Deirdre of the Sorrows | Page 5

or Maeve in her
house in Connaught. If Conchubor'll make me a queen, I'll have the
right of a queen who is a master, taking her own choice and making a
stir to the edges of the seas. . . . Lay out your mats and hangings where
I can stand this night and look about me. Lay out the skins of the rams
of Connaught and of the goats of the west. I will not be a child or
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 shield 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 chink 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
shiny 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 better of her, Lavarcham? If I was
Conchubor, I wouldn't marry with her like at all.

LAVARCHAM. Hang that by the window. 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 gods 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 Conchubor'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 butt of the hills.
[Old Woman clasps her hands in horror.
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 gods help us.
[She runs into the inner room.
VOICES. Open!
LAVARCHAM -- opening the door. -- 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.)