TEMPORAL POWERS
But, sure, that is good, Michael … Min is that queer now it might be she wouldn’t go with you. MICHAEL: Then she would be made to. Do you think I could live without her? (They hear a movement outside.) MAGGIE: I think it is Ned. MICHAEL: With him out of gaol now, you’ll have more trouble. MAGGIE: No use thinking of that. Yourself we must think of, and how you’ll get on. MICHAEL: I’ll go down with you now. I must see Jim Slattery. (They go out. NED COONEY steps in over the low wall at the window gap. He looks all round, then drags a large stone to the wall, just beneath the empty hole, stands on this, and is searching the hole when MIN appears at the gap. She watches him, amazed.) NED: (Muttering.) Gone! Nabbed! (Turns, sees MIN. They stare at each other for a moment in silence.) MIN: It was you! You put it there! NED: (Springing at her.) Where is it? (Catching her.) Where have you it put?
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NED: Not as safe as he’d think! Where is he gone? MIN: Wait a minute— NED: Do you think I’m going to let that money slip? MIN: No good rising a noise … and the lot of them below … Moses Barron and Jim Slattery and all. If we could get it quiet, though … NED: (Drawing up to her.) So, will we wait here till he’ll come up? MIN: If he’d shout, they’d be up here in a minute … but I was thinking … NED: Well? What? What? (Very close to her.) MIN: (Drawing away, antagonistic.) And so it is you put it there! I dunno where did you get it? NED: Mind your business! MIN: (With a laugh.) I wouldn’t care if it was from the Post Office aself! Now, the best time to get it would be and he asleep … NED: Ah-a! (Approving.)
MIN: He took it! Michael did! Wouldn’t give me any.
MIN: (Antagonistic.) And only myself could do that.
NED: (Turning to go.) He won’t have it long!
NED: But if he’d wake, you might be worse off than before … save I was waiting around to help when you’d want.
MIN: No good! Father O’Brien have it now! NED: What? MIN: If Father O’Brien is away, it might be on Michael yet. NED: We’ll see is it. MIN: Keeping it safe for the priest he is! (Angrily.)
MIN: I am making no plans, Ned Cooney! NED: (Mincing.) You are not! ’Tis I am planning … p lanning what we’d share … and how you could hide it away and tell Mick I took all. Ned Cooney is hunted already … you could say what you’d like. MIN: Are you going now?