Image from Wikimedia
Yes, the newspapers were right: snow was general all over Ireland. It was falling on every part of the dark central plain, on the treeless hills, falling softly upon the Bog of Allen and, farther westward, softly falling into the dark mutinous Shannon waves. It was falling, too, upon every part of the lonely churchyard on the hill where Michael Furey lay buried.
– James Joyce, The Dead (1914)
TIME AND PLACE
The present: A well-appointed, well-lit room in Robbie and Kayleigh O’Ryan’s New England home. It might be a first-floor library or study – there are enough books around.
The past: 1904, Dublin, Ireland.
CHARACTERS
ROBBIE O’RYAN, later in life.
KAYLEIGH (“Kate”) O’RYAN (Robbie’s wife), later in life.
Snow is falling outside.
ROBBIE and KAYLEIGH are comfortably seated inside.
ROBBIE
[softly] Kate …?
KAYLEIGH
Yes, Robbie.
ROBBIE
Read to me. You know: My favorite story. Read it to me, please…. Some of it.
KAYLEIGH picks up a book on the table beside her and opens it to the place marked by a red ribbon.
She reads:
KAYLEIGH
[reading] Gabriel had not gone to the door with the others. He was in a dark part of the hall gazing up the staircase. A woman was standing near the top of the first flight, in the shadow also. He could not see her face but he could see the terracotta and salmon-pink panels of her skirt which the shadow made appear black and white. It was his wife. She was leaning on the banisters, listening to something. Gabriel was surprised at her stillness and strained his ear to listen also. But he could hear little save the noise of laughter and dispute on the front steps, a few chords struck on the piano and a few notes of a man’s voice singing.