Read Online The Field by John B. Keane - Free Book Online

satisfy this hunger. Are you prepared to go to the point of robbery? Are you prepared to go to the point of murder? Are you prepared to kill for land? Was this man killed for land? Did he give his life’s blood for a field? If so, that field will be a field of blood and it will be paid for in thirty pieces of silver – the price of Christ’s betrayal – and you, by your silence will share in that betrayal.
    Among you there is a murderer! You may even know his name, you may even have seen him commit this terrible crime – through your silence, you share his guilt, your innocent children will grow up under the shadow of this terrible crime, and you will carry this guilt with you until you face your Maker at the moment of judgement …
    If you are afraid to go to the police, then come to your priests, or come to me. And if there is one man among you – one man made after Christ’s likeness – he will stand up and say: ‘There! There he is! There is the murderer!’ And that man will have acknowledged Christ before men and Christ will acknowledge him before His Father in Heaven. But if you, by your silence, deny Christ before men, He will disown you in Heaven, and I, as His representative, will have a solemn duty to perform. I will place this parish under interdict and then there will be a silence more terrible than the first. The church bell will be silent: the Mass bell will not be heard; the voice of the confessional will be stilled and in your last moment will be the most dreadful silence of all for you will go to face your Maker without the last sacrament on your lips … and all because of your silence now. In God’s name, I beg of you to speak before it is too late. ‘I am the way, says Christ, and the truth. Do not be afraid of those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather, be afraid of him who can destroy both body and soul in hell.’
    In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.
Scene 3
    [Action takes place in the bar of Mick Flanagan’s public house.
    The time is evening, five days later.
    Present are Mick Flanagan, the Bull McCabe, his son, Tadhg, the Bird O’Donnell, Maggie Butler and Dandy McCabe.
    Mick Flanagan stands behind the counter.
    The Bull McCabe is in process of counting money which is being accepted by Mick]
    Bull: [Counting at table] £310 … £320 … £330 … £340 … £350 [To Maggie] Now, no one can say you didn’t get a fair price. [To Mick] I’ll have a receipt for that.
    Mick: I have it here for you.
    [Mick locates a receipt book and commences to write. The Bull accepts. Mick takes the money and goes to Maggie. He puts money in Maggie’s lap, while all stand around]
    Mick: Here’s your money. ’Tis all there, every penny of £350. It’s a fine bundle of notes.
    Bull: Honest got and honest given … and now, Mick Flanagan, fill a drink for the house.
    [Mick goes behind bar]
    Bird: A drop of whiskey for me.
    Dandy: A jigger o’ rum.
    Bull: Give ’em whatever they want. ’Tisn’t everyday that this class o’ money makes an appearance.
    Bird: ’Tis a high pile o’ money. You’re blessed with luck in the decent man you met, Mrs Butler.
    Maggie: I have the money taken now and there’s no more to be said.
    Tadhg: ’Tis a fair exchange, considering.
    Maggie: So you say, but there’s many that think that £800 would have been fairer.
    Bull: All gossip … nothing but jealous gossip by nosey neighbours who couldn’t pay for the site of a sit-down lavatory, not to mind a field. They’re great warrants to talk but when it comes to forkin’ out the cash, where are they? I am the man with the money – hard-earned and got fair – and I’m not ashamed to say, ’twas the last penny I possessed.
    Tadhg: ’Twas every half-penny we owned and we had to flog five heifers to put it