The Atlantic Book of Modern Plays Part 59

MAURTEEN BRUIN You are much too cross!

MARIE BRUIN What do I care if I have given this house, Where I must hear all day a bitter tongue, Into the power of faeries!

BRIDGET BRUIN You know well How calling the good people by that name Or talking of them over much at all May bring all kinds of evil on the house.

MARIE BRUIN Come, faeries, take me out of this dull house!

Let me have all the freedom I have lost; Work when I will and idle when I will!

Faeries, come take me out of this dull world, For I would ride with you upon the wind, Run on the top of the dishevelled tide, And dance upon the mountains like a flame!

FATHER HART You cannot know the meaning of your words.

MARIE BRUIN Father, I am right weary of four tongues: A tongue that is too crafty and too wise, A tongue that is too G.o.dly and too grave, A tongue that is more bitter than the tide, And a kind tongue too full of drowsy love, Of drowsy love and my captivity.

(SHAWN BRUIN _comes over to her and leads her to the settle._)

SHAWN BRUIN Do not blame me: I often lie awake Thinking that all things trouble your bright head-- How beautiful it is--such broad pale brows Under a cloudy blossoming of hair!

Sit down beside me here--these are too old, And have forgotten they were ever young.

MARIE BRUIN Oh, you are the great door-post of this house, And I, the red nasturtium, climbing up.

(_She takes_ SHAWN'S _hand, but looks shyly at the priest and lets it go._)

FATHER HART Good daughter, take his hand--by love alone G.o.d binds us to Himself and to the hearth And shuts us from the waste beyond His peace, From maddening freedom and bewildering light.

SHAWN BRUIN Would that the world were mine to give it you With every quiet hearth and barren waste, The maddening freedom of its woods and tides, And the bewildering light upon its hills.

MARIE BRUIN Then I would take and break it in my hands To see you smile watching it crumble away.

SHAWN BRUIN 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.

MARIE BRUIN Your looks are all the candles that I need.

SHAWN BRUIN 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 forever; and sun and moon Must fade and heaven be rolled up like a scroll; But your white spirit still walk by my spirit.

(_A_ VOICE _sings in the distance._)

MARIE BRUIN Did you hear something call? Oh, guard me close, Because I have said wicked things to-night; And seen a pale-faced child with red-gold hair, And longed to dance upon the winds with her.

A VOICE (_close to the door_) 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 BRUIN I am right happy, and would make all else Be happy too. I hear a child outside, And will go bring her in out of the cold.

(_He opens the door. A_ CHILD _dressed in pale green and with red-gold hair comes into the house._)

THE CHILD I tire of winds and waters and pale lights!

MAURTEEN BRUIN You are most welcome. It is cold out there; Who would think to face such cold on a May Eve?

THE CHILD And when I tire of this warm little house There is one here who must away, away, To where the woods, the stars, and the white streams Are holding a continual festival.

MAURTEEN BRUIN Oh, listen to her dreamy and strange talk.

Come to the fire.

THE CHILD I will sit upon your knee, For I have run from where the winds are born, And long to rest my feet a little while.

(_She sits upon his knee._)

BRIDGET BRUIN How pretty you are!

MAURTEEN BRUIN Your hair is wet with dew!

BRIDGET BRUIN I will warm your chilly feet.

(_She takes the child's feet in her hands._)

MAURTEEN BRUIN You must have come 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 BRUIN I have some honey!

(_She goes into the next room._)

MAURTEEN BRUIN You are a dear child; The mother was quite cross before you came.

(BRIDGET _returns with the honey, and goes to the dresser and fills a porringer with milk._)

BRIDGET BRUIN 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 awhile, And I will put it by the fire to warm, For things well fitted for poor folk like us Would never please a high-born child like you.

THE CHILD Old mother, my old mother, the green dawn Brightens above while you blow up the fire; And evening finds you spreading the white cloth.

The young may lie in bed and dream and hope, But you work on because your heart is old.

BRIDGET BRUIN The young are idle.

THE CHILD Old father, you are wise And all the years have gathered in your heart To whisper of the wonders that are gone.

The young must sigh through many a dream and hope, But you are wise because your heart is old.

MAURTEEN BRUIN Oh, who would think to find so young a child Loving old age and wisdom?

(BRIDGET _gives her more bread and honey._)

THE CHILD No more, mother.

MAURTEEN BRUIN What a small bite! The milk is ready now; What a small sip!

THE CHILD Put on my shoes, old mother, For 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 to sleep.