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THE FIRST ACT
17

Tony

Joe is sleepin’ with evra one.

Father McKee

That ain’t the point,

Tony

[Enlisting the shoe to help his gesticulation]: Oh, ees point all right, Padre. Joe is told me ’bout evrathing. I been lookin’ all ’round here at all da womans in dees parish. I been lookin’ evra place for twent’ mile. Ees no good womans for wife here. Joe is told me ’bout evra one. Den I’m gone to Napa for look all ’round dere an’ in Napa ees no better . . . ees just da same like here. So den I go down all da way to Frisco for look after wife an’ I find my Amy. She is like a rose, all wilt’, You puttin’ water on her an’ she come out most beautiful. I’m goin’ marry with my Amy, Padre, an’ I don’ marry with nobody else. She’s been tellin’ me she is no Cath’lic. I say, w’at I care? By an’ by, maybe, if we bein’ patient, we bringin’ her in da church, an’ showin’ her da candles and da Madonna, all fix up good with flowers and da big tin heart, an’ evrathing smellin’ so prett’ an’ you preachin’ verra loud an’ da music an’ evrathing, maybe . . . by an’ by. . . . [He turns again to hie shoe.] But now ees no matter. W’at I care?