The Land Of Hearts Desire | Page 4

at the priest and lets her arms fall.)
FATHER HART. My daughter, take his hand--by love alone God binds us to Himself and to the hearth, That shuts us from the waste beyond His peace From maddening freedom and bewildering light.
SHAWN. Would that the world were mine to give it you, And not its quiet hearths alone, but even All that bewilderment of light and freedom. If you would have it.
MARY. I would take the world And break it into pieces in my hands To see you smile watching it crumble away.
SHAWN. Then I would mould a world of fire and dew With no one bitter, grave or over wise,
And nothing marred or old to do you wrong, And crowd the enraptured quiet of the sky With candles burning to your lonely face.
MARY/ Your looks are all the candles that I need.
SHAWN. Once a fly dancing in a beam of the sun, Or the light wind blowing out of the dawn, Could fill your heart with dreams none other knew, But now the indissoluble sacrament Has mixed your heart that was most proud and cold With my warm heart for ever; the sun and moon Must fade and heaven be rolled up like a scroll But your white spirit still walk by my spirit.
(A Voice singing in the wood.)
MAURTEEN. There's some one singing. Why, it's but a child. It sang, "The lonely of heart is withered away." A strange song for a child, but she sings sweetly. Listen, Listen!
(Goes to door.)
MARY. O, cling close to me, Because I have said wicked things to-night.
THE VOICE. The wind blows out of the gates of the day, The wind blows over the lonely of heart, And the lonely of heart is withered away. While the faeries dance in a place apart, Shaking their milk-white feet in a ring, Tossing their milk-white arms in the air For they hear the wind laugh and murmur and sing Of a land where even the old are fair, And even the wise are merry of tongue But I heard a reed of Coolaney say, When the wind has laughed and murmured and sung The lonely of heart is withered away
MAURTEEN. Being happy, I would have all others happy, So I will bring her in out of the cold.
(He brings in the faery child.)
THE CHILD. I tire of winds and waters and pale lights.
MAURTEEN. And that's no wonder, for when night has fallen The wood's a cold and a bewildering place, But you are welcome here.
THE CHILD. I am welcome here. For when I tire of this warm little house There is one here that must away, away.
MAURTEEN. O, listen to her dreamy and strange talk. Are you not cold? THE CHILD. I will crouch down beside you, For I have run a long, long way this night.
BRIDGET. You have a comely shape.
MAURTEEN. Your hair is wet.
BRIDGET. I'll warm your chilly feet.
MAURTEEN. You have come indeed A long, long way--for I have never seen Your pretty face--and must be tired and hungry, Here is some bread and wine.
THE CHILD. The wine is bitter. Old mother, have you no sweet food for me?
BRIDGET. I have some honey.
(She goes into the next room.)
MAURTEEN. You have coaxing ways, The mother was quite cross before you came.
(BRIDGET returns with the honey and fills Porringer with milk.)
BRIDGET. She is the child of gentle people; look At her white hands and at her pretty dress. I've brought you some new milk, but wait a while And I will put it to the fire to warm, For things well fitted for poor folk like us Would never please a high-born child like you.
THE CHILD. From dawn, when you must blow the fire ablaze, You work your fingers to the bone, old mother. The young may lie in bed and dream and hope, But you must work your fingers to the bone Because your heart is old.
BRIDGET. The young are idle.
THE CHILD. Your memories have made you wise, old father; The young must sigh through many a dream and hope, But you are wise because your heart is old.
(BRIDGET gives her more bread and honey.)
MAURTEEN. O, who would think to find so young a girl Loving old age and wisdom?
THE CHILD. No more, mother.
MAURTEEN. What a small bite! The milk is ready now.
(Hands it to her.)
What a small sip!
THE CHILD. Put on my shoes, old mother. Now I would like to dance now I have eaten, The reeds are dancing by Coolaney lake, And I would like to dance until the reeds And the white waves have danced themselves asleep.
(BRIDGET puts on the shoes, and the CHILD is about to dance, but suddenly sees the crucifix and shrieks and covers her eyes.)
What is that ugly thing on the black cross?
FATHER HART. You cannot know how naughty your