ˇ¶The Countess Cathleenˇ·


 To MAUD GONNE

quot;t;

    Lament of Morion Shehone for Miss Mary Bourke

    S

    MARY, his ife

    tEIG, his Son

    ALEEL, A Poet

    tESS CAthLEEN

    OONA, er Mother

    two Demons disguised as Mercs

    Peasants, Servants, Angelical Beings, Spirits

    times.

 SCENE 1

    SCENE??A room ed fire, and a door into trees of a rees sed in flat colour upon a gold or diapered sky. t of missal Painting. MARY, a y years or so, is grinding a quern.

    MARY.  can ter so?

    (tEIG, a boy of fourteen, is coming in urf, wh.)

    tEIG. t noruck

    the graves are walking.

    MARY. t the hen hears.

    tEIG. And t is not t; at tubber?vanach

    A  a man ,

    And ts wing.

    MARY.  can  your fathis while?

    tEIG. two nig Carrick?orus churchyard,

    A  a man wh,

    Nor eyes, nor ears; his face a wall of flesh;

    of the moon.

    MARY. Look out, and tell me if your fathers coming.

    (tEIG goes to door.)

    tEIG. Mother!

    MARY.  is it?

    tEIG. In the bush beyond,

    them birds??

    I could not see tly for the leaves.

    But the shape and colour of horned owls

    And Im ain theyve a human face.

    MARY. Mother of God, defend us!

    tEIG. t me.

    is ther says.

    God and ther of God have dropped asleep.

    do the whole land

    Squeal like a rabbit under a ooth?

    MARY. Youll bring misfortune h your blasphemies

    Upon your father, or yourself, or me.

    I o God here he is.

    (ShEMUS comes in.)

    kept you in the wood? You know

    I cannot get all sorts of accidents

    Out of my mind till you are home again.

    So listen to your clatter.

    Altramped the woods for half a day,

    Ive taken nots,

    Badgers, and o ,

    And the parched leaves.

    tEIG. t no dinner.

    Ser t

    I sat among t the cross?roads,

    And hers.

    MARY. , did you beg?

    So beg,

    For w

    t heir alms,

    And ed me aicks and stones.

    tEIG. You said t you would bring us food or money.

    Ss in the house?

    tEIG. A bit of mouldy bread.

    MARY. to make another loaf.

    tEIG. And ws gone?

    MARY. the coop.

    Shem!

    tEIG. And t penny gone.

    She hens gone,

    can  live on sorrel and dock)

    And dandelion, till our mouths are green?

    MARY. God, t to t and sup,

    ill cater for us still.

    Schens bare.

    t I looked this day

    And sa a soul to hem.

    MARY. Maybe hed have us die because he knows,

    opped and wopped,

    t every wicked sighe eye,

    And all fool talk from the ear.

    Shere?

    And mocking us h music?

    (A stringed instrument .)

    tEIG. A young man plays it,

    th him.

    S is trouble of to her?

    Not all or a harsh radishy sauce

    For t.

    MARY. Gods pity on the rich,

    hrough as many doors, and seen

    tanding on the polished wood

    In t, wed be as hard,

    And t the end of all,

    She rich.

    tEIG. theyre coming here.

    S stool, down quick, I say,

    And call up a whey face and a whining voice,

    And let your head be bowed upon your knees,

    MARY.  time to put to rights.

    (CAter.)

    CAtain house,

    An old grey castle chen garden,

    A cider orc for flowers,

    Somewhese woods.

    MARY. e kno, lady.

    A place ts set among impassable walls

    As trouble could not find it out.

    CAt may be t  trouble, for we??

    Althis hour??

    it too, yet I should know my way,

    For I lived all my c house.

    MARY. tess Cathleen?

    CAthis woman,

    Oona, my nurse, s,

    For here.

    OONA. ts now,

    Or else some c.

    CAt s heir border

    but now,

    andering and singing like a he sea??

    Is so errors to come

    t he can give no help.

    MARY. You ill some way,

    But I can put you on trodden path

    Your servants take wing.

    But first sit do yourself awhile,

    For my old fathers, lady,

    Longer tell??and it range

    If you and yours s be welcome here.

    CAt ranger still eful

    For suc I must be gone,

    For ts gathering in.

    S is a long while

    Since Ive set eyes on bread or on .

    CAtarving even in this wood,

    I hing changed.

    But ts a dream, for the world

    Can eat its o  pleases.

    (She gives money.)

    tEIG. Beautiful lady, give me sometoo;

    I fell but no,

    And lay upon threshold like a log.

    CAt was all I had.

    Look, my purse is empty. I have passed

    By starving men and his day,

    And t; but take the purse,

    t may be rifle.

    But if youll come to?morroo my house

    You she sum.

    (ALEEL begins to play.)

    Stering). , music, music!

    CAt blame tring;

    tors bid me fly times

    And find distraction for my ts, or else

    Pine to my grave.

    Shing, lady.

    he like of us complain?

    OONA.  s read of in a book

    eighey had been her own.

    (OONA, MARY, and CAt. ALEEL looks defiantly at

    ShEMUS.)

    ALEEL. (Singing) Impetuous , be still, be still,

    Your sorroold,

    Cover it up une,

    could bend all to his will

    e fold

    itars and the wandering moon.

    (akes a step tourns again.)

    S to t has fallen,

    For w walks, or in w shape

    Some devilisure flies in t now

    two grey?ed above our heads.

    (, ing the money.)

    tEIG. t it may be

    t to fall upon their heads.

    MARY. You never thanked her ladyship.

    Shank her,

    For seven ?

    tEIG. But for ty purse?

    Ss t for thanks,

    Or  t she promised?

    it of food

    Up to a price no man he like of

    And rising every day.

    MARY. e have all she had;

    Sied out the purse before our eyes.

    So MARY, he door)

    Leave t door open.

    MARY.  have read books,

    And seen the world,

    Fear he ground,

    Its time t poverty s the door.

    Ss, for t a thing

    t

    I  rato this house

    than any more of mankind, rich or poor.

    tEIG. So t t us money.

    ShEMUS. I heard say

    t appears like a we bird,

    A pigeon or a seagull or the like,

    But if you  it one or a stick

    It clangs as t had been made of brass;

    And t if you dig doching

    Youll find a crock of gold.

    tEIG. But dream of gold

    For ts running, and theres always gold.

    S be starved before youve dug it out.

    tEIG. But maybe if you called, something would come,

    te.

    MARY. Is it call devils?

    Call devils from them in here?

    Sand up against me, and youd say

    I am to welcome here.

    (s her.)

    t is to ser.

    tEIG. Call them in.

    MARY. God help us all!

    So.

    its little t the sleepy ears above

    Care for your  Ill call w I please.

    tEIG. them.

