天涯在线书库《www.tianyabook.com》 《The Countess Cathleen》 To MAUD GONNE "The sorrowful are dumb for thee" Lament of Morio?n Shehone for Miss Mary Bourke SHEMUS RUA, A Peasant MARY, His Wife TEIG, His Son ALEEL, A Poet THE TESS CAT９9ｌiｂ?t>HLEEN OONA, Her Foster Mother Two Demons disguised as Merts Peasants, Servants, Angelical Beings, Spirits The Se is laid in Ireland and? in old times. SCENE 1 THE TESS CATHLEEN SE??A room with lighted fire, and a door into the open air, through whie sees, perhaps, the trees of a wood, and these trees should be painted in flat colour upon a gold or diapered sky. The walls are of one colour. The se should have the effeissal Painting. MARY, a woman of forty years or so, is grinding a quern. MARY. What have made the grey hen flutter so? (TEIG, a boy of fourteen, is ing in with turf, which he lays beside the hearth.) TEIG. They say that now the land is famiruck The graves are walking. MARY. There is something that the hen hears. TEIG. And that is not the worst; at Tubber?vanach A woma a man with ears spread out, And they moved up and down like a bats wing. MARY. What have kept your father all this while? TEIG. Two nights ago, at Carrick?orus churchyard, A herdsma a man who had no mouth, Nor eyes, nor ears; his face a wall of flesh; He saw him plainly by the light of the moon. MARY. Look out, and tell me if your fathers ing. (TEIG goes to door.) TEIG. Mother! MARY. What is it? TEIG. In the bush beyond, There are two birds??if you call them birds?? I could not see them rightly for the leaves. But theyve the shape and colour of horned owls And Im half certain theyve a human face. MARY. Mother of God, defend us! TEIG. Theyre looking at me. What is the good of praying? father says. God and the Mother of God have dropped asleep. What do they care, he says, though the whole land Squeal like a rabbit under a weasels tooth? MARY. Youll bring misfortuh your blasphemies Upon your father, or yourself, or me. I would to God he were home??ah, there he is. (SHEMUS es in.) What was it kept you in the wood? You know I ot get all sorts of acts Out of my mind till you are home again. SHEMUS. Im in no mood to listen to your clatter. Although I tramped the woods for half a day, Ive taken nothing, for the very rats, Badgers, and hedgehogs seem to have died ht, And there was scarce a wind in the parched leaves. TEIG. Then you have brought no dinner. SHEMUS. After that I sat among the beggars at the cross?roads, And held a hollow hand among the others. MARY. What, did you beg? SHEMUS. I had no ce to beg, For when the beggars saw me they cried out They would not have another share their alms, And hunted me away with sticks and stones. TEIG. You said that you would bring us food or money. SHEMUS. Whats in the house? TEIG. A bit of mouldy bread. MARY. Theres flour enough to make another loaf. TEIG. And when thats gone? MARY. There is the hen in the coop. SHEMUS. My curse upon the beggars, my Curse upon them! TEIG. And the last penny gone. SHEMUS. When the hens gone, What we do but live on sorrel and dock) And dandelion, till our mouths are green? MARY. God, that to this hours found bit and sup, Will cater for us still. SHEMUS. His kits bare. There were five doors that I looked through this day And saw the dead and not a soul to wake them. MARY. Maybe Hed have us die because He knows, When the ear is stopped and when the eye is stopped, That every wicked sight is hid from the eye, And all fool talk from the ear. SHEMUS. Whos passing there? And mog us with music? (A stringed instrument without.) TEIG. A young man plays it, Theres an old woman and a lady with him. SHEMUS. What is the trouble of the poor to her? Nothing at all or a harsh radishy sauce For the days meat. MARY. Gods pity on the rich, Had we been through as many doors, and seen The dishes standing on the polished wood In the wax dle light, wed be as hard, And theres the needles eye at the end of all, SHEMUS. My curse upon the rich. TEIG. Theyre ing here. SHEMUS. Then down upon that stool, down quick, I say, And call up a whey fad a whining voice, A your head be bowed upon your knees, MARY. Had I but time to put the place thts. (CATHLEEN, OONA, and ALEEL enter.) CATHLEEN. God save all here. There is a certain house, An old grey castle with a kit garden, A cider orchard and a plot for flowers, Somewhere among these woods. MARY. We know it, lady. A place ９９ｌiｂ?hats set among impassable walls As though worlds trouble could not find it out. CATHLEEN. It may be that we are that trouble, for we?? Although weve wandered in the wood this hour?? Have lost it too, yet I should know my way, For I lived all my childhood in that house. MARY. Then you are tess Cathleen? CATHLEEN. And this woman, Oona, my nurse, should have remembered it, For we were happy for a long time there. OONA. The paths are rown with thickets now, Or else some ge has e upon my sight. CATHLEEN. And this young man, that should have known the woods?? Because we met him on their border but now, Wandering and singing like a wave of the sea?? Is so ed up in dreams of terrors to e That he give no help. MARY. You have still some way, But I put you orodden path Your servants take when they are marketing. But first sit down a yourself awhile, For my old fathers served your fathers, lady, Lohan books tell??and it were strange If you and yours should not be wele here. CATHLEEN. And it were straill were I ungrateful For such kind wele but I must be gone, For the nights gathering in. SHEMUS. It is a long while Since Ive set eyes on bread or on what buys it. CATHLEEN. So you are starving even in this wood, Where I had thought I would find nothing ged. But thats a dream, for the old worm o the world eat its way into lace it pleases. (She gives money.) TEIG. Beautiful lady, give me something too; I fell but now, being weak with hunger and thirst, And lay upohreshold like a log. CATHLEEN. I gave for all and that was all I had. Look, my purse is empty. I have passed By starving men and women all this day, And they have had the rest; but take the purse, The silver clasps ont may be worth a trifle. But if youll e to?morrow to my house You shall have twice the sum. (ALEEL begins to play.) SHEMUS (muttering). What, music, music! CATHLEEN. Ah, do not blame the finger oring; The doctors bid me fly the unlucky times And find distra for my thoughts, or else Pio my grave. SHEMUS. I have said nothing, lady. Why should the like of us plain? OONA. Have done. Sorrows that shes but read of in a book Weigh on her mind as if they had been her own. (OONA, MARY, and CATHLEEN go Out. ALEEL looks defiantly at SHEMUS.) ALEEL. (Singing) Impetuous heart, be still, be still, Your sorrowful love ever be told, Cover it up with a loune, He that could bend all things to His will Has covered the door of the infinite fold With the pale stars and the wandering moon. (He takes a step towards the door and then turns again.) Shut to the door before the night has fallen, For who say what walks, or in what shape Some devilish creature flies in the air, but now Two grey?horned owls hooted above our heads. (He goes out, his singing dies away. MARY es in. SHEmus has been ting the money.) TEIG. Theres no good lu owls, but it may be That the ill lucks to fall upon their heads. MARY. You hanked her ladyship. SHEMUS. Thank her, For seven halfpend a silver bit? TEIG. But for this empty purse? SHEMUS. Whats that for thanks, Or whats the double of it that she promised? With bread and flesh and every sort of food Up to a prian has heard the like of And rising every day. MARY. We have all she had; She emptied out the purse before our eyes. SHEMUS (to MARY, who has goo close the door) Leave that door open. MARY. When those that have read books, Ahe seven wonders of the world, Fear whats above or whats below the ground, Its time that poverty should bolt the door. SHEMUS. Ill have no bolts, for there is not a thing That walks above the ground or u I had not rather wele to this house Than any more of mankind, rich or poor. TEIG. So that they brought us money. SHEMUS. I heard say Theres something that appears like a white bird, A pigeon or a seagull or the like, But if you hit it with a stone or a stick It gs as though it had been made of brass; And that if you dig down where it was scratg Youll find a crock of gold. TEIG. But dream of gold For three nights running, and theres always gold. SHEMUS. You might be starved before youve dug it out. TEIG. But maybe if you called, something would e, They have been seen of late. MARY. Is it call devils? Call devils from the wood, call them in here? SHEMUS. So youd stand up against me, and youd say Who or what I am to wele here. (He hits her.) That is to show whos master. TEIG. Call them in. MARY. God help us all! SHEMUS. Pray, if you have a mind to. its little that the sleepy ears above Care for your words; but Ill call what９９ｌib? I please. TEIG. There is many a ohey say, had money from