The Land of Hearts Desire | Page 5

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 more and more,?And men and women leave old paths, for pride?Comes knocking with thin knuckles on the heart.
A VOICE sings outside--
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 must wither away.'
[_The song is taken up by many voices, who sing loudly, as if in triumph. Some of the voices seem to come from within the house._
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