    S door)

    ever you are t  night,

    So be it t you  shouldered up

    Out of a grave??for Ill hing human??

    And rick of speech,

    I  beside the fire.

    matter if your heads below your arms

    Or youve a ail to whip your flank,

    Featead of s but a straw,

    Come, s bread and meat is in the house,

    And stretche ashes.

    And after t, lets share and share alike

    And curse all men and women. Come in, come in.

    , is there?

    (turning from door)

    And yet they say

    the grass, and ride

    Even upon ts hand.

    (tEIG lifts one arm slos tourns, he

    also sees somethe same. A man dressed as an

    Eastern merc comes in carrying a small carpet.  and sits cross?legged at one end of it.

    Anots at tely.

    ed take money out of embroidered purses at t on the

    carpet.

    tEIG. You speak to them.

    ShEMUS. No, you.

    tEIG. t called them.

    ShEMUS. (coming nearer)

    Id make so bold, if you ,

    to ask if thing youd have of us.

    Alt poor people, if there is,

    here is??

    FIRSt MERC. eve travelled a long road,

    For  must tramp the world,

    And now we look for supper and a fire

    And a safe corner to count money in.

    S you  ts no matter now??

    tween my wife and me

    Because I said I er here,

    And ask in w I pleased or who I pleased

    And so. . . . but t is noto t,

    Because its certain t you are but mercs.

    FIRSt MERC. e travel for ter of all mercs.

    S if you  I  but now

    Id welcome you no less. Be w you please

    And youll  t rate,

    t means t  a penny

    Is noy.

    (MERCS begin putting money on carpet.)

    FIRSt MERC. Our Master bids us pay

    So good a price, t all wh us

    S, drink, and be merry.

    So MARY) Bestir yourself,

    Go kill and draeig and I

    Lay out tes and make a better fire.

    MARY. I  cook for you.

    S cook! not cook!

    Do not be angry. Ss to pay me back

    Because I struck  argument.

    But s sense again. Since th came

    e rattle one on anothough we were

    Knives to a basket to be cleaned.

    MARY. I  cook for you, because I know

    In  now

    Outside this door.

    tEIG. Its this, your honours:

    Because of some her said

    S of t a shadow.

    She wood

    elcome, if to eat and drink;

    But it is certain t you are men like us.

    FIRSt MERC.

    Its strange t s no shadow,

    For the world

    ts more substantial ts are

    t buy and sell you.

    MARY. If you are not demons,

    And seeing   there,

    Give food or money to tarving poor.

    FIRSt MERC. If we knew o find deserving poor

    ed do our share.

    MARY. But seek tiently.

    FIRSt MERC. e knoy.

    MARY. t a common time.

    I  to and fro,

    At times like t overset the scale

    And trampled measure down.

    FIRSt MERC. But if already

    ed t of a more prudent ?

    SECOND MERC. If eac of merchandise,

    ell give  of.

    MARY. arving come at merchandise?

    FIRSt MERC. e  w all men have.

    MARY. ttle, fields and implements

    Are sold and gone.

    FIRSt MERC. t sold all yet.

    For t may be nothing,

    But ts the buyers risk??a second self,

    tal for a storys sake.

    So buy our souls?

    tEIG. Ill barter mine.

    arve for  nothing?

    MARY. teig and Shemus??

    S can it be but nothing?

    of  famine?

    Satan gives money.

    tEIG. Yet no tirs.

    FIRSt MERC. there is a heap for each.

    (So take money.)

    But no, not yet,

    For to set you to.

    Sful as t,

    And all t talk of buying  a vapour

    Is fancy bred. I might have known as much,

    Because ts rick?o?talks.

    FIRSt MERC. ts for ts separate price; But neitill the works

    done.

    tEIG. the same for me.

    MARY. Oill?

    FIRSt MERC. Youve but to cry aloud at every cross?road, At every  we buy mens

    souls,

    And give so good a price t all may live

    In mirt till the famines done,

    Because we are Cian men.

    Ss away.

    tREIGgt; I sill Ive earned the price.

    SECOND MERC. (wowards fire)

    Stop, for er,

    t able men.

    And ertainment on the road.

    (tRIG and Sopped. tEIG takes t.)

    MARY. Destroyers of souls, God roy you quickly.

    You s last dry like dry leaves and hang

    Nailed like dead vermin to the doors of God.

    SECOND MERC.

    Curse to your fill, for saints will heir dreams.

    FIRSt MERCm t vermin t our Master sent to overrun t the end

    S the moon

    And quencars in tral night.

    MARY., God is all powerful.

    SECOND MERC. Pray, you shall need him.

    You s dock and grass, and dandelion,

    till t lohere becomes a wall,

    And when your hands can scarcely drag your body

    e shall be near you.

    (MARY faints.) (t MERC takes up t, spreads it before tands in front of

    it warming his hands.)

    FIRSt MERC. Our faces go unscratched,

    For sed. ring t fowl,

    Scatter the shelves for bread.

    ell turn t and roast it,

    And eat to,

    No t, praise our master,

    And stretche ashes.

    END OF SCENE 1

 SCENE 2

    A ant vieurreted  one side, but all in flat colour,

    lig a diafiered or gold background.

    COUNtESS CAthem.

    CAtopping) Surely tory too?

    OONA. t last.

    ALEEL. A man, they say,

    Loved Maeve t,

    And died of uries ago.

    And nohe full,

    Shere

    Upon t level place, and for three days

    Stretcs her long pale cheeks.

    CAtruly.

    ALEEL. No, but s her cheeks,

    Lady, because s his name.

    CAt trouble a must be

    A rouble to forget his name??

    If ster sense.

    OONA. Your own house, lady.

    ALEEL. Sry Knock?na?rea

    In an old cairn of stones; while her poor women

    Must lie and jog in they would sleep

    Being er born??yet if sheir names

    the moon

    till they are giddy and would love as men do,

    And be as patient and as pitiful.

    But t op in their heads,

    t.

    Os whe moon is full.

    CAt because t memories

    they live so long?

    ALEEL. s memory but the ash

    t c o sink?

    And ting fire.

    OONA. there is your own house, lady.

    CAts true,

    And  noticing.

    ALEEL. A curse upon it for a meddlesome house!

    but stayed away I would have known

    Queen Maeve the moon is pinched;

    And whe dancers

    Set their brief love on men.

    OONA. Rest on my arm.

    ts for any Cian ear.

    ALEEL. I am younger, soo heavy for you.

    (aking e out of turned tourns back to him.)

    t

    t danced upon the world,

    And ell secrets if I .

    (Sings.) Lift up te knee;

    ts hey sing,

    those young dancers

    t in a ring

    Raved but now

    Of ts t break

    Long, long ago

    For their sake.

    OONA. Ne.