them. SHEMUS. (at door) Whatever you are that walk the woods at night, So be it that you have not shouldered up Out of a grave??for Ill have nothing human?? And have free hands, a friendly trick of speech, I wele you. e, sit beside the fire. What matter if your heads below your arms Or youve a horses tail to whip your flank, Feathers instead of hair, thats but a straw, e, share what bread a is in the house, And stretch your heels and warm them in the ashes. And after that, lets share and share alike And curse all men and women. e in, e in. What, is there no ohere? (Turning from door) Ahey say They are as on as the grass, and ride Even upon the book in the priests hand. (TEIG lifts one arm slooints toward the door and begins moving backwards. SHEMUS turns, he also sees something and begins moving backward. MARY does the same. A man dressed as an Eastern mert es in carrying a small carpet. He unrolls it and sits cross?legged at one end of it. Another man dressed in the same way follows, and sits at the other end. This is done slowly and deliberately. When they are seated they take money out of embroidered purses at their girdles and begin arranging it on the carpet. TEIG. You speak to them. SHEMUS. No, you. TEIG. Twas you that called them. SHEMUS. (ing nearer) Id make so bold, if you would pardon it, To ask if theres a thing youd have of us. Although we are but poor people, if there is, Why, if there is?? FIRST MERT. Weve travelled a long road, For we are merts that must tramp the world, And now we look for supper and a fire And a safe er to t money in. SHEMUS. I thought you were .... but thats no matter now?? There had been words between my wife and me Because I said I would be master here, And ask in what I pleased or who I pleased And so. . . . but that is nothing to the point, Because its certain that you are but merts. FIRST MERT. We t99lｉb?ravel for the Master of all merts. SHEMUS. Yet if you were that I had thought but now Id wele you no less. Be what you please And youll have supper at the market rate, That means that what was sold for but a penny Is now worth fifty. (MERTS begin putting money on carpet.) FIRST MERT. Our Master bids us pay So good a price, that all who deal with us Shall eat, drink, and be merry. SHEMUS. (to MARY) Bestir yourself, Go kill and draw the fowl, while Teig and I Lay out the plates and make a better fire. MARY. I will not cook for you. SHEMUS. Not cook! not cook! Do not be angry. She wants to pay me back Because I struck her in that argument. But shell get sense again. Sihe dearth came We rattle one on another as though we were Khrown into a basket to be ed. MARY. I will not cook for you, because I know In what unlucky shape you sat but now Outside this door. TEIG. Its this, your honours: Because of some wild words my father said She thinks you are not of those who cast a shadow. SHEMUS. I said Id make the devils of the wood Wele, if theyd a mind to eat and drink; But it is certain that you are men like us. FIRST MERT. Its strahat she should think we cast no shadow, For there is nothing on the ridge of the world Thats more substantial than the merts are That buy and sell you. MARY. If you are not demons, And seeing what great wealth is spread out there, Give food or moo the starving poor. FIRST MERT. If we knew how to find deserving poor Wed do our share. MARY. But seek them patiently. FIRST MERT. We know the evils of mere charity. MARY. Those scruples may befit a on time. I had thought there ushing to and fro, At times like this, that overset the scale And trampled measure down. FIRST MERT. But if already Wed thought of a more prudent way than that? SEERT. If eae brings a bit of merdise, Well give him such a price he never dreamt of. MARY. Where shall the starving e at merdise? FIRST MERT. We will ask nothing but what all men have. MARY. Their swine and cattle, fields and implements Are sold and gone. FIRST MERT. They have not sold all yet. For theres a vaporous thing??that may be nothing, But thats the buyers risk??a sed self, They call immortal for a storys sake. SHEMUS. You e to buy our souls? TEIG. Ill barter mine. Why should we starve for what may be but nothing? MARY. Teig and Shemus?? SHEMUS. What it be but nothing? What has God poured out of His bag but famine? Satan gives money. TEIG. Yet no thuirs. FIRST MERT. There is a heap for each. (SHEMUS goes to take money.) But no, not yet, For theres a work I have to set you to. SHEMUS. So then youre as deceitful as the rest, And all that talk of buying whats but a vapour Is fancy bred. I might have known as much, Because thats how the trick?o?the?loop man talks. FIRST MERT. Thats for the work, each has its separate price; But her price is paid till the works done. TEIG. The same for me. MARY. Oh, God, why are you still? FIRST MERT. Youve but to cry aloud at every cross?road, At every house door, that we buy mens souls, And give so good a price that all may live In mirth and fort till the famines done, Because we are Christian men. SHEMUS. e, lets away. TREIG> I shall keep running till Ive earhe price. SEERT. (who has risen and goowards fire) Stop, for we obey a generous Master, That would be served by fortable men. And heres your eai on the road. (TRIG and SHEMUS have stopped. TEIG takes the mohey go out.) MARY. Destroyers of souls, God will destroy you quickly. You shall at last dry like dry leaves and hang Nailed like dead vermin to the doors of God. SEERT. Curse to your fill, for saints will have their dreams. FIRST MERTm Though were but vermin that our Master sent To overrun the world, he at the end Shall pull apart the pale ribs of the moon And quench the stars in the aral night. MARY., God is all powerful. SEERT. Pray, you shall need Him. You shall eat dod grass, and dandelion, Till that low threshold there bees a wall, And when your hands scarcely drag your body We shall be near you. (MARY faints.) (The FIRST MERT takes up the carPet, spreads it before the fire and stands in front of it warming his hands.) FIRST MERT. Our faces go unscratched, For she has fainted. Wring the neck o that fowl, Scatter the flour and search the shelves for bread. Well turn the fowl upon the spit and roast it, Ahe supper we were bidden to, Now that the house is quiet, praise our master, And stretd warm .our heels among the ashes. END OF SE 1 SCENE 2 A wood with perhaps distant view of turreted house at one side, but all in flat colour, without light and shade and against a diafiered old background. TESS CATHLEEN es in leaning UpOn ALEELs arm. OONA follows them. CATHLEEN. (Stopping) Surely this leafy er, where one smells The wild bees honey, has a story too? OONA. There is the house at last. ALEEL. A man, they say, Loved Maeve the Queen of all the invisible host, And died of his love nine centuries ago. And now, when the moons riding at the full, She leaves her dancers lonely and lies there Upon that level place, and for three days Stretches and sighs as her long pale cheeks. CATHLEEN. So she loves truly. ALEEL. No, but wets her cheeks, Lady, because she has fot his name. CATHLEEN. Shed sleep that trouble away??though it must be A heavy trouble tet his name?? If she had better sense. OONA. Your own house, lady. ALEEL. She sleeps high up on wintry Knoa?rea In an old of stones; while her poor women Must lie and jog in the wave if they would sleep Being water bor if she cry their names They run up on the land and ..dan the moon Till they are giddy and would love as men do, And be as patient and as pitiful. But there is nothing that will stop in their heads, Theyve suemories, though they weep for it. Oh, yes, they weep; thats when the moon is full. CATHLEEN. is it because they have short memories They live so long? ALEEL. Whats memory but the ash That chokes our fires that have begun to sink? And theyve a dizzy, everlasting fire. OONA. There is your own house, lady. CATHLEEN. Why, thats true, And wed have passed it without notig. ALEEL. A curse upon it for a meddlesome house! Had it but stayed away I would have known What Queehinks ohe moon is pinched; And whether now??as in the old days??the dancers Set their brief love on men. OONA. Rest on my arm. These are no thoughts for any Christian ear. ALEEL. I am younger, she would be too heavy for you. (He begins taking his lute out of the bag, CATHLEEN, Who has turowards OONA, turns ba.) This hollow box remembers every foot That danced upon the level grass of the world, And will tell secrets if I whisper to it. (Sings.) Lift up the white knee; Thats what they sing, Those young dancers That in a ring Raved but now Of the hearts that break Long, long ago For their sake. OONA. New friends are sweet. ALEEL. "But the dance ges. Lift up the gown, All that sorrow Is trodden down." OONA. The empty rattle?pate! Lean on this arm, That I tell you is a christened arm, And not like some, if we are to judge by speech. But as you please. It is time I was fot. Maybe it is not on this arm