Celtic Tales | Page 9

the words.
That night all rejoiced save Deirdre. Heavy was her heart as she
thought she would never again, in shadow or in sunlight, rest in the
land of Alba of the lochs.
On the morrow they set sail, and swiftly the galley bore them to the
shores of the Green Isle. And when Deirdre stood once more on the soil
of her own land, then was her heart glad, and for a brief space she
remembered not her fears or her dreams.
In three days they came to the castle of Borrach, and there had Fergus
to keep his bond to feast with Borrach. 'For,' he said, turning to those
with him, 'my feast-bond I must keep, yet send I with you my two
sons.'
'Of a surety, Fergus, must thou keep thy feast-bond,' answered Nathos,
'but as for thy sons, I need not their protection, yet in the company each
of the other will we fare southward together.'
But as they went, Deirdre urged that they should tarry, and when they
had gone further, Nathos found that his wife had vanished from his side.
Going back he found her in deep sleep by the wayside.
Gently waking her, Nathos read terror in her starry eyes.
'What aileth thee, my Queen?'
'Again have I dreamed, O Nathos, and in my dream I saw our little
company, but as I looked, on the younger son of Fergus alone, was the

head left upon his body. Turn aside, and let us go not to Concobar, or
that thing which I saw in my dream, it shall come to pass.'
But Nathos feared not, for had not Fergus come to them with the bond
of peace from the King?
And on the morrow they came to the great palace.
When it was told Concobar that the three sons of Usna and Deirdre the
Star-eyed, and the two sons of Fergus were without, he ordered that
they should be taken into the House of the Red Branch. And he ordered,
too, that there should be given unto them of pleasant foods, and that all
that dwelt in the castle should do them honour.
But when evening was come, and all the company was merry, Deirdre
was wearied with journeying, and she lay upon a couch draped with
deerskins, and played with Nathos upon the gold and ivory
chess-board.
And as Deirdre rested, the door opened, and there entered a messenger
from the King. And this messenger was none other than Lavarcam, who
had been sent to discover if Deirdre were still as fair as in days of old.
And when Lavarcam beheld Deirdre, her eyes filled with tears. 'You do
not well, O Nathos, thus to play upon the chess-board which Concobar
holds dearer than aught else save Deirdre, thy wife. Both have ye taken
from him, and here, within these walls, are ye now in his power.'
Of a sudden Deirdre spake, her gaze fixed as if on some strange thing.
'I see as in a dream. As in a dream I see three torches. The three torches
are this night put out. The names on the torches are Nathos, Ailne,
Ardan. Alas! it is but for the beauty of a woman that these brave ones
perish.'
The sons of Usna were silent awhile, and the sons of Fergus spake not.
Then said Nathos, 'It were better, Deirdre, to be a torch quenched for
thy sake than to live for aught save thee. That which shall come, shall
come.'

'Now must I get me hence,' said Lavarcam, 'for Concobar awaiteth my
coming. But, sons of Usna, see ye well to it, that the doors and
windows be this night barred.'
Then Lavarcam hastened to the King and told him how that the sons of
Usna had come to Erin to live peaceably, but how that the beauty of
Deirdre had faded until she was no longer fairest among women.
Then was Concobar wroth, and he sent yet another messenger.
To this man he said, 'Who was it that slew thy father and thy brother?'
'Nathos, son of Usna, O King!'
'Then go thou to the House of the Red Branch, and bring me word
hither if Deirdre be still the fairest among women.'
And the man went. But when he found that bar and bolt were drawn
across door and window, he knew well that the sons of Usna were
warned of the wrath of the King. But espying one open window, he put
his eye near to the lower corner that he might glance within. And
Deirdre saw the man's eye, and told Nathos, and he, with the ivory
bishop that was in his hand, took aim as if with a javelin, and the
chessman pierced the spy's eye, and it became blind.