    ALEEL. quot;But the dance changes.

    Lift up the gown,

    All t sorrow

    Is trodden do;

    OONA. ty rattle?pate! Lean on this arm,

    t I can tell you is a cened arm,

    And not like some, if o judge by speech.

    But as you please. It is time I .

    Maybe it is not on this arm you slumbered

    hen you were as helpless as a worm.

    ALEEL. Stay ill o your own house.

    CAtting down) ed I will need no help.

    ALEEL. I t to  her from remembering

    times for full ten minutes;

    But noween.

    OONA. talk on;  matter w you say,

    For you  been cened?

    ALEEL. Old woman, old woman,

    You robbed es peace of mind,

    And to a hundred years,

    And was of beggars and give alms,

    And climb Croagrick, you s be pardoned.

    OONA. ized

    Know w heaven pardons?

    ALEEL. You are a sinful woman

    OONA. I care no more ted.

    (Enter CAteward.)

    StEARD. I am not to blame, for I e,

    ters to blame. the men climbed in

    At t corner wree is.

    CAt understand you, who has climbed?

    StEARD. t to tell you.

    I s??

    tc

    And mixed up truth and lies, your ladyship.

    CAtune happened?

    StEARD. Yes, indeed.

    ter t let the branches lie

    Against to blame for everything,

    For t is  into the garden.

    CAt to une here.

    has any one been killed?

    StEARD. O killed.

    tolen ?load of green cabbage.

    CAt maybe tarving.

    StEARD. t is certain.

    to rob or starve, t hey had.

    CAtheologian has laid down

    t starving men may take ws necessary,

    And yet be sinless.

    OONA. Sinless and a thief

    ttles on the wall.

    CAt be a sin, whs unbroken

    God cannot  pardon. there is no soul

    But its unlike all othe world,

    Nor one but lifts a strangeness to Gods love

    till ts groe, and therefore none

    han irremediable

    Alt  in the world.

    (Enter tEIG and ShEMUS.)

    StEARD.  are you running for? Pull off your cap,

    Do you not see where?

    S .

    I am running to t news

    t  it for a thousand years.

    StEARD. t your breath and speak.

    ShEMUS. If youd my news

    Youd run as fast and be as out of breath.

    tEIG. Such news, we shall be carried on mens shoulders.

    Sh him

    And t no more about t were

    A mouts grown

    A marketable thing!

    tEIG. And yet it seemed

    As useless as the paring of ones nails.

    S sets me laug,

    Is t a rogue wraw,

    If  sell it, may set up his coach.

    tEIG. (lauglemen who buy mens souls.

    CAthLEEN. O God!

    tEIG. And maybe t all.

    StEARD. theyre drunk or mad.

    tEIG. Look at they give. (Showing money.)

    Sossing up money)

    quot;Go cry it all about t; they said.

    quot;Money for souls, good money for a soul.quot;

    CAty times t your souls again. I will pay all.

    S  here are souls??

    But keep t of its merriment.

    I shall be drunk and merry.

    tEIG. Come, lets away.

    (he goes.)

    CAt to come.

    Shere is,

    Id ratrust myself into the hands

    t can pay money doo the hands

    t  she bag.

    ( R.)

    (lilting) quot;t yellow money.

    t;

    CAto ALEEL) Go call thing

    you like;

    (ALEEL goes.)

    And you too folloo his.

    (OONA, w.)

    Stes of my house.

    how much have I?

    StEARD. A hundred kegs of gold.

    CAtles?

    StEARD. As much more.

    CAture?

    StEARD. As much more.

    CAts?

    StEARD. As much more.

    CAthis house alone, sell all I have,

    Go barter w come again

    ittle and h ships of meal.

    StEARD. Gods blessing light upon your ladyship.

    You will he land.

    CAthLEEN. Make no delay.

    (he goes L.)

    (ALEEL and OONA return)

    CAt come; speak quickly.

    ALEEL. One drew his knife

    And said t he man or woman

    t stopped opped him

    roke at me; but it is nothing.

    CAtended. From this day for ever

    Ill have no joy or sorrow of my own.

    OONA. the eyes of birds of prey.

    CAt

    till I o such a refuge

    t t,

    May escape from beak and claw; all, all, shall come

    till t and the roof fall on us.

    From t I hing of my own.

    (She goes.)

    OONA (taking ALEEL by to

    put o,

    And you and I are of no more account

    ter.

    (t.)

    END OF SCENE 2.

 SCENE 3

    ESS CAt t an oratory eps leading up to it.

    At t a tapestried ing tory, and a great cs back

    against tre are the

    garden. CAt of tar in the

    oratory; ted lamp over tar. ALEEL enters.

    ALEEL. I o bid you leave tle and fly

    Out of these woods.

    CAt evil is there here?

    t is not everyhe sea?

    ALEEL. t me walk invisible.

    CAt is true w I have heard men say,

    t you  ot.

    ALEEL. I was asleep in my bed, and w

    My dream became a fire; and in the fire

    One walked and  his head.

    CAt one of the old gods walked so.

    ALEEL. It may be t he is angelical;

    And, lady, hese woods.

    And you must bring but your old foster?mother,

    And some fehe hills,

    Among t

    Of ers, till the evil days are done.

    For errible deating you,

    Some unimagined evil, some great darkness

    t fable  dreamt of, nor sun nor moon

    Scattered.

    CAt angelical.

    ALEEL. this house

    You are to leave rusty man,

    And bid er all t starve or wander

    here is food and house room.

    CAthLEEN. he bids me go

    al creatures but the swan

    Dabbles, and trees  our door,

    And talk among tling of the reeds,

    ed the foolish sun away

    itillness and pale tapers. No?no?no!

    I cannot. Alt weep

    Because t life  happy, and here

    I find no way, no end. Nor do I weep

    Because I o look upon your face,

    But t a night of prayer has made me weary.

    ALEEL (.prostrating himself before her)

    Let  made mankind, the angels and devils

    And deaty, mend w he has made,

    For will sees

    breaks in vain.

    CAt quiet end?

    ALEEL.  in healing?

    CAtears

    And I can see your he floor.

    ALEEL. (faltering) I t but of healing. he was angelical.

    CAturning away from him)

    No, not angelical, but of the old gods,

    to

    te, proud ??t all the angels,

    Leaving nine y, o sleep.

    (So coing, and ts

    them fall beside him.)

    CAt  to me beseeching hands.

    t sh. I have sworn,

    By  the seven sorrows have pierced,

    to pray before tar until my

    o ree, and there

    Rustled its leaves, till heaven has saved my people.

    ALEEL. (who has risen)

    o one

    So little as I, to deny him love,

    can   beseeching hands,

    t tly

    they have overdared?

    (oESS CAtakes a feeps towards him.)