you slumbered When you were as helpless as a worm. ALEEL. Stay with me till we e to your own house. CATHLEEN (Sitting down) When I am rested I will need no help. ALEEL. I thought to have kept her from remembering The evil of the times for full ten minutes; But now when seve you e between. OONA. Talk on; what does it matter what you say, For you have not been christened? ALEEL. Old woman, old woman, You robbed her of three minutes peaind, And though you live unto a hundred years, And wash the feet of beggars and give alms, And climb Croaghpatrick, you shall not be pardoned. OONA. How does a man who never was baptized Know what Heaven pardons? ALEEL. You are a sinful woman OONA. I care no more than if a pig had grunted. (Enter CATHLEENs Steward.) STEWARD. I am not to blame, for I had locked the gate, The foresters to blame. The men climbed in At the east er where the elm?tree is. CATHLEEN. I do not uand you, who has climbed? STEWARD. Then God be thanked, I am the first to tell you. I was afraid some other of the servants?? Though Ive been och??had been the first And mixed up truth and lies, your ladyship. CATHLEEN (rising) Has some misfortune happened? STEWARD. Yes, indeed. The forester that let the branches lie Against the walls to blame for everything, For that is how the rogues got into the garden. CATHLEEN. I thought to have escaped misfortune here. Has any one been killed? STEWARD. Oh, no, not killed. They have stolen half a cart?load of green cabbage. CATHLEEN. But maybe they were starving. STEWARD. That is certain. To rob or starve, that was the choice they had. CATHLEEN. A learheologian has laid down That starving men may take whats necessary, A be sinless. OONA. Sinless and a thief There should be broken bottles on the wall. CATHLEEN. And if it be a sin, while faiths unbroken God ot help but pardon. There is no soul But its unlike all others in the world, Nor o lifts a strao Gods love Till thats grown infinite, and therefore none Whose loss were less than irremediable Although it were the wickedest in the world. (EEIG and SHEMUS.) STEWARD. What are you running for? Pull off your cap, Do you not see whos there? SHEMUS. I ot wait. I am running to the world with the best news That has been brought it for a thousand years. STEWARD. The your breath and speak. SHEMUS. If youd my news Youd run as fast and be as out of breath. TEIG. Suews, we shall be carried on mens shoulders. SHEMUS. Theres something every man has carried with him And thought no more about than if it were A mouthful of the wind; and now its grown A marketable thing! TEIG. A seemed As useless as the paring of ones nails. SHEMUS. What sets me laughing when I think of it, Is that a rogue whos lain in lousy straw, If he but sell it, may set up his coach. TEIG. (laughing) There are two gentlemen who buy mens souls. CATHLEEN. O God! TEIG. And maybe theres no soul at all. STEWARD. Theyre drunk or mad. TEIG. Look at the price they give. (Showing money.) SHEMUS. (tossing up money) "Go cry it all about the world," they said. "Money for souls, good money for a soul." CATHLEEN. Give twid thrid twenty times their money, A your souls again. I will pay all. SHEMUS. Not we! not we! For souls??if there are souls?? But keep the flesh out of its merriment. I shall be drunk and merry. TEIG. e, lets away. (He goes.) CATHLEEN. But theres a world to e. SHEMUS. And if there is, Id rather trust myself into the hands That pay money down than to the hands That have but shaken famine from the bag. (He goes Out R.) (lilting) "Theres money for a soul, sweet yellow money. Theres money for mens souls, good money, money." CATHLEEN. (to ALEEL) Go call them here again, bring them by force, Beseech them, bribe, do anything you like; (ALEEL goes.) And you too follow, add your prayers to his. (OONA, who has been praying, goes out.) Steward, you know the secrets of my house. How much have I? STEWARD. A hundred kegs of gold. CATHLEEN. How much have I in castles? STEWARD. As much more. CATHLEEN. How much have I in pasture? STEWARD. As much more. CATHLEEN. How much have I in forests? STEWARD. As much more. CATHLEEN. Keeping this house alone, sell all I have, Go barter where you please, but e again With herds of cattle and with ships of meal. STEWARD. Gods blessing light upon your ladyship. You will have saved the land. CATHLEEN. Make no delay. (He goes L.) (ALEEL and OOurn) CATHLEEN. They have not e; speak quickly. ALEEL. One drew his knife And said that he would kill the man or woman That stopped his way; and when I would have stopped him He made this stroke at me; but it is nothing. CATHLEEN. You shall be tended. From this day for ever Ill have no joy or sorrow of my own. OONA. Their eyes shone like the eyes of birds of prey. CATHLEEN. e, follow me, for the earth burns my feet Till I have ged my house to such a refuge That the old and ailing, and all weak of heart, May escape from beak and claw; all, all, shall e Till the walls burst and the roof fall on us. From this day out I have nothing of my own. (She goes.) OONA (taking ALEEL by the arm and as she speaks bandaging his wound) She has found something now to put her hand to, And you and I are of no more at Than flies upon a window?pane in the winter. (They go out.) END OF SE 2. SCENE 3 Hall in the house of TESS CATHLEEN. At the Left an oratory with steps leading up to it. At the Right a tapestried wall, more or less repeating the form of the oratory, and a great chair with its back against the wall. In the tre are two or more arches through whie see dimly the trees of the garden. CATHLEEN is kneeling in front of the altar in the oratory; there is a hanging lighted lamp over the altar. ALEEL enters. ALEEL. I have e to bid you leave this castle and fly Out of these woods. CATHLEEN. What evil is there here? That is not everywhere from this to the sea? ALEEL. They who have sent me walk invisible. CATHLEEN. So it is true what I have heard men say, That you have seen and heard what others ot. ALEEL. I was asleep in my bed, and while I slept My dream became a fire; and in the fire One walked and he had birds about his head. CATHLEEN. I have heard that one of the old gods walked so. ALEEL. It may be that he is angelical; And, lady, he bids me call you from these woods. And you must bring but your old foster?mother, And some few serving men, and live in the hills, Among the sounds of musid the light Of waters, till the evil days are done. For here some terrible death is waiting you, Some unimagined evil, some great darkness That fable has not dreamt of, nor sun nor moon Scattered. CATHLEEN. No, not angelical. ALEEL. This house You are to leave with some old trusty man, And bid him shelter all that starve or wander While there is food and house room. CATHLEEN. He bids me go Where none of mortal creatures but the swan Dabbles, and there you would pluck the harp, wherees Had made a heavy shadow about our door, And talk among the rustling of the reeds, When night huhe foolish sun away With stillness and pale tapers. No?no?no! I ot. Although I weep, I do not weep Because that life would be most happy, and here I find no way, no end. Nor do I weep Because I had loo look upon your face, But that a night of prayer has made me weary. ALEEL (.prostrating himself before her) Let Him that made mankind, the angels and devils Ah and plenty, mend what He has made, For when we labour in vain and eye still sees Heart breaks in vain. CATHLEEN. How would that quiet end? ALEEL. How but in healing? CATHLEEN. You have seen my tears And I see your hand shake on the floor. ALEEL. (faltering) I thought but of healing. He was angelical. CATHLEEN (turning away from him) No, not angelical, but of the old gods, Who wander about the world to waken the heart The passionate, proud heart??that all the angels, Leaving nine heavey, would rock to sleep. (She goes to chapel door; ALEEL holds his clasped hands towards her for a momeating, and thes them fall beside him.) CATHLEEN. Do not hold out to me beseeg hands. This heart shall never waken oh. I have sworn, By her whose heart the seven sorroierced, To pray before this altar until my heart Has grown to Heaven like a tree, and there Rustled its leaves, till Heaven has saved my people. ALEEL. (who has risen) When one so great has spoken of love to one So little as I, though to deny him love, What he but hold out beseeg hands, Thehem fall beside him, knowing how greatly They have overdared? (He goes towards the door of the hall. The TESS CATHLEEN takes a few steps towards him.) CATHLEEN. If the old tales are true, Queens have wed shepherds and kings beggar?maids; Gods prot waters flowing about your mind Have made you more than kings or queens; and not you But I am the empty pitcher. ALEEL. Being silent, I have said all, yet let me stay beside you. CATHLEEN.No, no, not while my heart is shaken. No, But you shall hear wind cry and water cry, And curlews cry, and have the peace I longed for. ALEEL. Give