The Land of Hearts Desire | Page 5

he's the oldest thing
under the moon.
At times I merely care to dance and dance--
At
times grow wiser than the eagle cock.
FATHER HART.
What are you?
THE CHILD.
I am of the faery people.
I sent my messengers for milk and fire,

And then I heard one call to me and came.
[They all except_ MAIRE BRUIN gather about the priest for
protection._ MAIRE BRUIN _stays on the settle as if in a trance of
terror. The_ CHILD _takes primroses from the great bowl and begins
to strew them between herself and the priest and about_ MAIRE
BRUIN. During the following dialogue_ SHAWN BRUIN goes more
than once to the brink of the primroses, but shrinks back to the others
timidly._
FATHER HART.
I will confront this mighty spirit alone.
[They cling to him and hold him back.
THE CHILD (_while she strews the primroses.)
No one whose heart is heavy with human tears
Can cross these little
cressets of the wood.
FATHER HART.
Be not afraid, the Father is with us,
And all the nine angelic
hierarchies,
The Holy Martyrs and the Innocents,
The adoring Magi
in their coats of mail,
And He who died and rose on the third day,

And Mary with her seven times wounded heart.

[The_ CHILD ceases strewing the primroses, and kneels upon the settle
beside_ MAIRE and puts her arms about her neck.
Cry daughter to the Angels and the Saints.
THE CHILD.
You shall go with me, newly-married bride,
And gaze upon a merrier
multitude:
White-armed Nuala and Ardroe the Wise,
Feacra of the
hurtling foam, and him
Who is the ruler of the western host,

Finvarra, and their Land of Heart's Desire,
Where beauty has no ebb,
decay no flood,
But joy is wisdom, Time an endless song.
I kiss you
and the world begins to fade.
FATHER HART.
Daughter, I call you unto home and love!
THE CHILD.
Stay, and come with me, newly-married bride,
For, if you hear him,
you grow like the rest:
Bear children, cook, be mindful of the churn,

And wrangle over butter, fowl, and eggs,
And sit at last there, old
and bitter of tongue,
Watching the white stars war upon your hopes.
FATHER HART.
Daughter, I point you out the way to heaven!
THE CHILD.
But I can lead you, newly-married bride,
Where nobody gets old and
crafty and wise,
Where nobody gets old and godly and grave,

Where nobody gets old and bitter of tongue,
And where kind tongues
bring no captivity,
For we are only true to the far lights
We follow
singing, over valley and hill.

FATHER HART.
By the dear name of the one crucified,
I bid you, Maire Bruin, come
to me.
THE CHILD.
I keep you in the name of your own heart!
[_She leaves the settle, and stooping takes up a mass of primroses and
kisses them._
We have great power to-night, dear golden folk
For he took down and
hid the crucifix.
And my invisible brethren fill the house;
I hear
their footsteps going up and down.
O, they shall soon rule all the
hearts of men
And own all lands; last night they merrily danced

About his chapel belfrey! (To MAIRE.) Come away,
I hear my
brethren bidding us away!
FATHER HART.
I will go fetch the crucifix again.
[They hang about him in terror and prevent him from moving.
BRIDGET BRUIN.
The enchanted flowers will kill us if you go.
MAURTEEN BRUIN.
They turn the flowers to little twisted flames.
SHAWN BRUIN.
The little twisted flames burn up the heart.
THE CHILD.

I hear them call us, newly-married bride.
MAIRE BRUIN.
I will go with you.
FATHER HART.
She is lost, alas,
THE CHILD (standing by the door).
Then, follow but the heavy body of clay,
And clinging mortal hope
must fall from you;
For we who ride the winds, run on the waves,

And dance upon the mountains, are more light
Than dewdrops on the
banners of the dawn.
MAIRE BRUIN.
Then take my soul.
[SHAWN BRUIN goes over to her.
SHAWN BRUIN.
Beloved, do not leave me!
What will my life be if you go with her?

Remember when I met you by the well
And took your hand in mine
and spoke of love.
MAIRE BRUIN.
Dear face! Dear voice!
THE CHILD.
Come, newly-married bride!
MAIRE BRUIN.

I always loved her world--and yet--and yet
I think that I would stay if
I could stay.
[_Sinks into his arms.
THE CHILD (from the door).
White bird, white bird, come with me, little bird!
MAIRE BRUIN.
She calls my soul!
THE CHILD.
Come with me, little bird!
MAIRE BRUIN.
I can hear songs and dancing!
SHAWN BRUIN.
Stay with me!
MAIRE BRUIN.
Dear, I would stay--and yet and yet--
THE CHILD.
White bird!
Come, little bird with crest of gold!
MAIRE BRUIN (very softly).
And yet--
THE CHILD.

Come, little bird with silver feet!
SHAWN BRUIN.
Dead, dead!
FATHER HART.
Thus do the evil spirits snatch their prey
Almost out of the very hand
of God;
And day by day their power is