_(Clitheroe sits down in the lounge, lig...

(Clitheroe sits down in the lounge, lights a cigarette, and looks thoughtfully into the fire. Nora takes things from the table, placing them on the chest of drawers. There is a pause, then she swiftly comes over to him and sits beside him.)

NORA (softly). A penny for them, Jack!

CLITHEROE. Me? Oh, I was thinkin’ of nothing.

NORA. You were thinkin’ of th’ . . . meetin’ . . . Jack. When we were courtin’ an’ I wanted you to go, you’d say, “Oh, to hell with meetin’s,” an’ that you felt lonely in cheerin’ crowds when I was absent. An’ we weren’t a month married when you began that you couldn’t keep away from them.

CLITHEROE. Oh, that’s enough about th’ meetin’. It looks as if you wanted me to go, th’ way you’re talkin’. You were always at me to give up th’ Citizen Army, an’ I gave it up ; surely that ought to satisfy you.

NORA. Ay, you gave it up — because you got th’ sulks when they didn’t make a Captain of you. It wasn’t for my sake, Jack.

CLITHEROE. For your sake or no, you’re benefitin’ by it, aren’t you? I didn’t forget this was your birthday, did I? (He puts his arms around her) And you liked your new hat; didn’t you, didn’t you?

(He kisses her rapidly several times)

NORA (panting). Jack, Jack; please, Jack! I thought you were tired of that sort of thing long ago.

CLITHEROE.Well, you’re finding out now that I amn’t tired of it yet, anyhow. Mrs. Clitheroe doesn’t want to be kissed, sure she doesn’t? (He kisses her again) Little, little red-lipped Nora!

NORA (coquettishly removing his arm from around her). Oh, yes, your little, little red-lipped Nora’s a sweet little girl when th’ fit seizes you; but your little, little red-lipped Nora has to clean your boots every mornin’, all the same.

CLITHEROE (with a movement of irritation). Oh, well, if we’re goin’ to be snotty!

(A pause)

NORA. It’s lookin’ like as if it was you that was goin’ to be . . . snotty! Bridlin’ up with bittherness, th’ minute a body attempts t’open her mouth.

CLITHEROE. Is it any wondher, turnin’ a tendher sayin’ into a meanin’ o’ malice an’ spite!

NORA. It’s hard for a body to be always keepin’ her mind bent on makin’ thoughts tha’ll be no longer than th’ length of your own satisfaction.

(A pause)

NORA (standing up). If we’re goin’ to dhribble th’ time away sitting’ here like a pair o’ cranky mummies, I’d be as well sewin’ or doin’ something about th’ place.

(She looks appealingly at him for a few moments; he doesn’t speak. She swiftly sits down beside him, and puts her arm around his neck.)

NORA (imploringly). Ah, Jack, don’t be so cross!

CLITHEROE (doggedly). Cross? I’m not cross; I’m not a bit cross. It was yourself started it.

NORA (coaxingly). I didn’t mean to say anything out o’ the way. You take a body up too quickly, Jack. (In an ordinary tone as if nothing of an angry nature had been said) You didn’t offer me me evenin’ allowance yet.

(Clitheroe silently takes out a cigarette for her and himself and lights both)

NORA (trying to make conversation). How quiet th’ house is now; they must all be out.

CLITHEROE (rather shortly). I suppose so.

NORA (rising from the seat). I’m longin’ to show you me new hat, to see what you think of it. Would you like to see it?

CLITHEROE. Ah, I don’t mind.

(Nora suppresses a sharp reply, hesitates for a moment, then gets the hat, puts it on, and stands before Clitheroe)

NORA. Well, how does Mr. Clitheroe like me new hat?

CLITHEROE. It suits you, Nora, it does right enough.

(He stands up, puts his hand beneath her chin, and tilts her head up. She looks at him roguishly. He bends down and kisses her)

NORA. Here, sit down, an’ don’t let me hear another cross word out of you for th’ rest o’ the night.

(They sit down)

CLITHEROE (with his arms around her). Little, little, red-lipped Nora!

NORA (with a coaxing movement of her body towards him). Jack!

CLITHEROE (tightening his arms around her). Well?

NORA. You haven’t sung me a song since our honeymoon. Sing me one now, do . . . please, Jack!

CLITHEROE. What song? “Since Maggie Went Away?”

NORA. Ah, no, Jack, not that; it’s too sad. “When You said You Loved Me.”

(Clearing his throat, Clitheroe thinks for a moment, and then begins to sing. Nora, putting an arm around him, nestles her head on his breast and listens delightedly)

CLITHEROE (singing verses following to the air of “When You and I Were Young, Maggie”)

Th’ violets were scenting th’ woods, Nora,

Displaying their charm to the’ bee,

When I first said I love’d only you, Nora,

An’ you said you lov’d only me!

Th’ chestnut blooms gleam’d through th’ glade, Nora,

A robin sang loud from a tree,

When I first said I love’d only you, Nora,

An’ you said you lov’d only me!