me your hand to kiss. CATHLEEN. I kiss your forehead. A I send you from me. Do not speak; There have been women that bid men to rob s from the try?under?Wave or apples Upon a dragon?guarded hill, and all That they might sift mes and wills, And trembled as they bid it, as I tremble That lay a hard task on you, that you go, And silently, and do not turn your head; Goodbye; but do not turn your head and look; Above all else, I would not have you look. (ALEEL goes.) I never spoke to him of his wounded hand, And now he is gone. (She looks out.) I ot see him, for all is dark outside. Would my imagination and my heart Were as little shaken as this holy flame! (She goes slowly into the chapel. The two MERTS enter.) FIRST MERT. Although I bid you rob her treasury, I find you sitting drowsed and motionless, A you uand that while its full Shell bid against us and so bribe the poor That reat Masterll lack his merdise. You know that she has brought into this house The old and ailing that are pihe most At such a time and so should be bought cheap. Youve seen us sitting in the house in the wood, While the snails crawled about the window?pane And the mud floor, and not a soul to buy; Not even the wandering fools nor one of those That when the woes wrong must rave and talk, Until they are as thin as a cats ear. But all thats nothing; you sit drowsing there With your back hooked, your upon your knees. SEERT. How could I help it? For she prayed so hard I could not cross the threshold till her lover Had turned her thoughts to dream. FIRST MERT, Well, well, to labour. There is the treasury door and time runs on. (SEERT goes Out. FIRST MERT sits cross?legged against a pillar, yawns and stretches.) FIRST MERT. And so I must ehe weight of the world, Far from my Master and the revelry, Thats lasted since??shaped as a worm??he bore The knowledgable pippin in his mouth To the first woman. (SEERT returns with bags.) Where are those dancers gone? They khey were to carry it on their backs. SEERT. I heard them breathing but a moment since, But now they are gone, being unsteadfast things. FIRST MERT. They kheir work. It seems that they imagine Wed do such wrong treat Masters name As to bear burdens on our backs as men do. Ill call them, and wholl dare to disobey? e, all you elemental populace From Crua and Finbars a house. e, break up the long dander the hill, Or if you lie in the hollows of the sea, Leave lohe long h surges, leave The cymbals of the waves to clash alone, And shaking the sea?tangles from your hair Gather about us. (The SPIRITS gather uhe arches.) SEERT. They e. Be still a while. (SPIRITS dand sing.) FIRST SPIRIT. (singing) Our hearts are sore, but we e Because we have heard you call. SED SPIRIT. Sorrow has made me dumb. FIRST SPIRIT. Her shepherds at nightfa藏书网ll Lay many a plate and cup Down by the trodden brink, That when the dance break up We may have meat and drink. Therefore our hearts are sore; And though we have heard and e Our g filled the shore. SED SPIRIT. Sorrow has made me dumb. FIRST MERT. What lies in the waves should be indifferent To good and evil, a seems that these, Fetful of their pure, impartial sea, Take sides with her. SEERT. Hush, hush, and still your feet. You are not now upon Maeves dang?floor. A SPIRIT. O, look what I have found, a string of pearls! (They begin taking jewels out of bag.) SEERT. You must not touch them, put them in the bag, And now take up the bags upon your backs And carry them to Shemus Ruas house On the woods border. SPIRITS. No, no, no, no! FIRST SPIRIT. No, no, let us away; From this we shall not e Cry out to us who may. SED SPIRIT. Sorrow has made me dumb. (They go.) SEERT. Theyre gone, for little do they care for me, And if I called they would but turn and mock, But you they dare not disobey. FIRST MERT (rising) These dancers Are always the most troublesome of spirits. (He es dowage and stands fag the arches. He makes a gesture of and. The SPIRITS e back whimpering. They lift the bags and go out. Three speak as they are taking ub the bags. FIRST SPIRIT. From this day out well never dance again. SED SPIRIT. Never again. THIRD SPIRIT. Sorrow has made me dumb. SEERT (looking into chapel door) She has heard nothing; she has fallen asleep. Our lord would be well pleased if we could win her. Now that the winds are heavy with our kind, Might we not kill her, and bear off her spirit Before the mob of angels were astir? FIRST MERT. If we would win this turquoise for our lord It must go dropping down of its free will But Ive a plan. SEERT. To take her soul to?night? FIRST MERT. Because I am of the ninth and mightiest hell Where are all kings, I have a plan. (Voices.) SEERT. Too late; For somebody is stirring in the house; the noise That the sea creatures made as they came hither, Their singing and their endless chattering, Has waked the house. I hear the chairs pushed back, And many shuffli. All the old men and women Shes gathered in the house are ing hither. A VOICE. (within) It was here. ANOTHER VOIo, farther away. ANOTHER VOICE. It was in the western tower. ANOTHER VOICE. e quickly, we will search the western tower. FIRST MERT. We still have time??they search the distant rooms. SEERT. Brother, I heard a sound in there??a sound That troubles me. (Going to the door of the oratory and peering through it.) Upoar steps The tess tosses, murmuring in her sleep A broken Paternoster. FIRST MERT. Do not fear, For when she has awaked the. prayer will cease. SEERT. What, would you wake her? FIRST MERT. I will speak with her, And mix with all her thoughts a thought to serve.?? Lady, weve hats g out for speech. (CATHLEEN wakes and es to door of the chapel.) Cathleen. Who calls? FIRST MERT. We have brought news. CATHLEEN. What are you? FIRST MERT. We are merts, and we know the book of the world Because we have walked upon its leaves; and there Have read of late matters that much you; And notig the castle door stand open, Came in to find an ear. CATHLEEN. The door stands open, That no one who is famished or afraid, Despair of help or of a wele with it. But you have news, you say. FIRST MERT. We saw a man, Heavy with siess in the bog of Allen, Whom you had bid buy cattle. Near Fair Head We saw yrain ships lying all becalmed In the dark night; and not less still than they, Burned all their mirrored lanthorns in the sea. CATHLEEN.. My thanks to God, to Mary and the angels, That I have money in my treasury, And buy grain from those who have stored it up To prosper on the hunger of the poor. But youve been far and know the signs of things, When will this yelloour no more hang And creep about the fields, and this great heat Vanish away, and grass show its green shoots? FIRST MERT. There is no sign of ge??day copies day, Green things are dead??the cattle too are dead Or dying??and on all the vapour hangs, And fattens with disease and glows with heat. In you is all the hope of all the land. CATHLEEN. And heard you of the demons who buy souls? FIRST MERT. There are some men who hold they have wolves heads, And say their limbs??dried by the infinite flame?? Have all the speed of storms; others, again, Say they are gross and little; while a few Will have it they seem much as mortals are, But tall and brown and travelled??like us??lady, Yet all agree a power is in their looks That makes men bow, and flings a casti About their souls, and that all men would go And barter those poor vapours, were it not You bribe them with the safety of yold. CATHLEEN. Praise be to God, to Mary, and the angels That I am wealthy! Wherefore do they sell? FIRST MERT. As we came in at the great door we saw 藏书网Your porter sleeping in his niche??a soul Too little to be worth a hundred pence, Ahey buy it for a hundred s. But for a soul like yours, I heard them say, They would give five huhousand s and more. CATHLEEN. How a heap of s pay for a soul? Is the green grave so terrible a thing? FIRST MERT. Some sell because the money gleams, and some Because they are in terror of the grave, And some because their neighbours sold before, And some because there is a kind of joy In casting hope away, in losing joy, In ceasing all resistance, in at last Opening ones arms to the eternal flames, In casting all sails out upon the wind; To this??full of the gaiety of the lost?? Would all folk hurry if yold were gone. CATHLEEN. There is something, Mert, in your voice That makes me fear. When you were telling how A man may lose his soul and lose his God Your eyes were lighted up, and when you told How my poor money serves the people, both?? Merts five me??seemed to smile. FIRST MERT. Mans sins Move us to laughter only; we have seen So many lands and seen so many men. How strahat all these people should be swung As on a ladys shoe?string,??uhem The glowing leagues of never?ending flame. CATHLEEN. There is a something in you that I fear; A something not of us; but were you not born In some most distant er of the