    CAtales are true,

    Queens have wed shepherds and kings beggar?maids;

    Gods procreant ers flo your mind

    you

    But I am ty pitcher.

    ALEEL. Being silent,

    I  let me stay beside you.

    CAt w is shaken. No,

    But you ser cry,

    And curlews cry, and he peace I longed for.

    ALEEL. Give me your o kiss.

    CAthLEEN. I kiss your forehead.

    And yet I send you from me. Do not speak;

    t bid men to rob

    Crory?under?ave or apples

    Upon a dragon?guarded hill, and all

    t t sift mens s and wills,

    And trembled as t, as I tremble

    t lay a ask on you, t you go,

    And silently, and do not turn your head;

    Goodbye; but do not turn your head and look;

    Above all else, I  have you look.

    (ALEEL goes.)

    I never spoke to him of his wounded hand,

    And now he is gone.

    (S.)

    I cannot see side.

    ould my imagination and my

    ere as little shis holy flame!

    (So the

    cer.)

    FIRSt MERC. Altreasury,

    I find you sitting droionless,

    And yet you understand t ws full

    S us and so bribe the poor

    t our great Masterll lack his merchandise.

    You kno s into this house

    t are pinc

    At sucime and so s cheap.

    Youve seen us sitting in the wood,

    the window?pane

    And t a soul to buy;

    Not even those

    t alk,

    Until ts ear.

    But all ts not drohere

    ith your back hooked, your chin upon your knees.

    SECOND MERC. ? For s cross till her

    lover

    urned s to dream.

    FIRSt MERC, ell, o labour.

    treasury door and time runs on.

    (SECOND MERC goes Out. FIRSt MERC sits cross?legged against a pillar, yawns and

    stretches.)

    FIRSt MERC. And so I must endure t of ter and the revelry,

    ts lasted since??shaped as a worm??he bore

    th

    to t woman.

    (SECOND MERC returns h bags.)

    hose dancers gone?

    to carry it on their backs.

    SECOND MERC. I  a moment since, But nohey are gone, being

    unsteadfast things.

    FIRSt MERC. t seems t to our great

    Masters name

    As to bear burdens on our backs as men do.

    Ill call to disobey?

    Come, all you elemental populace

    From Cruac house.

    Come, break up the hill,

    Or if you lie in the sea,

    Leave lonely the long hoarding surges, leave

    to clash alone,

    And sangles from your hair

    Gat us.

    (tS gathe arches.)

    SECOND MERC. till a while.

    (SPIRItS dance and sing.)

    FIRSt SPIRIt. (singing) Our s are sore, but we come

    Because we have heard you call.

    SECOND SPIRIt. Sorrow has made me dumb.

    FIRSt SPIRIt.  nightfall

    Lay many a plate and cup

    Dorodden brink,

    t whe dance break up

    e may  and drink.

    ts are sore;

    And though we have heard and come

    Our crying filled the shore.

    SECOND SPIRIt. Sorrow has made me dumb.

    FIRSt MERC.  lies in t to good and evil, and yet it seems t

    these,

    Forgetful of tial sea,

    take sides h her.

    SECOND MERC. ill your feet.

    You are not now upon Maeves dancing?floor.

    A SPIRIt. O, look w I ring of pearls!

    (taking je of bag.)

    SECOND MERC. You must not touc take up the bags upon your

    backs

    And carry to Shemus Ruas house

    On the woods border.

    SPIRItS. No, no, no, no!

    FIRSt SPIRIt. No, no, let us away;

    From t come

    Cry out to us who may.

    SECOND SPIRIt. Sorrow has made me dumb.

    (they go.)

    SECOND MERC. ttle do t turn and

    mock,

    But you t disobey.

    FIRSt MERC (rising) these dancers

    Are al troublesome of spirits.

    (age and stands facing ture of command. tS come

    back . taking ub the bags.

    FIRSt SPIRIt. From t well never dance again.

    SECOND SPIRIt. Never again.

    t. Sorrow has made me dumb.

    SECOND MERC (looking into chapel door)

    Shing; she has fallen asleep.

    Our lord would be well pleased if we could win her.

    No th our kind,

    Mig kill

    Before tir?

    FIRSt MERC. If urquoise for our lord It must go dropping dos free will

    But Ive a plan.

    SECOND MERC. to take o?night?

    FIRSt MERC. Because I am of tiest hell here are all kings, I have a plan.

    (Voices.)

    SECOND MERC. too late;

    For somebody is stirring in the noise

    t tures made as ther,

    ttering,

    he chairs pushed back,

    And many s. All the old men and women

    Sher.

    A VOICE. ( was here.

    ANOther away.

    ANOt ern tower.

    ANOtern tower.

    FIRSt MERC. e still ime??tant rooms.

    SECOND MERC. Brot troubles me.

    (Going to tory and peering t.)

    Upon tar steps tess tosses, murmuring in ernoster.

    FIRSt MERC. Do not fear,

    For whe prayer will cease.

    SECOND MERC. , would you wake her?

    FIRSt MERC. I h her,

    And mix s a t to serve.??

    Lady, s crying out for speech.

    (CAto door of the chapel.)

    Cathleen. ho calls?

    FIRSt MERC. e  news.

    CAt are you?

    FIRSt MERC.

    e are mercs, and he world

    Because here

    e matters t much concern you;

    And noticing tle door stand open,

    Came in to find an ear.

    CAtands open,

    t no one who is famished or afraid,

    Despair of .

    But you have news, you say.

    FIRSt MERC. e saw a man,

    he bog of Allen,

    tle. Near Fair head

    e saw your grain ships lying all becalmed

    In t; and not less still they,

    Burned all the sea.

    CAto God, to Mary and the angels,

    t I reasury,

    And can buy grain from tored it up

    to prosper on the poor.

    But youve been far and knohings,

    his yellow vapour no more hang

    And creep about t

    Vaniss green ss?

    FIRSt MERC. ttle too are

    dead

    Or dying??and on all the vapour hangs,

    And fattens .

    In you is all the land.

    CAthe demons who buy souls?

    FIRSt MERC.

    they have wolves heads,

    And say te flame??

    orms; others, again,

    Say ttle; while a few

    ill  tals are,

    But tall and broravelled??like us??lady,

    Yet all agree a poheir looks

    t makes men boing?net

    About t all men would go

    And barter t not

    You bribe ty of your gold.

    CAto God, to Mary, and the angels

    t I am hey sell?

    FIRSt MERC. As  t door we saw

    Your porter sleeping in his niche??a soul

    too little to be h a hundred pence,

    And yet t for a hundred crowns.

    But for a soul like yours, I hem say,

    thousand crowns and more.

    CAthLEEN. how can a heap of crowns pay for a soul?

    Is terrible a thing?

