This scene may be played in the schoolroom, but it would be preferable to lose?by lighting?as much of the schoolroom as possible, and to play the scene down front in a vaguely 'outside' area.
The music rises to a crescendo. Then in the distance we hear MAIRE and YOLLAND approach?laughing and running. They run on, hand-in-hand. They have just left the dance.
Fade the music to distant background. Then after a time it is lost and replaced by guitar music. MAIRE and YOLLAND are now down front, still holding hands and excited by their sudden and impetuous escape from the dance.
MAIRE O my God, that leap across the ditch nearly killed me. YOLLAND I could scarcely keep up with you.
MAIRE Wait till I get my breath back. YOLLAND We must have looked as if we were being chased.
[They now realise they are alone and holding hands?the beginnings of embarrassment. The hands disengage. They begin to drift apart. Pause. ]
MAIRE Manus'll wonder where I've got to.
YOLLAND I wonder did anyone notice us leave.
[Pause. Slightly further apart.]
MAIRE The grass must be wet. My feet are soaking.
YOLLAND Your feet must be wet. The grass is soaking.
[Another pause. Another few paces apart. They are now a long distance from one another.] YOLLAND [Indicating himself] George.
[MAIRE nods: Yes?yes. Then.] MAIRE Lieutenant George. YOLLAND Don't call me that. I never think of myself as Lieutenant. MAIRE What-what? YOLLAND Sorry-sorry? [He points to himself again.] George.
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FRIEL: TRANSLATIONS, ACT 3 / 25 11
[MAIRE nods: Yes-yes. Then points to herself.] MAIRE Maire. YOLLAND Yes, I know you're Maire. Of course I know you're Maire. I mean
I've been watching you night and day for the past . . . MAIRE [Eagerly.] What-what? YOLLAND [Points.] Maire. [Points.] George. [Points both.] Maire and George.
[MAIRE nods: Yes-yes-yes.]
I?I?I?
MAIRE Say anything at all. I love the sound of your speech.
YOLLAND [Eagerly.] Sorry-sorry? [In acute frustration he looks around, hoping for some inspiration that will provide him with communicative means. Now he has a thought: he tries raising his voice and articulating in a staccato style and with equal and absurd emphasis on each word.]
Every-morning-I-see-you-feeding-brown-hens-and-giving-meal-to-black
calf?[The futility of it.]?O my God. [MAIRE smiles. She moves towards him. She will try to communicate in Latin. ]
MAIRE Tu es centurio in?in?in exercitu Britannico?9
YOLLAND Yes-yes? Go on?go on?say anything at all?I love the sound of your speech. MAIRE ?et es in castris quae?quae?quae sunt in agro'?[The futility of it.]?O my God. [YOLLAND smiles. He moves towards her. Now for her English words.] George?water. YOLLAND 'Water'? Water! Ohyes?water?water?verygood?water?good?
good. MAIRE Fire. YOLLAND Fire?indeed?wonderful?fire, fire, fire?splendid?splendid!
MAIRE Ah . . . ah . . . YOLLAND Yes? Go on. MAIRE Earth. YOLLAND 'Earth'? MAIRE Earth. Earth.
[YOLLAND still does not understand. MAIRE stoops down and picks up a handful of clay. Holding it out.]
Earth. YOLLAND Earth! Of course?earth! Earth. Earth. Good Lord, Maire, your
English is perfect! MAIRE [Eagerly.] What-what? YOLLAND Perfect English. English perfect. MAIRE George? YOLLAND That's beautiful?oh that's really beautiful. MAIRE George? YOLLAND Say it again?say it again? MAIRE Shhh. [She holds her hand up for silence?she is trying to remember
her one line of English. Now she remembers it and she delivers the line as if
9. You are a centurion in the British Army [Latin; 1. And you are in the camp in the field [Latin; Friel's note]. 'Centurion'; an officer in command Friel's note]. of a hundred soldiers.
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25 10 / NATION AND LANGUAGE
English were her language?easily, fluidly, conversationally.] George, in Norfolk we besport ourselves around the maypoll.
YOLLAND Good God, do you? That's where my mother comes from?Norfolk. Norwich actually. Not exactly Norwich town but a small village called Little Walsingham close beside it. But in our own village of Winfarthing we have a maypole too and every year on the first of May? [He stops abruptly, only now realising. He stares at her. She in turn misunderstands his excitement.]
MAIRE [To herself.] Mother of God, my Aunt Mary wouldn't have taught me something dirty, would she?
[Pause. YOLLAND extends his hand to MAIRE. She turns away from him and moves slowly across the