world? (The SEERT, who has been listening at the door, es forward, and as he es a sound of voices a is heard.) SEERT. Away now??they are in the passage??hurry, For they will know us, and freeze up our hearts With Ave Marys, and burn all our skin With holy water. FIRST MERT. Farewell; for we must ride Many a mile before the m e; Our horses beat the ground impatiently. (They go out. A number of PEASAer by other door.) FIRST PEASANT. Five us, lady, but we heard a noise. SED PEASANT. We sat by the fireside telling vanities. FIRST PEASANT. We heard a noise, but though we have searched the house We have found nobody. CATHLEEN. You are too timid. For now you are safe from all the evil times. There is no evil that find you here. OOering hurriedly) Oe! Oe! The treasure room is broken in, The door stands open, and the gold is gone. (PEASANTS raise a lamentable cry.) CATHLEEN. Be silent. (The cry ceases.) Have you seen nobody? OONA Oe! That my good mistress should lose all this money. CATHLEEhose among you??not too old to ride?? Get horses and search all the try round, Ill give a farm to him who finds the thieves. (A man with keys at his girdle has e in while she speaks. There is a general murmur of The Porter! the porter!") PORTER. Demons were here. I sat beside the door In my stone niche, and two owls passed me by, Whispering with human voices. OLD PEASANT. God forsakes us. CATHLEEN. Old man, old man, He never closed a door Unless one opened. I am desolate, For a most sad resolve wakes in my heart But I have still my faith; therefore be silent For surely He does not forsake the world, But stands before it modelling in the clay And moulding there His image. Age by age The clay wars with His fingers and pleads hard For its old, heavy, dull and shapeless ease; But sometimes??though His hand is on it still?? It moves awry and demon hordes are born. (PEASANTS cross themselves.) Yet leave me now, for I am desolate, I hear a whisper from beyond the thunder. (She es from the oratory door.) Yet stay an instant. When we meet again I may have grown fetful. Oona, take These two??the larder and the dairy keys. (To the PORTER.) But take you this. It opens the small room Of herbs for medie, of hellebore, Of vervain, monkshood, plantain, and self?heal. The book of cures is on the upper shelf. PORTER. Why do you do this, lady; did you see Your coffin in a dream? CATHLEEN. Ah, no, not that. A sad resolve wakes in me. I have heard A sound of wailing in unnumbered hovels, And I must go down, down??I know not where?? Pray for all men and women mad from famine; Pray, you good neighbours. (The PEASANTS all kneel. TESS CATHLEEN asds the steps to the door of the oratory, and turning round stands there motionless for a little, and then cries in a loud voice :) Mary, Queen of angels, And all you clouds on clouds of saints, farewell! END OF SE 3. SCENE 4 A wood near９９ｌｉb?he Castle, as in Se 2. The SPIRITS pass one by one carrying bags. FIRST SPIRIT. Ill never danother step, not one. SED SPIRIT. Are all the thousand years of dang done? THIRD SPIRIT. How we daer so great a sorrow? FOURTH SPIRIT. But how shall we remember it to?morrow? FIFTH SPIRIT. To think of all the things that we fet. SIXTH SPIRIT. Thats why we groan and why our lids are wet. (The SPIRITS go out. A group Of PEASANTS Pass.) FIRST PEASANT. I have seen silver and copper, but not gold. SED PEASANT. Its yellow and it shines. FIRST PEASANT. Its beautiful. The most beautiful thing uhe sun, Thats what Ive heard. THIRD PEASANT. I have seen gold enough. FOURTH PEASANT. I woul?９9lｉｂ?d not say that its so beautiful. FIRST PEASANT. But doesnt a gold piece glitter like the sun? Thats what my father, whod seeer days, Told me when I was but a little boy?? So high??so high, its shining.. like the sun, Round and shining, that is what he said. SED PEASANT. Theres nothing in the world it ot buy, FIRST PEASANT. Theyve bags and bags of it. (They go out. The two MERTS follow silently.) END OF SE 4 SCENE 5 The house of SHEMUS RUA. There is an alcove at the back with curtains; in it a bed, and on the bed is the body of MARY with dles round it. The two MERTS while they speak put a large book upon a table, arrange money, and so on. FIRST MERT. Thanks to that lie I told about her ships And that about the herdsman lying sick, We shall be too much thronged with souls to?morrow. SEERT. What has she in her coffers now but mice? FIRST MERT. When the night fell and I had shaped myself Into the image of the man?headed owl, I hurried to the cliffs of Donegal, And saw with all their vas full of wind And rushing through the parti?coloured sea Those ships that bring the woman grain and meal. Theyre but three days from us. SEERT. When the dew rose I hurried in like feathers to the east, And saw nine hundred oxen driven through Meath With goads of iron, Theyre but three days from us. FIRST MERT. Three days for traffic. (PEASANTS crowd in with TEIG and SHEMUS.) SHEMUS. e in, e in, you are wele. That is my wife. She mocked at my great masters, And would not deal with them. Now there she is; She does not even know she was a fool, So great a fool she was. TEIG. She would One crumb of bread bought with our masters money, But lived oles, dock, and dandelion. SHEMUS. Theres nobody could put into her head That Death is the worst thing happen us. Though that sounds simple, for her tongue grew rank With all the lies that she had heard in chapel. Draw to the curtain. (TEIG draws it.) Youll not play the fool While these good gentlemehere to save you. SEERT. Sihe drought came they drift about in a throng, Like autumn leaves blown by the dreary winds. e, deal??e, deal. FIRST MERT. Who will e deal with us? SHEMUS. They are out of spirit, Sir, with lack of food, Save four or five. Here, sir, is one of these; The others will gain ce in good time. MIDDLE?AGED?MAN. I e to deal??if you give ho price. FIRST MERT (reading in a book) John Maher, a man of substance, with dull mind, And quiet senses and uurous heart. The ahink him safe." Two hundred s, All for a soul, a little breath of wind. THE MAN. I ask three hundred s. You have read there That no mere lapse of days make me yours. FIRST MERT. There is something more writ here??"often at night He is wakeful from a dread of growing poor, And thereon wonders if theres any man That he could rob in safety." A PEASANT. Whod have thought it? And I was once aloh him at midnight. ANOTHER PEASANT. I will not trust my mother after this. FIRST MERT. There is this cra you??two hundred s. A PEASANT. Thats plenty for a rogue. ANOTHER PEASANT. Id give him nothing. SHEMUS. Youll get no more??so take whats offered you. (A general murmur, during which the MIDDLE?AGED?MAN takes money, and slips into background, where he sinks on to a seat.) FIRST MERT. Has no o a better soul than that? If only for the credit of your parishes, Traffic with us. A WOMAN. What will you give for mine? FIRST MERT (reading in book) "Soft, handsome, and still young "??not much, I think." Its certain that the man shes married to Knows nothing of whats hidden in the jar Between the hlass and the pepper?pot." THE WOMAN. The sdalous book. FIRST MERT. "Nor how when hes away At the horse fair the hand that wrote whats hid Will tap three times upon the window?pane." THE WOMAN. And if there is a letter, that is no reason Why I should have less mohahers. FIRST MERT. Youre almost safe, I give you fifty s (She turns to go.) A huhen. SHEMUS. Woman, have sense?e, e. Is this a time to haggle at the price? There, take it up. There, there. Thats right. (She takes them and goes into the crowd.) FIRST MERT. e, deal, deal, deal. It is but for charity We buy such souls at all; a thousand sins Made them our Masters long before we came. (ALEEL enters.) ALEEL. Here, take my soul, for I am tired of it. I do not ask a price. SHEMUS. Not ask a price? How you sell your soul without a price? I would not listen to his broken wits; His love for tess Cathleen has so crazed him He hardly uands what he is saying. ALEEL. The trouble that has e on tess Cathleen, The sorrow that is in her wasted face, The burden in her eyes, have broke my wits, A I know Id have you take my soul. FIRST MERT. We ot take your soul, for it is hers. ALEEL. No. but you must. Seeing it ot help her I have grown tired of it. FIRST MERT. Begone from me I may not touch it. ALEEL. Is your power so small? And must I bear it with me all my days? May you be sed and mocked! FIRST MERT. Drag him away. He troubles me. (TEIG and SHEMUS lead ALEEL into the crowd.) SEERT. His gaze has filled me, brother, With shaking and a dreadful fear. FIRST MERT. Lean forward And kiss the circlet where my Masters lips Were pressed upon it when he sent us hither; You shall have peace more. (SEERT kisses the gold circlet that is about the head of the FIRST MERT.) I, too, grow weary, But there is something moving in my heart Whereby I know that what we seek the most Is drawing near??our labour will