    FIRSt MERC. Some sell because 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 ternal flames,

    In casting all sails out upon the wind;

    to ty of t??

    ould all folk hurry if your gold were gone.

    CAt, in your voice

    t makes me fear. elling how

    A man may lose his soul and lose his God

    Your eyes were ligold

    h??

    Mercs forgive me??seemed to smile.

    FIRSt MERC. Mans sins

    Move us to laughter only; we have seen

    So many lands and seen so many men.

    range t all these people should be swung

    As on a ladys sring,??under them

    the glowing leagues of never?ending flame.

    CAt I fear;

    A somet of us; but  born

    In some most distant corner of the world?

    (t,  the door, comes forward, and as he comes a sound of

    voices and feet is heard.)

    SECOND MERC. Ahe passage??hurry,

    For ts

    ith Ave Marys, and burn all our skin

    iter.

    FIRSt MERC. Fare ride

    Many a mile before the morning come;

    Our  tiently.

    (t. A number of PEASANts enter by other door.)

    FIRSt PEASANt. Forgive us, lady, but we heard a noise.

    SECOND PEASANt. e sat by telling vanities.

    FIRSt PEASANt.

    e  the house

    e have found nobody.

    CAtoo timid.

    For noimes.

    t can find you here.

    OONA (entering hurriedly)

    Ocreasure room is broken in,

    tands open, and the gold is gone.

    (PEASANtS raise a lamentable cry.)

    CAt.

    (the cry ceases.)

    have you seen nobody?

    OONA Ochone!

    t my good mistress shis money.

    CAt t too old to ride??

    Get ry round,

    Ill give a farm to hieves.

    (A man  er! the

    porter!quot;)

    PORtER. Demons he door

    In my stone nicwo owls passed me by,

    h 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

    But I ill my fait

    For surely  forsake the world,

    But stands before it modelling in the clay

    And moulding there his image. Age by age

    th his fingers and pleads hard

    For its old, heavy, dull and shapeless ease;

    But sometimes??t still??

    It moves awry and demon hordes are born.

    (PEASANtS cross themselves.)

    Yet leave me noe,

    I hunder.

    (Sory door.)

    Yet stay an instant.  again

    I may ful. Oona, take

    the dairy keys.

    (to tER.)

    But take you t opens the small room

    Of herbs for medicine, of hellebore,

    Of vervain, monksain, and self?heal.

    the upper shelf.

    PORtER. his, lady; did you see

    Your coffin in a dream?

    CAt t.

    A sad resolve wakes in me. I have heard

    A sound of wailing in unnumbered hovels,

    And I must go do where??

    Pray for all men and women mad from famine;

    Pray, you good neighbours.

    (tS all kneel. COUNtESS CAteps to tory, 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 SCENE 3.

 SCENE 4

    A le, as in Scene 2. tS pass one by one carrying bags.

    FIRSt SPIRIt. Ill never dance anotep, not one.

    SECOND SPIRIt. Are all thousand years of dancing done?

    t. er so great a sorrow?

    FOURt. But  to?morrow?

    FIFt. to t .

    SIXt. ts w.

    (tS go out. A group Of PEASANtS Pass.)

    FIRSt PEASANt. I  not gold.

    SECOND PEASANt. Its yello shines.

    FIRSt PEASANt. Its beautiful.

    t beautiful ts w Ive heard.

    t. I have seen gold enough.

    FOURt. I  say t its so beautiful.

    FIRSt PEASANt. But doesnt a gold piece glitter like ts ter days,

    told me tle boy??

    So s she sun,

    Round and s is w he said.

    SECOND PEASANt. t cannot buy,

    FIRSt PEASANt. t.

    (t. tly.)

    END OF SCENE 4

 SCENE 5

    t tains; in it a bed, and on the

    bed is t. two MERCS w a large book

    upon a table, arrange money, and so on.

    FIRSt MERC. to t lie I told about her ships

    And t about the herdsman lying sick,

    e soo muco?morrow.

    SECOND MERC.   mice?

    FIRSt MERC.  fell and I o the man?headed owl,

    I o the cliffs of Donegal,

    And saheir canvas full of wind

    And rusi?coloured sea

    t bring the woman grain and meal.

    t three days from us.

    SECOND MERC. he dew rose

    I o t,

    And saw nine h

    it three days from us.

    FIRSt MERC. traffic.

    (PEASANtS croEIG and ShEMUS.)

    ShEMUS. Come in, come in, you are welcome.

    t is my  masters,

    And  deal here she is;

    S even know she was a fool,

    So great a fool she was.

    tEIG. S eat

    One crumb of bread bougers money,

    But lived on nettles, dock, and dandelion.

    S into her head

    t Deat thing can happen us.

    t sounds simple, for ongue grew rank

    it she had heard in chapel.

    Drao tain.

    (tEIG dra.)

    Youll not play the fool

    lemen are to save you.

    SECOND MERC.

    Since t came t about in a throng,

    Like autumn leaves blohe dreary winds.

    Come, deal??come, deal.

    FIRSt MERC. h us?

    S of spirit, Sir, h lack of food,

    Save four or five. hese;

    time.

    MIDDLE?AGED?MAN. I come to deal??if you give  price.

    FIRSt MERC (reading in a book)

    Joance, h dull mind,

    And quiet senses and unventurous .

    t; two hundred crowns,

    All for a soul, a little breath of wind.

    there

    t no mere lapse of days can make me yours.

    FIRSt MERC.

    t ;often at night

    he is wakeful from a dread of growing poor,

    And theres any man

    t y.quot;

    A PEASANt.  it?

    And I  midnight.

    ANOt. I  trust my moter this.

    FIRSt MERC. two hundred crowns.

    A PEASANt. ts plenty for a rogue.

    ANOt. Id give hing.

    S no more??so take ws offered you.

    (A general murmur, during o background,

    .)

    FIRSt MERC.  a better soul t?

    If only for t of your parisraffic h us.

    A OMAN.  will you give for mine?

    FIRSt MERC (reading in book)

    quot;Soft, ill young quot;??not muc;

    Its certain t to

    Knos he jar

    Bet.quot;

    the scandalous book.

    FIRSt MERC. quot;Nor how when hes away

    At t e ws hid

    ill tap times upon t;

    tter, t is no reason

    hers.

    FIRSt MERC. Youre almost safe, I give you fifty crowns

    (Surns to go.)

    A hen.

    ShEMUS. oman, have sense?come, Come.

    Is time to  the price?

    take it up. ts right.

    (Sakes to the crowd.)

    FIRSt MERC. Come, deal, deal, deal. It is but for cy e buy suc all; a thousand sins

    Made ters long before we came.

    (ALEEL enters.)

    ALEEL. ake my soul, for I am tired of it.

    I do not ask a price.

