made a heavy shadow about our door,
And talk among the rustling of the reeds
When night hunted the foolish sun away,
With stillness and pale tapers. No—no—no.
I cannot. 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 longed to look upon your face,
But that a night of prayer has made me weary.
ALEEL.
[Throwing his arms about her feet.]
Let Him that made mankind, the angels and devils
And death 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 can 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 heavens empty would rock to sleep.
[She goes to the chapel door; ALEEL holds his clasped hands towards her for a moment hesitatingly, and then lets them fall beside him.
Do not hold out to me beseeching hands.
This heart shall never waken on earth. I have sworn
By her whose heart the seven sorrows have pierced
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, although to deny him love,
What can he but hold out beseeching hands,
Then let them fall beside him, knowing how greatly
They have overdared?
[He goes towards the door of the hall. The COUNTESS CATHLEEN takes a few steps towards him.
CATHLEEN.
If the old tales are true,
Queens have wed shepherds and kings beggar-maids;
God’s procreant 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—farewell, farewell; and yet no,
Give me your hand to kiss.
CATHLEEN.
I kiss your brow,
But will not say farewell. I am often weary,
And I would hear the harp-string.
ALEEL.
I cannot stay,
For I would hide my sorrow among the hills—
Listen, listen, the hills are calling me.
[They listen for a moment.
CATHLEEN.
I hear the cry of curlew.
ALEEL.
Then I will out
Where I can hear wind cry and water cry
And curlew cry: how does the saying go
That calls them the three oldest cries in the world?
Farewell, farewell, I will go wander among them,
Because there is no comfort under a roof-tree.
[He goes out.
CATHLEEN.
[Looking through the door after him.]
I cannot see him. He has come to the great door.
I must go pray. Would that my heart and mind
Were as little shaken as this candle-light.
[She goes into the chapel. The TWO MERCHANTS enter.
SECOND MERCHANT.
Who was the man that came from the great door
While we were still in the shadow?
FIRST MERCHANT.
Aleel, her lover.
SECOND MERCHANT.
It may be that he has turned her thought from us
And we can gather our merchandise in peace.
FIRST MERCHANT.
No, no, for she is kneeling.
SECOND MERCHANT.
Shut the door.
Are all our drudges here?
FIRST MERCHANT.
[Closing the chapel door.]