soon end. e, deal, deal, deal, deal, deal; are you all dumb? What, will you keep me from our a home And from the eternal revelry? SEERT. Deal, deal. SHEMUS. They say you beat the woman down too low. FIRST MERT. I offer this great price: a?thousand s For an old woman who was always ugly. (An Old PEASANT WOMAN es forward, aakes up a book and reads.) There is but little set down here against her. "She has stolen eggs and fowl when times were bad, But wheimes grew better has fessed it; She never missed her chapel of a Sunday And when she could, paid dues." Take up your money. OLD WObbr>MAN. God bless you, Sir. (She screams.) Oh, sir, a paihrough me! FIRST MERT. That name is like a fire to all damned souls. (Murmur among the PEASANTS, who shrink back from her as she goes out.) A PEASANT. How she screamed out! SED PEASANT. And maybe we shall scream so. THIRD PEASANT. I tell you there is no such place as hell. FIRST MERT. such a trifle turn you from your profit? e, deal; e, deal, MIDDLE?AGED MAN. Master, I am afraid. FIRST MERT. I bought your soul, and theres no sense in fear Now the souls gone. MIDDLE?AGED MAN. Give me my soul again. WOMAN (going on her knees and ging to MERT) And take this mooo, and give me mine. SEERT. Bear bastards, drink or follow some wild fancy; Fhs and cries are the souls work, And you have none. (Throws the woman off.) PEASANT. e, lets away. ANOTHER PEASANT. Yes, yes. ANOTHER PEASANT. e quickly; if that woman had not screamed I would have lost my soul. ANOTHER PEASANT. e, e away. (They turn to door, but are stopped by shouts of "tess Cathleen! tess Cathleen!") CATHLEEering) And so you trade once more? FIRST MERT. In spite of you. What brings you here, saint with the sapphire eyes? CATHLEEN. I e to barter a soul freat price. SEERT. What matter, if the soul be worth the price? CATHLEEN. The people starve, therefore the people go Thronging to you. I hear a cry e from them And it is in my ears by night and day, And I would have five huhousand s That I may feed them till the dearth go by. FIRST MERT. . It may be the souls worth it. CATHLEEN. There is more: The souls that you have bought must be set free. FIRST MERT. We know of but one soul thats worth the price. CATHLEEN. Being my own it seems a priceless thing. SEERT. You offer us?? CATHLEEN. I offer my own soul. A PEASANT. Do not, do not, for souls the like of ours Are not precious to God as your soul is. O! what would Heaven do without you, lady? ANOTHER PEASANT. Look how their claws clut their leathern gloves. FIRST MERT. Five huhousand s; we give the price. The gold is here; the souls even while you speak Have slipped out of our bond, because your face Has shed a light on them and filled their hearts. But you must sign, for we omit no form In buying a soul like yours. SEERT. Sign with this quill. It was a feather growing on the cock That crowed wheer dared deny his Master, And all who use it have great honour in Hell. (CATHLEEN leans forward to sign.) ALEEL (rushing forward and snatg the part from her) Leave all things to the builder of the heavens. CATHLEEN. I have no thoughts; I hear a cry??a cry. ALEEL (casting the part on the ground) I have seen a vision under a green hedge, A hedge of hips and haws?me shall hear The Argels rolling Satay skull Over the mountain?tops. FIRST MERT. Take him away. (TEIG and SHEMUS drag him roughly away so that he falls upon the floor among the PEASANTS. CATHLEEN picks up part and signs, then turns towards the PEASANTS.) CATHLEEN. Take up the money, and now e with me; When we are far from this polluted place I will give everybody money enough. (She goes out, the PEASANTS crowding round her and kissing her dress. ALEEL and the two MERTS are left alone.) SEERT. We must away and wait until she dies, Sitting above her tower as two grey owls, Waiting as many years as may be, guarding Our precious jewel; waiting to seize her soul. FIRST MERT. We need but hover over her head in the air, For she has only minutes. When she signed Her heart began to break. Hush, hush, I hear The brazen door of Hell move on its hinges, And the eternal revelry float hither To hearten us. SEERT. Leap feathered on the air Ahem with her soul caught in your claws. (They rush Out. ALEEL crawls into the middle of the room. The twilight has fallen and gradually darkens as the se goes on. There is a distant muttering of thunder and a sound of rising storm.) ALEEL. The brazen door stands wide, and Balor es Borne in his heavy car, and demons have lifted The age?weary eyelids from the eyes that of old Turned gods to stone; Barach, the traitor, es And the lascivious race, Cailitin, That cast a druid weakness and decay Over Sualtems and old Decteras child; And that great king Hell first took hold upon When he killed Naisi and broke Deirdres heart, And all their heads are twisted to one side, For when they lived they warred oy and peace With obstinate, crafty, sidelong bitterness. (He moves about as though the air was full of spirits. OOers.) Crouch down, old heron, out of the blind storm. OONA. Where is the tess Cathleen? All this day Her eyes were full of tears, and when for a moment Her hand was laid upon my hand it trembled, And now I do not know where she is gone. ALEEL. Cathleen has chosen other friends than us, And they are rising through the hollow world. Demons are out, old heron. OONA. God guard her soul. ALEEL. Shes bartered it away this very hour, As though ere never in the world. And they are rising through the hollow world. (He Points downward.) First, Orchill, her pale, beautiful head alive, Her body shadowy as vapour drifting Uhe dawn, for she who awoke desire Has but a heart of blood when others die; About her is a vapoury multitude Of women alluring devils with soft laughter Behind her a host heat of the blood made sin, But a?ll the little pink?white nails have grown To be great talons. (He seizes OONA and drags her into the middle of the room and Points downward with vehemeures. The wind roars.) They begin a song And there is still some musi their tongues. OONA (casting herself face downwards on the floor) O, Maker of all, protect her from the demons, And if a soul must need be lost, take mine. (ALEEL kneels beside her, but does not seem to hear her words. The PEASANTS return. They carry the TESS CATHLEEN and lay her upon the ground before OONA and ALEEL. She lies there as if dead.) OONA. O, that so many pitchers h clay Should prosper and the porcelain break in two! (She kisses the hands of CATHLEEN.) A PEASANT. We were uhe tree where the path turns, When she grew pale as death and fainted away. And while we bore her hither cloudy gusts Blaed the world and shook us on our feet Draw the great bolt, for no man has beheld So black, bitter, blinding, and sudden a storm. (One who is he door draws the bolt.) CATHLEEN. O, hold me, and hold me tightly, for the storm Is dragging me away. (OONA takes her in her arms. A WOMAN begins to wail.) PEASANT. Hush! PEASANTS. Hush! PEASANT WOMEN Hush! OTHER PEASANT WOMEN Hush! CATHLEEN (half rising) Lay all the bags of money in a heap, And when I am gone, old Oona, share them out To every man and woman: judge, and give Acc to their needs. A PEASANT WOMAN. And will she give Enough to keep my children through the dearth? ANOTHER PEASANT WOMAN. O, Queen of Heaven, and all you blessed saints, Let us and ours be lost so she be shriven. CATHLEEN. Bend down your faces, Oona and Aleel; I gaze upon them as the swallow gazes Upon the uhe eave, before She wahe loud waters. Do not weep Too great a while, for there is many a dle On the High Altar though one fall. Aleel, Who sang about the dancers of the woods, That know not the hard burden of the world, Having but breath in their kind bodies, farewell And farewell, Oona, you who played with me, And bore me in your arms about the house When I was but a child and therefore happy, Therefore happy, even like those that dance. The storm is in my hair and I must go. (She dies.) OONA. Brihe looking?glass. (A WOMAN brings it to her out of the inner room. OONA holds it over the lips Of CATHLEEN. All is silent for a moment. And then she speaks in a half scream:) O, she is dead! A PEASANT. She was the great white lily of the world. A PEASANT. She was more beautiful than the pale stars. AN OLD PEASANT WOMAN. The little plant I love is broken in two. (ALEEL takes looking?glass from OONA and flings it upon the floor so that it is broken in many pieces.) ALEEL. I shatter you in fragments, for the face That brimmed you up with beauty is no more: And die, dull heart, for she whose mournful words Made you a living spirit has passed away A you but a ball of passionate dust. And you, proud earth and plumy sea, fade out! For you may hear no more her falteri, But are left lonely amid the clamorous war Of angels upon devils. (He stands up; almost every one is kneeling, but it has grown so dark that only fused forms be seen.) And I who weep Call curses on