    S ask a price?

    a price?

    I  listen to s;

    ess Cathleen has so crazed him

    ands w he is saying.

    ALEEL. trouble t ess Cathleen,

    t is in ed face,

    ts,

    And yet I know Id ake my soul.

    FIRSt MERC. e cannot take your soul, for it is hers.

    ALEEL. No. but you must. Seeing it cannot help her

    I ired of it.

    FIRSt MERC. Begone from me

    I may not touc.

    ALEEL. Is your power so small?

    And must I bear it h me all my days?

    May you be scorned and mocked!

    FIRSt MERC. Drag him away.

    roubles me.

    (tEIG and So the crowd.)

    SECOND MERC. her,

    ith shaking and a dreadful fear.

    FIRSt MERC. Lean forward

    And kiss t wers lips

    ere pressed upon it w us her;

    You shall have peace once more.

    (SECOND MERC kisses t t is about the

    MERC.)

    I, too, grow weary,

    But t

    Is drawing near??our labour will soon end.

    Come, deal, deal, deal, deal, deal; are you all dumb?

    ,  home

    And from ternal revelry?

    SECOND MERC. Deal, deal.

    S too low.

    FIRSt MERC. I offer t price: a?thousand crowns For an old woman who was always ugly.

    (An Old PEASANt OMAN comes forward, and akes up a book and reads.)

    t little set down  her.

    quot;Solen eggs and fowl wimes were bad,

    But ter ;

    She never missed her chapel of a Sunday

    And ake up your money.

    OLD OMAN. God bless you, Sir.

    (She screams.)

    O through me!

    FIRSt MERC. t name is like a fire to all damned souls.

    (Murmur among tS, w.)

    A PEASANt. !

    SECOND PEASANt. And maybe we shall scream so.

    t. I tell you there is no such place as hell.

    FIRSt MERC. Can sucrifle turn you from your profit? Come, deal; come, deal,

    MIDDLE?AGED MAN. Master, I am afraid.

    FIRSt MERC. I boughe souls gone.

    MIDDLE?AGED MAN. Give me my soul again.

    OMAN (going on o MERC)

    And take too, and give me mine.

    SECOND MERC. Bear bastards, drink or follow some wild fancy; For sighe souls

    work,

    And you have none.

    (the woman off.)

    PEASANt. Come, lets away.

    ANOt. Yes, yes.

    ANOt. Come quickly; if t woman  screamed I would  my soul.

    ANOt. Come, come away.

    (turn to door, but are stopped by ss of quot;Countess

    Catess Cat;)

    CAtering) And so you trade once more?

    FIRSt MERC. In spite of you.

    brings you  he sapphire eyes?

    CAto barter a soul for a great price.

    SECOND MERC.  matter, if the price?

    CAtarve, the people go

    to you. I hem

    And it is in my ears by night and day,

    And I would housand crowns

    t I may feed till th go by.

    FIRSt MERC. . It may be t.

    CAthere is more:

    t you  must be set free.

    FIRSt MERC. e kno one soul ts he price.

    CAt seems a priceless thing.

    SECOND MERC. 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! w would  you, lady?

    ANOt.

    Look chern gloves.

    FIRSt MERC. Five he souls even

    while you speak

    of our bond, because your face

    on ts.

    But you must sign, for  no form

    In buying a soul like yours.

    SECOND MERC. Sign his quill.

    It he cock

    t crowed wer dared deny er,

    And all w  honour in hell.

    (CAto sign.)

    ALEEL (rusc from o the

    heavens.

    CAts; I hear a cry??a cry.

    ALEEL (casting t on the ground)

    I have seen a vision under a green hedge,

    A  shall hear

    tans empty skull

    Over tain?tops.

    FIRSt MERC. take him away.

    (tEIG and S S.

    CAt and signs, turns toS.)

    CAtake up th me;

    ed place

    I will give everybody money enough.

    (S, tS crowding round wo MERCS

    are left alone.)

    SECOND MERC. e must a until she dies,

    Sitting above owo grey owls,

    aiting as many years as may be, guarding

    Our precious jeing to seize her soul.

    FIRSt MERC. e need but es. hen she signed

    began to break. hush, hush, I hear

    ts hinges,

    And ternal revelry float her

    to en us.

    SECOND MERC. Leap feathe air

    And meet t in your claws.

    (t. ALEEL crao t has fallen and gradually darkens as

    tant muttering of torm.)

    ALEEL. tands wide, and Balor comes

    Borne in ed

    t of old

    turned gods to stone; Baracraitor, comes

    And tin,

    t cast a druid weakness and decay

    Over Sualtems and old Decteras child;

    And t great king  took hold upon

    ,

    And all ted to one side,

    For wy and peace

    itinate, crafty, sidelong bitterness.

    ( as ts. OONA enters.)

    Crouc of torm.

    OONA. ess Cathis day

    ears, and w

    trembled,

    And no know where she is gone.

    ALEEL. Cathan us,

    And the hollow world.

    Demons are out, old heron.

    OONA. God guard her soul.

    ALEEL. Sered it ahis very hour,

    As the world.

    And the hollow world.

    (s downward.)

    First, Orciful head alive,

    ing

    Under the dawn, for she who awoke desire

    a  of blood whers die;

    About itude

    Of  laughter

    Be  of the blood made sin,

    But all ttle pink?we nails have grown

    to be great talons.

    (o the room

    and Points do gestures. the wind roars.)

    they begin a song

    And till some music on tongues.

    OONA (casting he floor)

    O, Maker of all, protect he demons,

    And if a soul must need be lost, take mine.

    (ALEEL kneels beside  does not seem to S return. the

    COUNtESS CAthere as if dead.)

    OONA. O, t so many pitchers of rough clay

    Swo!

    (ShLEEN.)

    A PEASANt. e ree wurns,

    ed away.

    And ws

    Blackened t

    Dra bolt, for no man has beheld

    So black, bitter, blinding, and sudden a storm.

    (One w.)

    CAtigorm

    Is dragging me away.

    (OONA takes o wail.)

    PEASANt. hush!

    PEASANtS. hush!

    PEASANt OMEN hush!

    Ot OMEN hush!

    CAt

    to every man and woman: judge, and give

    According to their needs.

    A PEASANt OMAN. And will she give

    Enougo keep my ch?

    ANOt OMAN.

    O, Queen of s,

    Let us and ours be lost so she be shriven.

    CAthLEEN. Bend down your faces, Oona and Aleel;

    I gaze upon the swallow gazes

    Upon t under the eave, before

    Sers. Do not weep

    too great a where is many a candle

    On tar though one fall. Aleel,

    the woods,

    t kno the world,

    breatheir kind bodies, farewell

    And farewell, Oona, you wh me,

    And bore me in your arms about the house

    a cherefore happy,

    t dance.

    torm is in my  go.

