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 ho