這部份是描寫安琪拉的兩個表姐到地下酒巴找 Malachy﹐要他跟安琪拉成婚。其中的


對話寫得很有趣。





(2007-02-18)                        














【附錄原文】





Steps they took. With Jimmy and Tommy in tow they marched to the speakeasy on 


Atlantic Avenue where Malachy could be found on Friday, payday when he had a job. 


The man in the speak, Joey Cacciamani, did not want to admit the sisters but 


Philomena told him that if he wanted to keep the nose on his face and that door on 


its hinges he’d better open up for they were there on God’s business. Joey said, 


Awright, awright, you Irish. Jeezoz! Trouble, trouble.





Malachy, at the far end of the bar, turned pale, gave the great-breasted ones a sickly 


smile, offered them a drink. They resisted the smile and spurned the offer. Delia said, 


We don’t know what class of a tribe you come from in the North of Ireland.





Philomena said, There is a suspicion you might have Presbyterians in your family, 


which would explain what you did to our cousin.





Jimmy said, Ah, now, ah, now. 'Tisn’t his fault if there’s Presbyterians in his family.





Delia said, You shuddup.





Tommy had to join in. What you did to that poor unfortunate girl is a disgrace to 


the Irish race and you should be ashamed of yourself.





Och, I am, said Malachy. I am.





Nobody asked you to talk, said Philomena. You done enough damage with your 


blather, so shut your yap.





And while your yap is shut, said Delia, we’re here to see you do the right thing by 


our poor cousin, Angela Sheehan.





Malachy said, Och, indeed, indeed. The right thing is the right thing and I’d be glad 


to buy you all a drink while we have this little talk.





Take the drink, said Tommy, and shove it up your ass.





Philomena said, Our little cousin no sooner gets off the boat than you are at her. 


We have morals in Limerick, you know, morals. We’re not like jackrabbits from 


Antrim, a place crawling with Presbyterians.





Jimmy said, He don’t look like a Presbyterian.





You shuddup, said Delia.





Another thing we noticed, said Philomena. You have a very odd manner.





Malachy smiled. I do?





You do, says Delia. I think ’tis one of the first things we noticed about you, that 


odd manner, and it gives us a very uneasy feeling.





'Tis that sneaky little Presbyterian smile, said Philomena.





Och, said Malachy, it’s just the trouble I have with my teeth.





Teeth or no teeth, odd manner or no odd manner, you’re gonna marry that girl, 


said Tommy. Up the middle aisle you’re going.





Och, said Malachy, I wasn’t planning to get married, you know. There’s no work 


and I wouldn’t be able to support …





Married is what you’re going to be, said Delia.





Up the middle aisle, said Jimmy.





You shuddup, said Delia.