Deirdre of the Sorrows Part 2

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plaything; I'll put on my robes that are the richest, for I will not be brought down to Emain as Cuchulain brings his horse to the yoke, or Conall Cearneach puts his s.h.i.+eld upon his arm; and maybe from this day I will turn the men of Ireland like a wind blowing on the heath.

[She goes into room. Lavarcham and Old Woman look at each other, then the Old Woman goes over, looks in at Deirdre through c.h.i.n.k of the door, and then closes it carefully.

OLD WOMAN -- in a frightened whisper.

-- She's thrown off the rags she had about her, and there she is in her skin; she's putting her hair in s.h.i.+ny twists. Is she raving, Lavarcham, or has she a good right turning to a queen like Maeve?

LAVARCHAM -- putting up hanging very anxiously. -- It's more than raving's in her mind, or I'm the more astray; and yet she's as good a right as another, maybe, having her pleasure, though she'd spoil the world.

OLD WOMAN -- helping her. -- Be quick before she'll come back. . . . Who'd have thought we'd run before her, and she so quiet till to-night. Will the High King get the

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better of her, Lavarcham? If I was Con- chubor, I wouldn't marry with her like at all.

LAVARCHAM. Hang that by the win- dow. That should please her, surely. When all's said, it's her like will be the master till the end of time.

OLD WOMAN -- at the window. -- There's a mountain of blackness in the sky, and the greatest rain falling has been these long years on the earth. The G.o.ds help Conchubor. He'll be a sorry man this night, reaching his dun, and he with all his spirits, thinking to himself he'll be putting his arms around her in two days or three.

LAVARCHAM. It's more than Conchu- bor'll be sick and sorry, I'm thinking, before this story is told to the end.

[Loud knocking on door at the right.

LAVARCHAM -- startled. -- Who is that?

NAISI -- outside. -- Naisi and his brothers.

LAVARCHAM. We are lonely women.

What is it you're wanting in the blackness of the night?

NAISI. We met a young girl in the woods who told us we might shelter this place if the rivers rose on the pathways and the floods gathered from the b.u.t.t of the hills.

[Old Woman clasps her hands in horror.

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LAVARCHAM -- with great alarm. -- You cannot come in. . . . There is no one let in here, and no young girl with us.

NAISI. Let us in from the great storm.

Let us in and we will go further when the cloud will rise.

LAVARCHAM. Go round east to the shed and you'll have shelter. You cannot come in.

NAISI -- knocking loudly. -- Open the door or we will burst it. (The door is shaken.) OLD WOMAN -- in a timid whisper. -- Let them in, and keep Deirdre in her room to-night.

AINNLE AND ARDAN -- outside. -- Open! Open!

LAVARCHAM -- to Old Woman. -- Go in and keep her.

OLD WOMAN. I couldn't keep her. I've no hold on her. Go in yourself and I will free the door.

LAVARCHAM. I must stay and turn them out. (She pulls her hair and cloak over her face.) Go in and keep her.

OLD WOMAN. The G.o.ds help us.

[She runs into the inner room.

VOICES. Open!

LAVARCHAM -- opening the door. --

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Come in then and ill-luck if you'll have it so.

[Naisi and Ainnle and Ardan come in and look round with astonishment.

NAISI. It's a rich man has this place, and no herd at all.

LAVARCHAM -- sitting down with her head half covered. -- It is not, and you'd best be going quickly.

NAISI -- hilariously, shaking rain from his clothes. -- When we've had the pick of luck finding princely comfort in the darkness of the night! Some rich man of Ulster should come here and he chasing in the woods. May we drink? (He takes up flask.) Whose wine is this that we may drink his health?

LAVARCHAM. It's no one's that you've call to know.

NAISI. Your own health then and length of life. (Pouring out wine for the three.

