id="id00362">PADNA (looking at Micus)
Of course we do.

HEAD
An' do ye know that this is Sunday night an' that
I'm the Head Constable, an' that one o' these min
here is the Sergeant an' the other is the Constable?

PADNA (buttons his coat and looks defiantly at them)
An' do ye know that I'm Padna Sweeney from Clashbeg?

MICUS (also buttons his coat and looks aggressively at
Head)
An' that I'm his old pal Micus Goggin from Castleclover?

PADNA (as he staggers)
Don't mind him, Micus. He's drunk.

HEAD
What's that you're sayin'? Who's drunk?

PADNA
Be jaikus, ye're all drunk.

MICUS
Come on away home, Padna, an' don't mind them.
They're a bad lot.

PADNA
The smell o' drink from 'em is awful.

MICUS
'Tis disgustin'. I wouldn't be seen in their company.
Padna. Come on away.

HEAD (to Sergeant and Constable)
Arrest these min!

PADNA
Do ye hear that, Micus?

MICUS (opening his coat)
I do, but I won't be insulted be the likes o' them.

PADNA (opening his coat also)
Nayther will I!

HEAD (indignantly)
Why don't ye arrest these min, I say?

PADNA and MICUS (together) Arrest us, is it? (They take off their coats, throw them on the ground, and take their stand like pugilists) Come on, now, and arrest us!

PADNA
I'll take the best man.

MICUS
An' I'll take the lot.

[The police try to arrest them, and a desperate struggle ensues. The police lose their caps and belts, but eventually succeed in overpowering them.

MRS. COTTER (rushes to the rescue) O boys, for my sake, an' for the sake o' ye'r wives an' families, have no crossness but lave the house quietly.

PADNA (as he struggles with the Sergeant) Don't fret, ma'am. We'll have no crossness. All we want is to wipe the police from the face o' the earth altogether.

MICUS
That's all. We'll have no crossness.

[Handcuffs are placed on Micus and Padna.

HEAD (shouts)
Take these min to the Barrack.

[They struggle violently, and sing as they leave the house.

PADNA and MICUS (together)
"When boyhood's fire was in my blood,
  I read of ancient freemen
For Grace and Rome who bravely stood,
  Three hundred men and three men.
And then I prayed I yet might see
  Our fetters rent in twain,
And Ireland, long a province, be
  A Nation once again."

[Mrs. Cotter follows them to the door, and while the Head is alone, he writes in his notebook, talking aloud as he does so.

HEAD "Found drunk an' disorderly on the licensed premises o' Mrs. Cotter, Ballyferris, during prohibited hours. Using bad an' offensive language. Resistin' arrest, assaultin' the police, an' doin' sayrious damage to their garments. Singin' songs of a nature likely to cause rebellion an' threatenin' to exterminate the whole Royal Irish Constabulary." (Places book back in pocket)

[There is a little whiskey in each of the three glasses that were placed on the mantleshelf. The Head pours

the contents of each into one and drinks it before Mrs. Cotter returns. Enter Mrs. Cotter.

MRS. COTTER Oh, Head, you won't be hard on a lone widow, will ye? Don't prosecute thim poor min. Sure, they have done no more harm than y'erselves.

HEAD (as he stands at door)
Mrs. Cotter, ma'am! I'm surprised at you.

MRS. COTTER
For what, Head?

HEAD To think that you'd dare attempt to interfere with me in the discharge o' me duty!

MRS. COTTER DUTY!

CURTAIN

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