you, Time and Fate and ge, And have no excellent hope but the great hour When you shall plunge headlong through bottomless space. (A flash of lightning followed immediately by thunder.) A PEASANT ull him upon his knees before his curses Have plucked thunder and lightning on our heads. ALEEL. Angels and devils clash in the middle air, And brazen swords g upon brazen helms. (A flash of lightning followed immediately by thunder.) Yonder a bright spear, cast out of a sling, Has torn through Balors eye, and the dark s Fly screaming as they fled Moytura of old. (Everything is lost in darkness.) AN OLD MAN. The Almighty wrath at reat weakness and sin Has blotted out the world and we must die. (The darkness is broken by a visionary light. The PEASANTS seem to be kneeling upon the rocky slope of a mountain, and vapour full of storm and ever?ging light is sweeping above them and behind them. Half in the light, haff in the shadow, stand armed angels. Their armour is old and worn, and their drawn swords dim and dinted. They stand as if upon the air in formation of battle and look downward with stern faces. The PEASANTS cast themselves on the ground.) ALEEL. Look no more on the half?closed gates of Hell, But speak to me, whose mind is smitten of God, That it may be no more with mortal things, And tell of her who lies there. (He seizes one of the angels.) Till you speak You shall not drift iernity. THE Ahe light beats down; the gates of pearl are wide. And she is passing to the floor of peace, And Mary of the seven times wounded heart Has kissed her lips, and the long blessed hair Has fallen on her face; The Light of Lights Looks always oive, not the deed, The Shadow of Shadows on the deed alone. (ALEEL releases the ANGEL and kneels.) OONA. Tell them who walk upon the floor of peace That I would die and go to her I love; The years like great black oxehe world, And God the herdsman goads them on behind, And I am broken by their passi. (A sound of far?off horns seems to e from the heart of the Light. The visios away, and the forms of the kneeling PEASANTS appear faintly in the darkness.) NOTES I found the story of the tess Cathleen in rofessed to be a colle of Irish folk?lore in an Irish neer some years ago. I wrote to the piler, asking about its source, but got no answer, but have since heard that it was translated from Les Matin`ees de Timoth`e Trimm a good many years ago, and has been drifting about the Irish press ever since. L`eo Lesp`es gives it as an Irish story, and though the editor of Folklore has kindly advertised for information, the only Christian variant I know of is a Donegal tale, given by Mr. Larminie in his West Irish Folk Tales and Romances, of a woman who goes to hell for ten years to save her husband, and stays there aen, having been granted permission to carry away as many souls as could g to her skirt. L`eo Lesp`es may have added a few details, but I have no doubt of the essential antiquity of what seems to me the most impressive form of one of the supreme parables of the world. The parable came to the Greeks in the sacrifice of Alcestis, but her sacrifice was less overwhelming, less apparently irremediable. L`eo Lesp`es tells the story as follows:?? Ce que je vais vous dire est u du car`eme Irlandais. Le boiteux, laveugle, le paralytique des rues de Dublin ou de Limerick, vous le diraient mieux que moi, cher lecteur, si vous alliez le leur demander, un sixpense dargent `a la main.?Il pas une jeune fille catholique `a laquelle on ne Fait appris pendant les jours de pr`eparation `a la union sainte, pas un berger des bords de la Blackwater qui ne le puisse redire `a la veill`ee. Il y a bien longtemps quil apparut tout?`a?coup dans la vielle Irlande deux mards inus dont personne navait oui parler, et qui parlaient n`eanmoins avec la plus grande perfe la langue du pays. Leurs cheveux `etaient noirs et ferr`es avec de lor et leurs robes dune grande magnifice. Tous deux semblaient avoir le m`eme age; ils paraissaiere des hommes de quante ans, car leur barbe grisormait un peu. Or, `a cette `epoque, e aujourdhui, lIrlaait pauvre, car le soleil avait `et`e rare, et des r`ecoltes presque nulles. Les is ne savaient `a quel sainte se vouer, et la mis`ere devenai de plus en plus terrible. Dans lh`otellerie o`u desdirent les mards fastueux on chercha `a p`erer leurs desseins: mais cc fut en vain, ils demeur`erent silencieux et discrets. Et pendant quils demeur`erent dans lh`otellerie, ils ne cess`erent de pter et de repter des sacs de pi`eces dor, dont la vive clart`e sapercevait `a travers les vitres du logis. Gentlemen, leur dit lh`otesse un jour, do`u vient que vous `etes si opulents, et que, venus pour secourir la mis`ere publique, vous ne fassiez pas de bonnes oeuvres? ?Belle h`otesse, r`epondit lun deux, nous navons pas voulu aller au?devant dinfortunes honorables, dans la te d`etre tromp`es par des mis`eres fictives: que la douleur frappe `a la porte, nous ouvrirons. Le lendemain, quand on sut quil existait deux opulents `etrangers>.. pr`ets `a prodiguer lor, la foule assi`egea leur logis; mais les figures des gens qui en sortaient `etaient bien diverses. Les uns avaient la fiert`e dans le regard, les autres portaient la honte au front. Les deux trafiquants achetaient des `ames pour le d`emon. L`ame dun vieillard valait vingt pi`eces dor, pas un penny de plus; car Satan avait eu le temps dy former hypoth`eque. L`ame dune `pouse en valait quante quand elle `etait jolie, ou t quand elle `etait laide. L`Ame dune jeune fille se payait des prix fous: les fleurs les plus belles et les plus pures sont les plus ch`eres. Pendaemps, il existait dans la ville un ange de beaut`e, la tesse Ketty Oor. Elle `etait lidole du peuple, et la providence des is. D`es quelle eut appris que des m`ecr`eants profitaient de la mis`ere publique pour d`erober des coeurs `a Dieu, elle fit appeler son majordome. Master Patrick, lui dit elle, bien ai?je de pi`eces dor dans mon coffre?? t mille.? bien de bijoux?? Pour autant dargent.? bien de ch`ateaux, de bois et de terres?? Pour le double de ces sommes.? Eh bien! Patrick, veout cc qui pas or et apportez?men le montant. je ne veux garder `a moi que ce castel et le champs qui lentoure. ? Deux jours apr`es, les ordres de la pieuse Ketty `etaient ex`ecues et le tr`esor `etait distribu`e aux pauvres au fur et `a mesure de leurs besoins. Cee faisait pas le pte, dit la tradition, des isvoyageurs du malin esprit, qui rouvaient plus d`ames `a acheter. Aides par un valet infame, ils p`er`erent dans la retraite de la noble dame et lui d`erob`erent le reste de son tr`esor. . . en vain lutta?t?elle de toutes ses forces pour sauver le tenu de son coffre, les larrons diaboliques furent les plus forts. Si Ketty avait eu les moyens de faire un signe de croix, ajoute la l`egende Irlandaise, elle les eut mis en fuite, mais ses maiaient captives?Le lar fut effectu`e. Alors les pauvres sollicit`erent en vain pr`es de Ketty d`epouill`ee, elle ne pouvait plus secourir leur mis`ere;?elle les abandonnait `a la tentation. Pourtant il ny avait plus que huit jours `a passer pour que les grai les fes arrivassent en abondance des pays dOrient. Mais, huit jours, c`etait un si`ecle : huit jours aient une somme immense pour subvenir aux exigences de la disette, et les pauvres allaient ou expirer dans les angoisses d..e la faim, ou, reniant les saintes maximes de lEvangile, vendre `a vil prix leur `ame, le plus beau pr`esent de la munifice du Seigoutpuissant. Et Ketty navait plus une obole, car elle avait abandonn`e son ch`ateaux aux malheureux. Elle passa douze heures dans les larmes et le deuil, arrat ses cheveux couleur de soleil et meurtrissant son sein couleur du lis: puis elle se leva r`esolue, anim`ee par un vif se de d`esespoir. Elle se rendit chez les mards d`ames. Que voulez?vous? dirent ils.? Vous achetez des `ames?? Oui, un peu malgr`e vous, ce pas, sainte aux yeux de sapbir?? Aujourdhui je viens vous proposer un march`e, reprit elle.? Lequel?? Jai une `ame `a vendre; mais elle est ch`ere.? Quimporte si elle est pr`ecieuse? L`ame, e le diamant, sappr`ecie `a sa blancheur.? Cest la mienne, dit Ketty.? Les deux envoy`es de Satan tressaillirent, Leurs griffes sallo sous leurs gants de cuir; leurs yeux gris `etincel`erent:??l`ame, pure, immacul`ee, virginale de Ketty c`etait une acquisition inappr`eciable. Gentille dame, bien voulez?vouz?? t quante mille `ecus dor.? Cest fait, dirent les mards: et ils te `a Ketty un parchemin cachet`e de noir, quelle signa en frissonnant. ? La somme lui fut pt`ee. Des quelle fut rentr`ee, elle dit au majordome: Tenez, distribuez ceci. Avec la somme que je vous donne les pauvres attendront la huitaine n`ecessaire et pas une de leurs `ames ne sera livr`ee au d`emon. ? Puis elle senferma et reanda quon ne vint pas la d`eranger. Trois jours se pass`erent; elle nappela pas; elle ne sortit pas. Quand on ouvrit sa porte, on la trouva raide et froide: elle `etait morte de douleur. Mais la vente de cette `ame si adorable dans sa charit`e fut d`eclar`ee nulle par le Seigneur: car elle avait sauv`e ses citoyens de la morte `eternelle. Apr`es la huitaine, des vaisseaux nombreux ame lIrlande affam`ee dimmenses provisions de grains. La famine plus possible. Quant aux mards, ils disparurent de leur h`otellerie, sans quon s`ut jamais ce quils `etaient devenus. Toutefois, les p`echeurs de la Blackwater pr`ete quils sont en`es dans une prison souterraine par ordre de Lucifer jusquau moment o`u ils pourront livrer l`ame de Ketty qui leur a `echapp`e. je vous dis la l`egeelle que je la sais. ?Mais les pauvres lont rat`e d`age en `age et les enfants de Cork et de Dublin tent encore la bal?