    (She dies.)

    OONA. Bring me the looking?glass.

    (A OMAN brings it to  of t over t

    for a moment. And then she speaks in a half scream:)

    O, she is dead!

    A PEASANt. S he world.

    A PEASANt. Siful tars.

    AN OLD PEASANt OMAN. ttle plant I love is broken in two.

    (ALEEL takes looking?glass from OONA and flings it upon t it is broken in many pieces.)

    ALEEL. I ster you in fragments, for the face

    t brimmed you up y is no more:

    And die, dull , for she whose mournful words

    Made you a living spirit has passed away

    And left you but a ball of passionate dust.

    And you, proud eart!

    For you may ering feet,

    But are left lonely amid the clamorous war

    Of angels upon devils.

    (ands up; almost every one is kneeling, but it  only confused forms can be seen.)

    And I who weep

    Call curses on you, time and Fate and Change,

    And   t hour

    tomless space.

    (A flasning folloely by thunder.)

    A PEASANt OMAN. Pull him upon his knees before his curses

    ning on our heads.

    ALEEL. Angels and devils clashe middle air,

    And brazen swords clang upon brazen helms.

    (A flasning folloely by thunder.)

    Yonder a brig out of a sling,

    orn the dark clans

    Fly screaming as tura of old.

    (Everyt in darkness.)

    AN OLD MAN. ty  our great ed out t

    die.

    (t. tS seem to be kneeling upon the rocky slope of a

    mountain, and

    vapour full of storm and ever?c is s, haff

    in tand armed angels. ted.

    tand as if upon the air

    in formation of battle and look doern faces.

    tS cast the ground.)

    ALEEL. Look no more on tes of hell,

    But speak to me, wten of God,

    t it may be no more al things,

    And tell of here.

    (he angels.)

    till you speak

    You s drift into eternity.

    t beats does of pearl are he floor of peace,

    And Mary of times wounded

    he long blessed hair

    of Lights

    Looks alive, not the deed,

    the deed alone.

    (ALEEL releases the ANGEL and kneels.)

    OONA. tell the floor of peace

    t I o her I love;

    t black oxen tread the world,

    And God them on behind,

    And I am broken by t.

    (A sound of far?off o come from t of t. ts ahe forms of

    tS appear faintly in the darkness.)

 NOTES

    I found tory of tess Cat professed to be a collection of Irise to t its source, but got no ans  it ranslated from Les Matin`ees de timotrimm a good many years ago, and ing about t as an Irisory, and tor of Folklore ised for information, tian variant I knoale, given by Mr. Larminie in  Irisales and Romances, of a o save ays ten, ed permission to carry ao . L`eo Lesp`es may ails, but I  of tial antiquity of o me t impressive form of one of to tis, but ly irremediable. L`eo Lesp`es tells tory as follows:??

    Ce que je vais vous dire est un r`ecit du car`eme Irlandais. Le boiteux, laveugle, le paralytique des rues de Dublin ou de Limerick, vous le diraient mieux que moi, ceur, si vous alliez le leur demander, un

    sixpense dargent `a la main.?Il nest pas une jeune fille cat appris pendant les

    jours de pr`eparation `a la communion sainte, pas un berger des bords de la Blacker qui ne le puisse redire `a la veill`ee.

    Il y a bien longtemps quil apparut tout?`a?coup dans la vielle Irlande deux marc

    personne navait oui parler, et qui parlaient n`eanmoins avec la plus grande perfection la langue du pays. Leurs caient noirs et ferr`es avec de lor et leurs robes dune grande magnificence.

    tous deux semblaient avoir le m`eme age; ils paraissaient `etre des e ans, car leur barbe grisormait un peu.

    Or, `a cette `epoque, comme aujourdait pauvre, car le soleil avait `et`e rare, et des r`ecoltes presque nulles. Les indigents ne savaient `a quel sainte se vouer, et la mis`ere devenai de plus en plus terrible.

    Dans lellerie o`u descendirent les marcueux on crer leurs desseins: mais cc fut

    en vain, ils demeur`erent silencieux et discrets.

    Et pendant quils demeur`erent dans lellerie, ils ne

    cess`erent de compter et de recompter des sacs de pi`eces dor, dont la vive clart`e sapercevait `a travers les

    vitres du logis.

    Gentlemen, leur dit lesse 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 esse, r`epondit lun deux, nous navons pas voulu aller au?devant dinfortunes honorables, dans la

    crainte 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 e au front. Les deux

    trafiquants acaient 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  cinquante quand

    elle `etait jolie, ou cent 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.

    Pendant ce temps, il existait dans la ville un ange de beaut`e, la comtesse Ketty OConnor. Elle `etait lidole du

    peuple, et la providence des indigents. 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, combien ai?je de pi`eces dor dans mon coffre??

    Cent mille.?

    Combien de bijoux??

    Pour autant dargent.?

    Combien de ceaux, de bois et de terres??

    Pour le double de ces sommes.?

    Erick, vendez tout cc qui nest pas or et apportez?men le montant. je ne veux garder `a moi

    que ce castel et le coure.

    ?

    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.

    Ceci ne faisait pas le compte, dit la tradition, des

    commisvoyageurs du malin esprit, qui ne trouvaient plus d`ames `a acer.

    Aides par un valet infame, ils p`en`etr`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 contenu 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 mains `etaient captives?Le larcin 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  jours `a passer

    pour que les grains et les fourrages arrivassent en abondance des pays

    dOrient. Mais,  jours, c`etait un si`ecle :  jours n`ecessitaient une somme immense pour subvenir aux

    exigences de la disette, et les pauvres allaient ou expirer dans les angoisses de la faim, ou, reniant les saintes

    maximes de lEvangile,

    vendre `a vil prix leur `ame, le plus beau pr`esent de la

    munificence du Seigneur toutpuissant.

    Et Ketty navait plus une obole, car elle avait abandonn`e son ceaux aux malheureux.

    Elle passa douze  le deuil, arrac ses c meurtrissant son

    sein couleur du lis: puis elle se leva r`esolue, anim`ee par un vif sentiment de d`esespoir.

    Elle se rendit chez les marchands d`ames.

    Que voulez?vous? dirent ils.?

    Vous acez des `ames??

    Oui, un peu malgr`e vous, nest ce pas, sainte aux yeux de sapbir??

    Aujourd elle.?

    Lequel??

    Jai une `ame `a vendre; mais elle est ch`ere.?

    Quimporte si elle est pr`ecieuse? L`ame, comme le diamant, sappr`ecie `a sa blancheur.?

    Cest la mienne, dit Ketty.?

    Les deux envoy`es de Satan tressaillirent, Leurs griffes

    sallong`erent 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, combien voulez?vouz??

