"
ELLEN
You said that.
MATT
Ay. "Your other children went for less," said I; "do you think
there's no blood in me at all?"
ELLEN
What happened then?
MATT
"I'm your last son," I said; "keep your land and your twenty
years' purchase. I'm with the others; and it's poor your land will
leave you, and you without a son to bring down your name. A bit of
land, a house," said I; "do you think these will keep me here?"
ELLEN
I knew they could not keep you here, Matt. You have broken
from them at last; and now the world is before us. Think of all that
is before us--the sea, and the ships, the strange life, and the great
cities.
MATT
Ay--there before us--if we like.
ELLEN
Surely we like.
MATT
I was always shy of crowds. I'm simple, after all, Ellen, and
have no thought beyond the land.
ELLEN
You said that house and land could not keep you. You told him you
were going as your brothers went.
MATT
And I felt I was going. I frightened him. He'll be glad to see me
back. It will be long before he treats me that way again.
ELLEN
_(suddenly)_ Matt!
MATT
What is it, Ellen?
ELLEN
I don't know--I was upset--thinking of the quarrel _(putting her
hands on his shoulders)_ My poor Matt. It was about me you quarrelled.
MATT
Ay, he spoke against you. I couldn't put up with that.
ELLEN
He does not know your high spirit.
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