９9lib?lade dont voici les derniers couplets:? Pour sauver les pauvres quelle aime Ketty donna Son esprit, sa croyance m`eme Satan paya Cette `ame au d`evoument sublime, En `ecus dor, Disons pour racheter son crime, fiteor. Mais lange qui se fit coupable Par charit`e Au s`ejour damour ineffable Est remont`e. Satan vaineut pas de prise Sur ce coeur dor; tons sous la nef de l`eglise, fiteor. ce pas que ce r`ecit, n`e de limagination des po`etes catholiques de la verte Eri une V`eritable r`ecit de car`eme? The tess Cathleen was acted in Dublin in 1899, with Mr. Marcus St. John and Mr. Trevor Lowe as the First and Sed Demon, Mr. Valentine Grace as Shemus Rua, Master Charles Sefton as Teig, Madame San Carola as Mary, Miss Florence Farr as Aleel, Miss Anna Mather as Oona, Mr. Charles Holmes as the Herdsman, Mr. Jack Wilcox as the Gardener, Mr. Walford as a Peasant, Miss Dorothy Paget as a Spirit, Miss M. Kelly as a Peasant Woman, Mr. T. E. Wilkinson as a Servant, and Miss May Whitty as The tess Kathleen. They had to face a very vehement opposition stirred up by a politi and a neer, the one acg me in a pamphlet, the other in long articles day after day, of blasphemy because of the language of the demons or of Shemus Rua, and because I made a woman sell her soul a escape damnation, and of a lack of patriotism because I made Irish men and women, who, it seems, never did such a thing, sell theirs. The politi or the neer persuaded some forty Catholic students to sign a protest against the play, and a Cardinal, who avowed that he had not read it, to make another, and both politi and neer made such obvious appeals to the audieo break the peace, that a score or so of police were sent to the theatre to see that they did not. I had, however, no reason tret the result, for the stalls, taining almost all that was distinguished in Dublin, and a gallery of artisans alike insisted on the freedom of literature. After the performan 1899 I added the love se between Aleel and the tess, and in this new form the play was revived in New York by Miss Wycherley as well as being played a good deal in England and America by amateurs. Now at last I have made a plete revision to make it suitable for performa the Abbey Theatre. The first two ses are almost wholly new, and throughout the play I have added or left out such passages as a stage experience of some years showed me encumbered the a; the play in its first form having been written before I knew anything of the theatre. I have left the old end, however, in the version printed in the body of this book, because the ge for dramatic purposes has been made for er reason than that audiences??even at the Abbey Theatre??are almost ignorant of Irish mythology or because a shallow stage made the elaborate vision of armed angels upon a mountain?side impossible. The new end is particularly suited to the Abbey stage, where the stage platform be brought out in front of the prosiurn and have a flight of steps at one side up which the Angel es, crossing towards the back of the stage at the opposite side. The principal lighting is from two arc lights in the baly which throw their lights into the faces of the players, making footlights unnecessary. The room at Shemus Ruas house is suggested by a great grey curtain?a colour which bees full of rich tints uhe stream of light from the arcs. The two or more arches ihird se permit the use of a gauze. The short front se before the last is just long enough when played with ial music to allow the se set behind it to be ged. The play when played without interval in this way lasts a little over an hour. The play erformed at the Abbey Theatre for the first time on December 14, 1911, Miss Maire ONeill taking the part of the tess, and the last se from the going out of the Merts was as follows:? (MERTS rush out. ALEEL crawls into the middle of the room; the twilight has fallen and gradually darkens as the se goes on.) ALEEL. Theyre rising up?theyre rising through the earth, Fat Asmodel and giddy Belial, And all the fiends. Now they leap in the air. But why does Hells gate creak so? Round and round, Hither and hither, to and fro theyre running. He moves about as though the air was full of spirits. OOers.) Crouch down, old heron, out of the blind storm. OONA. Where is the tess Cathleen? All this day Her eyes were full of tears, and when for a moment Her hand was laid upon my hand, it trembled. And now I do not know where she is gone. ALEEL. Cathleen has chosen other friends than us, And they are rising through the hollow world. Demons are out, old heron. OONA. God guard her soul. ALEEL. Shes bartered it away this very hour, As though ere never in the world. (He kneels beside her, but does not seem to hear her words. The PEASANTS return. They carry the TESS CATHLEEN and lay her upon the ground before OONA and ALEEL. She lies there as if dead.) OONA. O, that so many pitchers h clay Should prosper and the porcelain break in two! (She kisses the hands Of CATHLEEN.) A PEASANT. We were uhe tree where the path turns When she grew pale as death and fainted away. CATHLEEN. O! hold me, and hold me tightly, for the storm is dragging me away. (OONA takes her in her arms. A WOMAN begins to wail.) PEASANTS. Hush! PEASANTS Hush! PEASANT WOMEN. Hush! OTHER PEASANT WOMEN. Hush! CATHLEEN. (half rising) Lay all the bags of money in a heap, And when I am gone, old Oona, share them out To every man and woman: judge, and give Acc to their needs. A PEASANT WOMAN. And will she give Enough to keep my children through the dearth? ANOTHER PEASANT WOMAN. O, Queen of Heaven, and all you blessed saints, Let us and ours be lost, so she be shriven. CATHLEEN. Bend down your faces, Oona and Aleel; I gaze upon them as the swallow gazes Upon the uhe eave, before She wahe loud waters. Do not weep Too great a while, for there is many a dle On the High Altar though one fall. Aleel, Who sang about the dancers of the woods, That know not the hard burden of the world, Having but breath in their kind bodies, farewell And farewell, Oona, you who played with me And bore me in your arms about the house When I was but a child?and therefore happy, Therefore happy even like those that dance. The storm is in my hair and I must go. (She dies.) OONA. Brihe looking?glass. (A WOMAN brings it to her out of inner room. OONA holds glass over the lips of CATHLEEN. All is Silent for a moment, then she speaks in a half?scream.) O, she is dead! A PEASANT. She was the great white lily of the world. A PEASANT. She was more beautiful than the pale stars. AN OLD PEASANT WOMAN. The little plant I loved is broken in two. (ALEEL takes looking?glass from OONA and flings it upon fkoor, so that it is broken in manypieces.) ALEEL. I shatter you in fragments, for the face That brimmed you up with beauty is no more; And die, dull heart, for you that were a mirror Are but a ball of passionate dust again! And level earth and plumy sea, rise up! And haughty sky, fall down! A PEASANT ull him upon his knees, His curses will pluck lightning on our heads. ALEEL. Angels and devils clash in the middle air, And brazen swords g upon brazen helms. Look, look, a spear has gohrough Belials eye! (A winged ANGEL, carrying a tord a sword, enters from the R. with eyes fixed upon some distant thing. The ANGEL is about to pass out to the L. when ALEEL speaks. The Aops a moment and turns.) Look no more on the half?closed gates of Hell, But speak to me whose mind is smitten of God, That it may be no more with mortal things: And tell of her who lies there. (The Aurns again and is about to go, but is seized by ALEEL.) Till you speak You shall not drift iernity. Ahe light beats down; the gates of pearl are wide. And she is passing to the floor of peace, And Mary of the seven times wounded heart Has kissed her lips, and the long blessed hair Has fallen on her face; the Light of Lights Looks always oive, not the deed, The Shadow of Shadows on the deed alone. (ALEEL releases the ANGEL and kneels.) OONA. Tell them who walk upon the floor of peace, That I would die and go to her I love, The years like great black oxehe world, And God the herdsman goads them on behind, And I am broken by their passi.天涯在线书库《www.tianyabook.com》