    Cent cinquante mille `ecus dor.?

    Cest fait, dirent les marc ils tendirent `a Ketty un parc`e de noir, quelle signa

    en frissonnant.

    ?

    La somme lui fut compt`ee.

    Des quelle fut rentr`ee, elle dit au majordome:

    tenez, distribuez ceci. Avec la somme que je vous donne les pauvres attendront la aine

    n`ecessaire et pas une de leurs `ames ne sera livr`ee au d`emon.

    ?

    Puis elle senferma et recommanda 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 c`e fut d`eclar`ee nulle par le Seigneur: car elle avait

    sauv`e ses concitoyens de la morte `eternelle.

    Apr`es la aine, des vaisseaux nombreux amen`erent lIrlande affam`ee dimmenses provisions de grains.

    La famine n`etait plus possible. Quant aux marchands, ils

    disparurent de leur ellerie, sans quon s`ut jamais ce quils `etaient devenus.

    toutefois, les p`ecer pr`etendent quils sont encerraine 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`egende telle que je la sais.

    ?Mais les pauvres lont racont`e d`age en `age et les enfants de Cork et de Dublin cent encore la ballade

    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 racer son crime,

    Confiteor.

    Mais lange qui se fit coupable

    Par c`e

    Au s`ejour damour ineffable

    Est remont`e.

    Satan vaincu neut pas de prise

    Sur ce coeur dor;

    Cons sous la nef de l`eglise,

    Confiteor.

    Nest ce pas que ce r`ecit, n`e de limagination des po`etes cate Erin, est une V`eritable r`ecit

    de car`eme?

    tess Cated in Dublin in 1899, . Jorevor Lohe

    First and Second Demon, Mr. Valentine Grace as Ser Con as teig, Madame San

    Carola as Mary, Miss Florence Farr as Aleel, Miss Anna Mathe

    , Miss Dorot as a Spirit, Miss

    M. Kelly as a Peasant oman, Mr. t. E. ilkinson as a Servant, and Miss May ty as tess

    Kato face a very ve opposition stirred up by a politician and a nehe one

    accusing me in a

    pamp, ticles day after day, of blasphe demons or of

    S escape damnation, and of a lack of patriotism

    because I made Iris seems, never did suche

    politician or ty Catholic

    students to sign a protest against t  read it, to make

    anoth

    politician and nehe

    audience to break t a score or so of police  to tre to see t t. I had,

    o regret t, for talls, containing almost all t inguished in Dublin,

    and a gallery of artisans alike insisted on terature.

    After tess, and in this new form

    the play was revived in New York by Miss ycherley as well as being played a good deal in England and

    America by amateurs. No last I e revision to make it suitable for performance at the

    Abbey tre. t t  out

    sucage experience of some years sion; ts first form

    ten before I knere. I  the version

    printed in tic purposes ter reason

    t audiences??even at tre??are almost ignorant of Irishology or because a

    sage made te vision of armed angels upon a mountain?side impossible. the new end is

    particularly suited to tage, form can be broug in front of the prosceniurn

    and  of steps at one side up age at the

    opposite side. ting is from to the

    faces of tlights

    unnecessary. t Sed by a great grey curtain?a colour which becomes

    full of ricints under tream of lighe

    use of a gauze. t front scene before t is just long enough

    incidental music to allo be to be c interval in this

    s a little over an hour.

    t tre for t time on December 14, 1911, Miss Maire ONeill

    taking t

    of tess, and t scene from t of ts was as follows:?

    (MERCS rus. ALEEL crao t has fallen and gradually

    darkens as the scene goes on.)

    ALEEL. th,

    Fat Asmodel and giddy Belial,

    And all the air.

    But we creak so? Round and round,

    o and fro theyre running.

    as ts.

    OONA enters.)

    Crouc of torm.

    OONA. ess Cathis day

    ears, and w

    trembled.

    And no know where she is gone.

    ALEEL. Cathan us,

    And the hollow world.

    Demons are out, old heron.

    OONA. God guard her soul.

    ALEEL. Sered it ahis very hour,

    As the world.

    ( does not seem to S return. the

    COUNtESS CAthere as if dead.)

    OONA. O, t so many pitchers of rough clay

    Swo!

    (ShLEEN.)

    A PEASANt. e ree wurns

    ed away.

    CAtigorm

    is dragging me away.

    (OONA takes o wail.)

    PEASANtS. hush!

    PEASANtS hush!

    PEASANt OMEN. hush!

    Ot OMEN. hush!

    CAthem

    out

    to every man and woman: judge, and give

    According to their needs.

    A PEASANt OMAN. And will she give

    Enougo keep my ch?

    ANOt OMAN.

    O, Queen of s,

    Let us and ours be lost, so she be shriven.

    CAthLEEN. Bend down your faces, Oona and Aleel;

    I gaze upon the swallow gazes

    Upon t under the eave, before

    Sers. Do not weep

    too great a where is many a candle

    On tar though one fall. Aleel,

    the woods,

    t kno the world,

    breatheir kind bodies, farewell

    And farewell, Oona, you wh me

    And bore me in your arms about the house

    a cherefore happy,

    t dance.

    torm is in my  go.

    (She dies.)

    OONA. Bring me the looking?glass.

    (A OMAN brings it to  of inner room. OONA

    for a moment, then she speaks in a half?scream.)

    O, she is dead!

    A PEASANt. S he world.

    A PEASANt. Siful tars.

    AN OLD PEASANt OMAN. ttle plant I loved is broken in two.

    (ALEEL takes looking?glass from OONA and flings it upon fkoor, so t it is broken in manypieces.)

    ALEEL. I ster you in fragments, for the face

    t brimmed you up y is no more;

    And die, dull , for you t were a mirror

    Are but a ball of passionate dust again!

    And level earth and plumy sea, rise up!

    And y sky, fall down!

    A PEASANt OMAN. Pull him upon his knees,

    ning on our heads.

    ALEEL. Angels and devils clashe middle air,

    And brazen swords clang upon brazen helms.

    Look, look, a spear hrough Belials eye!

    (A orcers from tant thing.

    t to pass out to tops

    a moment and turns.)

    Look no more on tes of hell,

    But speak to me wten of God,

    t it may be no more al things:

    And tell of here.

    (turns again and is about to go, but is seized by ALEEL.)

    till you speak

    You s drift into eternity.

    ANGEL. t beats does of pearl are wide.

    And so the floor of peace,

    And Mary of times wounded

    he long blessed hair

    of Lights

    Looks alive, not the deed,

    the deed alone.

    (ALEEL releases the ANGEL and kneels.)

    OONA. tell the floor of peace,

    t I o her I love,

    t black oxen tread the world,

    And God them on behind,

    And I am broken by t.