Th’ golden-rob’d daffodils shone, Nora,

An’ danc’d in th’ breeze on th’ lea,

When I first said I love’d only you, Nora,

An’ you said you lov’d only me!

Th’ trees, birds, an’ bees sang a song, Nora,

Of happier transports to be,

When I first said I love’d only you, Nora,

An’ you said you lov’d only me!

(Nora kisses him.)

(A knock is heard at the door, right; a pause as they listen. Nora clings closely to Clitheroe. Another kock, more imperative than the first)

CLITHEROE. I wonder who can that be, now?

NORA (a little nervous). Take not notice of it, Jack; they’ll go away in a minute.

(Another knock, followed by a voice)

VOICE: Commandant Clitheroe, Commandant Clitheroe, are you there? A message from General Jim Connolly.

CLITHEROE. Damn it, it’s Captain Brennan.

NORA (anxiously). Don’t mind him, don’t mind, Jack. Don’t break our happiness. . . . Pretend we’re not in. Let us forget everything to-night but our two selves!

CLITHEROE (reassuringly). Don’t be alarmed, darling; I’ll just see what he wants, an’ send him about his business.

NORA (tremulously). No no. Please, Jack; don’t open it. Please, for your own little Nora’s sake!

CLITHEROE (rising to open the door). No don’t be silly, Nora.

(Clitheroe opens door, and admits a young man in the full uniform of the Irish Citizen Army — green suit; slouch green hat caught up at one side by a small Red Hand badge; Sam Browne belt, with a revolver in the bolster. He carries a letter in his hand. When he comes in he smartly salutes Clitheroe. The young man is Captain Brennan.)

CAPT. BRENNAN (giving the letter to Clitheroe). A dispatch from General Connolly.

CLITHEROE (reading. While he is doing so, Brennan’s eyes are fixed on Nora, who droops as she sits on the lounge). “Commandant Clitheroe is to take command of the eighth battalion of the I.C.A. which will assemble to proceed to the meeting at nine o’clock. He is to see that all units are provided with full equipment; two day’s rations and fifty rounds of ammunitions. At two o’clock A.M. the army will leave Liberty Hall for a reconnaissance attack on Dublin Castle. — Comm.-Gen. Connolly.”

CLITHEROE. I don’t understand this. Why does General Connolly call me Commandant?

CAPT. BRENNAN. Th’ Staff appointed you Commandant, and th’ General agreed with their selection.

CLITHEROE. When did this happen?

CAPT. BRENNAN. A fortnight ago.

CLITHEROE. How is it that word was never sent to me?

CAPT. BRENNAN. Word was sent to you. . . . I meself brought it.

CLITHEROE. Who did you give it to, then?

CAPT. BRENNAN (after a pause). I think I gave it to Mrs. Clitheroe, there.

CLITHEROE. Nora, d’ye hear that?

(Nora makes no answer)

CLITHEROE (there is a note of hardness in his voice). Nora . . . Captain Brennan says he brought a letter to me from General Connolly, and that he gave it to you. . . . Where is it? What did you do with it?

NORA (running over to him, and pleadingly putting her arms around him). Jack, please, Jack, don’t go out to-night an’ I’ll tell you; I’ll explain everything. . . . Send him away, an’ stay with your own little red-lipp’d Nora.

CLITHEROE (removing her arms from around him). None o’ this nonsense, now; I want to know what you did with the letter?

(Nora goes slowly to the lounge and sits down)

CLITHEROE (angrily) Why didn’t you give me th’ letter? What did you do with it? . . . (He shakes her by the shoulder) What did you do with th’ letter?

NORA (flaming up). I burned it, I burned it! That’s what I did with it! Is General Connolly an’ th’ Citizen Army goin’ to be your only care? Is your home goin’ to be only a place to rest in? Am I goin’ to be only somethin’ to provide merry-makin’ at night for you? Your vanity’ll be th’ ruin of you an’ me yet. . . . That’s what’s movin’ you; because they’ve made an officer of you, you’ll make a glorious cause of what you’re doin’, while your little red-lipp’d Nora can go on sittin’ here, makin’ a companion of th’ loneliness of th’ night!

CLITHEROE (fiercely). You burned it, did you? (He grips her arm) Well, me good lady——

NORA. Let go — you’re hurtin’ me!

CLITHEROE. You deserve to be hurt. . . . Any letter that comes to me for th’ future, take care that I get it. . . . D’ye hear — take care that I get it!

(He goes to the chest of drawers and takes out a Sam Browne belt, which he puts on, and then puts a revolver in the holster. He puts on his hat, and looks towards Nora. While this dialogue is proceeding, and while Clitheroe prepares himself, Brennan softly whistles “The Soldiers’ Song”)

CLITHEROE (at the door, about to go out). You needn’t wait up for me; if I’m in at all, it won’t be before six in th’ morning.

NORA (bitterly). I don’t care if you never come back!

CLITHEROE (to Capt. Brennan). Come along, Ned.

(They go out; there is a pause. Nora pulls the new hat from her head and with a bitter movement flings it to the other end of the room.)

Sean O’Casey, The Plough and the Stars, George Braziller, 1954, pp. 183-190.