They drink.) LAVARCHAM -- very crossly. -- You're great boys taking a welcome where it isn't given, and asking questions where you've no call to. . . . If you'd a quiet place settled up to be playing yourself, maybe, with a gentle queen, what'd you think of young men prying around and carrying tales? When I was a bit of a girl the big men of Ulster had better

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manners, and they the like of your three selves, in the top folly of youth. That'll be a story to tell out in Tara that Naisi is a tippler and stealer, and Ainnle the drawer of a stranger's cork.

NAISI -- quite cheerfully, sitting down be- side her. -- At your age you should know there are nights when a king like Conchubor will spit upon his arm ring, and queens will stick their tongues out at the rising moon.

We're that way this night, and it's not wine we're asking only. Where is the young girl told us we might shelter here?

LAVARCHAM. Asking me you'd be?

We're decent people, and I wouldn't put you tracking a young girl, not if you gave me the gold clasp you have hanging on your coat.

NAISI -- giving it to her. -- Where is she?

LAVARCHAM -- in confidential whisper, putting her hand on his arm. -- Let you walk back into the hills and turn up by the second cnuceen where there are three together. You'll see a path running on the rocks and then you'll hear the dogs barking in the houses, and their noise will guide you till you come to a bit of cabin at the foot of an ash-tree. It's there there is a young and flighty girl that I'm thinking is the one you've seen.

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NAISI -- hilariously. -- Here's health, then, to herself and you!

ARDAN. Here's to the years when you were young as she!

AINNLE -- in a frightened whisper. -- Naisi!

[Naisi looks up and Ainnle beckons to him. He goes over and Ainnle points to something on the golden mug he holds in his hand.

NAISI -- looking at it in astonishment. -- This is the High King's. . . . I see his mark on the rim. Does Conchubor come lodging here?

LAVARCHAM -- jumping up with ex- treme annoyance. -- Who says it's Conchu- bor's? How dare young fools the like of you -- (speaking with vehement insolence) come prying around, running the world into troubles for some slip of a girl? What brings you this place straying from Emain? (Very bitterly.) Though you think, maybe, young men can do their fill of foolery and there is none to blame them.

NAISI -- very soberly. -- Is the rain easing?

ARDAN. The clouds are breaking. . . .

I can see Orion in the gap of the glen.

NAISI -- still cheerfully. -- Open the door

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and we'll go forward to the little cabin between the ash-tree and the rocks. Lift the bolt and pull it.

[Deirdre comes in on left royally dressed and very beautiful. She stands for a moment, and then as the door opens she calls softly.

DEIRDRE. Naisi! Do not leave me, Naisi. I am Deirdre of the Sorrows.

NAISI -- transfixed with amazement. -- And it is you who go around in the woods making the thrushes bear a grudge against the heavens for the sweetness of your voice singing.

DEIRDRE. It is with me you've spoken, surely. (To Lavarcham and Old Woman.) Take Ainnle and Ardan, these two princes, into the little hut where we eat, and serve them with what is best and sweetest. I have many thing for Naisi only.

LAVARCHAM -- overawed by her tone. -- I will do it, and I ask their pardon. I have fooled them here.

DEIRDRE -- to Ainnle and Ardan. -- Do not take it badly that I am asking you to walk into our hut for a little. You will have a supper that is cooked by the cook of Conchu-

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bor, and Lavarcham will tell you stories of Maeve and Nessa and Rogh.

AINNLE. We'll ask Lavarcham to tell us stories of yourself, and with that we'll be well pleased to be doing your wish.

[They all go out except Deirdre and Naisi.

DEIRDRE -- sitting in the high chair in the centre. -- Come to this stool, Naisi (point- ing to the stool). If it's low itself the High King would sooner be on it this night than on the throne of Emain Macha.

NAISI -- sitting down. -- You are Fed- limid's daughter that Conchubor has walled up from all the men of Ulster.

DEIRDRE. Do many know what is fore- told, that Deirdre will be the ruin of the Sons of Usna, and have a little grave by herself, and a story will be told for ever?