No More Learning

But it is not yourself will ever hear the saints hammering at their
musics! It is you will be moving through the ages, chains upon you,
and you in the form of a dog or a monster. I tell you that one will go
through Purgatory as quick as lightning through a thorn-bush.

NANNY.

That's the way, that the way.

[_Croons. _] Three that are watching my time to run,
The worm, the devil, and my son,
To see a loop around their neck
It's that would make my heart to lep!

JOHNNY.

Five white candles. I wouldn't begrudge them to him indeed. If he had
held out and held up it is my belief he would have freed Ireland!

PAUDEEN.

Wait till the full light of the day and you'll see the burying he'll
have. It is not in this place we will be waking him. I'll make a call
to the two hundred Ribbons he was to lead on to the attack on the
barracks at Aughanish.
They will bring him marching to his grave upon
the hill. He had surely some gift from the other world, I wouldn't say
but he had power from the other side.

ANDREW [_coming in very shaky_].

Well, it was a great night he gave to the village, and it is long
till it will be forgotten. I tell you the whole of the neighbours are
up against him. There is no one at all this morning to set the mills
going. There was no bread baked in the night-time, the horses are not
fed in the stalls, the cows are not milked in the sheds. I met no man
able to make a curse this night but he put it on my head and on the
head of the boy that is lying there before us . . . Is there no sign of
life in him at all?

JOHNNY.

What way would there be a sign of life and the life gone out of him
this three hours or more?

ANDREW.

He was lying in his sleep for a while yesterday, and he wakened again
after another while.

NANNY.