free turf, and free milk; a rood7 of standing corn; twelve drills8 of potatoes;
and? [He stops. ] OWEN An d what?
MANUS A salary of .4 2 a year!
OWEN Manus, that's wonderful!
MANUS You're talking to a ma n of substance.
OWEN I'm delighted. YOLLAND Where's Inis Meadhon?
OWEN An island south of here. And they came looking for you?
MANUS Well, I mean to say . . .
[OWEN punches MANUS.] OWEN Aaaaagh! This calls for a real celebration. YOLLAND Congratulations. MANUS Thank you. OWEN Where are you, Anna? YOLLAND Whe n do you start? MANUS Next Monday. OWEN We'll stay with you when we're there.
[To YOLLAND.] HO W long will it be before we reach Inis Meadhon? YOLLAND HO W far south is it? MANUS About fifty miles. YOLLAND Could we make it by December? OWEN We'll have Christmas together. [Sings.] 'Christmas Day on Inis
Meadhon
YOLLAND [Toast.] I hope you're very content there, Manus.
MANUS Thank you.
[YOLLAND holds out his hand, MANUS takes it. They shake warmly.] OWEN [Toast.] Manus. MANUS [Toast.] T o Inis Meadhon. [He drinks quickly and turns to leave.] OWEN Hold on?hold on?refills coming up. MANUS I've got to go. OWEN Com e on, man; this is an occasion. Wher e are you rushing to? MANUS I've got to tell Maire.
[MAIRE enters with her can of milk.] MAIRE You've got to tell Maire what? OWEN He's got a job! MAIRE Manus? OWEN He's been invited to start a hedge-school in Inis Meadhon. MAIRE Where? MANUS Inis Meadhon?the island! They're giving me .42 a year and . . . OWEN A house, fuel, milk, potatoes, corn, pupils, what-not!
6. Middle Island; one of the three Aran Islands, 7. A cubic measure, off the west coast of Ireland, south of Donegal. 8. Rows.
.
FRIEL: TRANSLATIONS, ACT 3 / 25 11
MANUS I start on Monday. OWEN You'll take a drink. Isn't it great? MANUS I want to talk to you for . . . MAIRE There's your milk. I need the can back.
[MANUS takes the can and runs up the steps.] MANUS [AS he goes.] How will you like living on an island? OWEN You know George, don't you? MAIRE We wave to each other across the fields. YOLLAND Sorry-sorry? OWEN She says you wave to each other across the fields. YOLLAND Yes, we do; oh yes, indeed we do. MAIRE What's he saying? OWEN He says you wave to each other across the fields. MAIRE That's right. So we do. YOLLAND What's she saying? OWEN Nothing?nothing?nothing.
[To MAIRE.] What's the news?
[MAIRE moves away, touching the text hooks with her toe.] MAIRE Not a thing. You're busy, the two of you. OWEN We think we are. MAIRE I hear the Fiddler O'Shea's about. There's some talk of a dance tomor
row night. OWEN Where will it be? MAIRE Maybe over the road. Maybe at Tobair Vree. YOLLAND Tobair Vree! MAIRE Yes. YOLLAND Tobair Vree! Tobair Vree! MAIRE Does he know what I'm saying? OWEN Not a word. MAIRE Tell him then. OWEN Tell him what? MAIRE About the dance. OWEN Maire says there may be a dance tomorrow night. YOLLAND [TO OWEN.] Yes? May I come?
[To MAIRE.] Would anybody object if I came? MAIRE [To OWEN.] What's he saying? OWEN [To YOLLAND.] Who would object? MAIRE [TO OWEN.] Did you tell him? YOLLAND [To MAIRE.] Sorry-sorry? OWEN [To MAIRE.] He says may he come? MAIRE [TO YOLLAND.] That's up to you. YOLLAND [TO OWEN.] What does she say? OWEN [To YOLLAND.] She says? YOLLAND [To MAIRE.] What-what? MAIRE [To OWEN.] Well? YOLLAND [TO OWEN.] Sorry-sorry? OWEN [To YOLLAND.] Will you go? YOLLAND [TO MAIRE.] Yes, yes, if I may. MAIRE [TO OWEN.] What does he say? YOLLAND [To OWEN.] What is she saying?
.
25 10 / NATION AND LANGUAGE
OWEN O for God's sake! [To MANUS who is descending with the empty can.] You take on this job, Manus. MANUS I'll walk you up to the house. Is your mother at home? I want to talk
to her. MAIRE What's the rush? [To OWEN.] Didn't you offer me a drink? OWEN Will you risk Anna na mBreag?
MAIRE Wh y not. [YOLLAND is suddenly intoxicated. He leaps up on a stool, raises his glass and shouts. ]
YOLLAND Anna na mBreag! Baile Beag! Inis Meadhon! Bombay! Tobair Vree!
Eden! And poteen?correct, Owen? OWEN Perfect. YOLLAND And bloody marvellous stuff it is, too. I love it! Bloody, bloody,
bloody marvellous!
[Simidtaneously with his final 'bloody marvellous' bring up very loud the introductory music of the reel. Then immediately go to black. Retain the music throughout the very brief interval.]
SCENE TWO
The following night.
