of my love! – wretch that I am to blame her! – poor, beautiful, angel-hearted Eily.

Danny Beautiful is it! Och – wurra – wurra, deelish! The looking-glass was never made that could do her justice; and if St. Patrick wanted a wife, where would he find an angel that ’ud compare with the Colleen Bawn. As I row her on the lake, the little fishes come up to look at her; and the wind from heaven lifts up her hair to see what the divil brings her down here at all – at all.

Hard The fault is mine – mine alone – I alone will suffer!

Danny Why isn’t it mine? Why can’t I suffer for yez, masther dear? Wouldn’t I swally every tear in your body, every bit of bad luck in your life, and then wid a stone round my neck, sink myself and your sorrows in the bottom of the lower lake.

Hard [Placing hand on Danny.] Good Danny, away with you to the boat – be ready in a few moments; we will cross to Muckross Head. [Looks at light at back.

Danny Never fear, sir. Oh! it isn’t that spalpeen, Corrigan, that shall bring ruin on that ould place. Lave Danny alone. Danny, the fox, will lade yez round and about, and cross the scint. [Takes off his hat – sees letter.] Bedad, here’s the letter from the Colleen Bawn that I couldn’t find a while ago – it’s little use now. [Goes to lower window, and reads by light from house.] “Come to your own Eily, that has not seen you for two long days. Come, acushla agrah machree. I have forgotten how much you love me – Shule, shule agrah. – Colleen Bawn.” Divil an address is on it.

Anne [C.] Have they gone?

Kyrle [L. C.] It is nearly midnight.

Anne Before we go in, I insist on knowing who is this girl that possesses your heart. You confess that you are in love – deeply in love.

Kyrle I do confess it – but not even your power can extract that secret from me – do not ask me, for I could not be false, yet dare not be true. [Exit Kyrle into house, L.

Anne [L. C.] He loves me – oh! he loves me – the little bird is making a nest in my heart. Oh! I’m faint with joy.

Danny [As if calling after him.] Sir, sir!

Anne Who is that?

Danny I’m the boatman below, an’ I’m waitin for the gintleman.

Anne What gentleman?

Danny Him that’s jist left me, ma’am – I’m waitin’ on him.

Anne Does Mr. Kyrle Daly go out boating at this hour?

Danny It’s not for me to say, ma’am, but every night at twelve o’clock I’m here wid my boat under the blue rock below, to put him across the lake to Muckross Head. I beg your pardon, ma’am, but here’s a paper ye dropped on the walk beyant – if it’s no vally I’d like to light my pipe wid it. [Gives it.

Anne A paper I dropped! [Goes to window – reads.

Danny [Aside.] Oh, Misther Corrigan, you’ll ruin masther will ye? aisy now, and see how I’ll put the cross on ye.

Anne A love-letter from some peasant girl to Kyrle Daly! Can this be the love of which he spoke? have I deceived myself?

Danny I must be off, ma’am; here comes the signal. [Music.

Anne The signal?

Danny D’ye see yonder light upon Muckross Head? It is in a cottage windy; that light goes in and out three times winkin’ that way, as much as to say, “Are ye comin’?” Then if the light in that room there [points at house above,] answers by a wink, it manes No! but if it goes out entirely, his honor jumps from the parlor windy into the garden behind, and we’re off. Look! [Light in cottage disappears.] That’s one. [Light appears.] Now again. [Light disappears.] That’s two. [Light appears.] What did I tell you? [Light disappears.] That’s three, and here it comes again. [Light appears.] Wait now, and ye’ll see the answer. [Light disappears from window, L.] That’s my gentleman. [Music change.] You see he’s goin’ – good night, ma’am.

Anne Stay, here’s money; do not tell Mr. Daly that I know of this.

Danny Divil a word – long life t’ye. [Goes up.

Anne I was not deceived; he meant me to understand that he loved me! Hark! I hear the sound of some one who leaped heavily on the garden walk. [Goes to house L. —looking at back.

Danny [Going down, R. C.] All right, yer honor.

Anne [Hiding, L.] It is he, ’tis he.

Corrig From the rock above I saw the boat leave Torc Cregan. It is now crossing the lake to the cottage. Who is this girl? What is this mysterious misthress of young Cregan? – that I’ll find out.

Corrig Who’s that? – ’Tis that poaching scoundrel – that horse stealer, Myles na Coppaleen. Here he comes with a keg of illicit whisky, as bould as Nebuckadezzar.

Is that you, Myles?

Myles No! it’s my brother.

Corrig I know ye, my man.

Myles Then why the divil did ye ax?

Corrig You may as well answer me kindly – civility costs nothing.

Myles [L. C.] Ow now! don’t it? Civility to a lawyer manes six-and-eight-pence about.

Corrig [R. C.] What’s that on your shoulder?

Myles What’s that to you?

Corrig I am a magistrate, and can oblige you to answer.

Myles Well! it’s a boulster, belongin’ to my mother’s feather bed.

Corrig Stuff’d with whisky!

Myles Bedad! how would I know what it’s stuff’d wid? I’m not an upholsterer.

Corrig Come, Myles, I’m not so bad a fellow as ye may think.

Myles To think of that now!

Corrig I am not the mane creature you imagine!

Myles Ain’t ye now, sir? You keep up appearances mighty well, indeed.

Corrig No, Myles! I am not that blackguard I’ve been represented.

Myles [Sits on keg.] See that now – how people take away a man’s character. You are another sort of blackguard entirely.

Corrig You shall find me a gentleman – liberal, ready to protect you.

Myles Long life t’ye sir.

Corrig Myles, you have come down in the world lately; a year ago you were a thriving horse-dealer, now you are a lazy, ragged fellow.

Myles Ah, it’s the bad luck, sir, that’s in it.

Corrig No, it’s the love of Eily O’Connor that’s in it – it’s the pride of Garryowen that took your heart away, and made ye what ye are – a smuggler and a poacher.

Myles Thim’s hard words.

Corrig But they are true. You live like a wild beast in some cave or hole in the rocks above; by night your gun is heard shootin’ the otter as they lie out on the stones, or you snare the salmon in your nets; on a cloudy night your whisky-still is going – you see, I know your life.

Myles Better than the priest, and devil a lie in it.

Corrig Now, if I put ye in a snug farm – stock ye with pigs and cattle, and rowl you up comfortable – d’ye think the Colleen Bawn wouldn’t jump at ye?

Myles Bedad, she’d make a lape, I b’lieve – and what would I do for all this luck?

Corrig Find out for me who it is that lives at the cottage on Muckross Head.